THE HARRINGTON CONTRACT

CHAPTER 3: THE DECISION

Sophia’s POV

I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened last night. I’m trying to understand what someone like him could possibly want from me.

I laid down on my bed, staring at my ceiling while my mind went over everything that happened. My father’s words kept replaying in my head.

“He’s here because he said he likes you.”

That didn’t make any sense to me. Why would Charles Harrington like me?

I barely knew the man. As far as I knew, we’d never been in the same room up until last night. And yet my father said it so casually, as if a billionaire showing up at our house because he supposedly likes me was completely normal.

I turned to my side and pulled the blanket closer to me. There had to be more to it.

Before I could come up with another explanation, there was a knock on my door.

“Sophia.”

My brother and I sat up.

“Come downstairs.”

My father’s voice was enough to make my stomach tighten.

“We need to talk.”

“Charles and I have had a conversation about you before today.”

“About me?”

“He wants to marry you.”

I stared at him. “What?”

“He has already paid your bride price.”

My mouth fell open. “Dad, you can’t be serious.”

“He’d be coming to take you home in two days.”

“Take me home? I’m not done with school.”

“You won’t be continuing your education.”

“What?”

“You heard me Sophia.”

“But dad, I want to finish my education, I have plans.”

“Those plans have changed.”

At this point, my eyes started to sting. All the emotions I have been hoarding for so long felt stuck in my throat, as I was trying to hold back my tears.

I blinked rapidly, trying to control the tears in my eyes.

“There’s nothing to cry about, just get ready. Two days Sophia. Just two days.”

I stared at him. “Nothing to cry about? You’re telling me I’m getting married to a stranger in two days and that I can’t finish school.”

“The decision has been made.”

“You and I know mom would have never agreed to this.”

He suddenly stood up and turned to me. “Don’t you ever bring your mom into these kind of conversations again.”

I ran to my room with tears in my eyes. I laid down and folded myself on my bed with my duvet covering me.

I cried, I kept on crying and I just couldn’t stop. It felt like I had a thousand different emotions going through my head at that point.

“Sophia, why are you crying again.”

My brother said as he stood up from his bed to come to mine.

“What happened?”

I wiped my face quickly. “Nothing.”

“Sophia.”

I looked away.

“What did dad say downstairs?”

I stayed quiet for a moment before finally whispering, “He’s making me marry Charles.”

My brother froze.

“What?”

“Charles wants to marry me and dad said he already paid my bride price.”

He stared at me like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“He did what?”

I flinched at the sudden change in his voice.

He stared at me, shaking his head slightly.

“Charles Harrington? He wants to marry you?”

I nodded.

“You barely know the man. How does someone just decide they’re going to marry someone and then pay their bride price?”

I wiped my tears and looked away.

“And dad agreed to this?” he continued, almost talking to himself. “Just like that?”

I didn’t say anything. He sighed and sat down beside me.

“This is too much for you to handle, Sophia.”

I felt another tear slide down my cheek. He noticed and pulled me into his arms.

“Hey. It’s okay.”

I held onto him, finally letting myself cry.

“Whatever happens, I’m here for you,” he whispered. “You don’t have to go through any of this alone.”

I closed my eyes against his shoulder.

“I’ll always be here for you, okay?”

I love my brother. We’re just a year apart and it always feels like we’re twins, sometimes it even feels like he’s older.

The next morning, I woke up before my alarm. For a few seconds, I stared at the ceiling, completely still. Then everything came rushing back.

The marriage, my mom, the horrific encounter I had with a stranger at the party, school. It’s just a whole lot for me.

I sat up slowly and rubbed my face. I have to try solving the problems I can solve bit by bit.

Maybe if I spoke to my father again, calmly this time, he would listen. I have to try.

I couldn’t just give up on my whole future without fighting back.

I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and took a quick shower. I changed into something comfortable before making my way downstairs. I found my father sitting at the dining table, reading through some documents. I took a deep breath.

“Dad.”

He looked up from the papers.

“Can we talk about what happened yesterday?”

He sighed and put the papers down.

“What about it?”

“I’ve been thinking about everything you said.”

“And?”

“I don’t want to marry Charles Harrington.”

He stared at me for a brief moment before picking up his papers again.

“I already made myself clear yesterday.”

“But dad, I don’t want to marry someone I barely know. I want to finish school. I have plans for my life and I just can’t throw everything away because you decided I should marry someone.”

“Sophia, it’s enough. Get ready tomorrow evening. He’s coming to take you to your new home.”

I looked at my father and suddenly felt tired. Not angry. Just tired. I had spent so much time trying to make him understand me that I’d forgotten something.

He didn’t want to understand.

He had already made up his mind. I wiped the tears from my face, I turned and walked upstairs. I wasn’t giving up. I just needed to find another way.

I walked into my room and closed the door behind me. My room looked exactly the same as it had that morning. My clothes were piled on the chair, my brother’s shoes were scattered on both sides of the room. Everything looked normal.

Except my life wasn’t. I walked over to my bed and laid down on my side. I reached for my phone when I received a message from Grace. “I’ll be there in a bit.”

I stared at the message for a few seconds. I was still upset with Grace for not checking on me and abandoning me at the party. But I guess it’s okay now, at least she’s on her way here.

A few minutes later, Grace texted me saying she’s outside. I wiped my face even if there were no tears anymore, and headed downstairs to let her in.

I opened the door for Grace to walk in.

“Hey.” She said, barely taking her eyes off her phone.

“Hey.”

I closed the door behind her. “Grace?”

“Hmm?”

I hesitated. There were so many things I wanted to tell her. About how much I miss my mom, about my father, about the wedding, about the incident that happened at the party. The list was endless.

“Never mind.” I said.

“Okay.”

We got to my room and I gently opened the door since I wasn’t sure if my brother was still asleep. I put my face first and glanced over at my brother’s bed. He was still asleep which was a relief. Grace dropped her bag beside my desk and finally looked at me.

“So, what did you wanna talk about?”

I sat down on my bed.

“So much has been happening of late.”

“Sophia, can we not talk about something depressing right now.”

“Umm, okay. My dad wants me to get married.”

She stared at me for a second.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

She looked back at her phone.

“That’s crazy Sophia. Who’s he?”

“Charles Harrington.”

She suddenly dropped her phone and looked at me. “The same Charles Harrington? You mean billionaire Charles Harrington?”

“Yeah, him.”

“Oh my goshhhh. I’ve got to get you glammed up. This is such great news. I’d roll your hair, put some make up on for you. I’m so excited!”

I stared at her for a moment before forcing a small smile.

“Yeah, I’m leaving tomorrow. But I don’t feel happy about it. I know my mom won’t be in support of this. She always wanted us to finish school and now it feels like everything is going south.”

“Yeah, yeah. Do you remember the guy I told you about? I mean Tony.”

I hesitated before I replied.

“Yeah I do.”

“He finally texted me.”

“Seriously?”

She immediately started telling me everything. I listened, laughing whenever she laughed and reacting whenever she wanted me to.

I tried bringing up my own problems a few times, but somehow the conversation always found its way back to her. I don’t mind. Atleast, that’s what I told myself.

Grace was quiet for a moment, then looked at me.

“You know, maybe this isn’t as bad as you’re making it seem.”

I frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re going to have everything.”

I stared at her.

“Everything?”

“Money. A beautiful house. A husband who is basically one of the most powerful men in the country.”

I looked away.

“That’s not what I want.”

“Maybe you don’t know what you want yet, I mean you just keep talking about school like it’s such a big deal.”

I didn’t answer.

She reached for her phone again.

“Anyway, you’d probably get used to it.”

Before I could respond, I heard my brother move from behind us. Grace turned around.

“Oh you’re awake.”

He sat up, rubbing his eyes.

“How long have you been here?”

“A while.”

He looked at me.

“You okay?”

I nodded.

“Yeah.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, like he didn’t believe me. He stared at me for another second before getting out of bed.

“Okay.”

He grabbed his phone and walked toward the door.

“I’m going to get some food, you coming?”

I shook my head.

“Not yet.”

He nodded and left.

Grace faced me. “He worries about you a lot.”

“Yeah he does.”

I smiled. “He’s annoying but I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

A few minutes pass by and Grace finally leaves. I looked around my room and realized that almost everything I own has a memory attached to it. I start packing because I have no choice. I’ve thought about running away but I couldn’t leave my brother and I didn’t have anywhere to go.

Just as I was almost done packing my favorite clothes into the box. My phone rings.

Dad.

I picked up the call.

“Come downstairs, Charles is here.”