The contract

Chapter3

Three days passed, and at last, it was the day of Britney’s much-anticipated meeting with someone from the prestigious Knight Empire.

Securing the appointment had been surprisingly easy over the phone, but getting face-to-face with someone inside the company had been a far more difficult task. Still, against the odds, she had managed to land it.

As she sat in the sleek, high-end waiting lobby, a wave of shame washed over her. Everyone around her was dressed in expensive, tailored outfits that screamed luxury, making her feel painfully out of place. The longer she sat there, the more out of place she felt, like an outsider in a world designed for the rich and polished.

“Why did I even bother dressing up?” she muttered under her breath, tugging at her outfit that now felt plain and cheap.

If she had known everyone in the building looked like they walked out of a fashion magazine, she would have begged her friend Anny to lend her something.

Everything from the marble floors to the crystal light fixtures screamed opulence—she felt like she’d stepped into a catalogue for the elite.

Her heart pounded as anxiety wrapped itself around her like a vice, making it hard to breathe. She didn't belong here; she wasn't like these people. She came from nothing—no wealth, no status, not even a balance in her account to fall back on.

A hundred thoughts swirled through her mind, questions that chipped away at her confidence. Was this a mistake? Should I have just stayed away and let everything fall apart? The doubt was louder than her heartbeat, and it wouldn’t leave her alone.

“Miss Amber?” a clear, pleasant voice called out, pulling Britney from her downward spiral. A beautiful woman in a pencil skirt and fitted blouse approached with a practised smile.

“Mr. Knight will see you shortly,” she said with warmth.

Britney blinked in confusion. “Wait—Mr. Knight? As in the CEO?” she asked, panic rising in her throat.

She stood up quickly, her hands slightly trembling as she tried to make sense of the sudden change.

“Excuse me, I thought I was supposed to meet someone named Justin?” she asked nervously. The woman, who introduced herself as Stacey, motioned for her to follow down a quiet hallway.

“No, ma’am,” Stacey said calmly, stopping in front of a set of imposing double doors. “Justin is his assistant—Mr. Knight decided to take this meeting himself.” Britney’s breath caught in her throat.

Stacey knocked once and pushed open the door slightly.

“Sir, your two o’clock is here,” she said sweetly, peeking inside. There was no reply, but she opened the door wider and gave Britney a sympathetic smile.

Britney’s feet felt like stone, but Stacey’s encouraging nod gave her the final push she needed to step inside. The office was massive, high-ceilinged, and intimidating, with dark furniture and an air of quiet power. Her eyes did a quick scan of the room before landing on the man seated at the centre—Easton Knight.

The door shut behind her with a soft but final thud, making her jump.

“Take a seat,” Easton said, his voice deep and commanding, leaving no room for hesitation. Britney obeyed, trying to steady her breathing as she lowered herself into the leather chair across from him.

She looked at him—tall, striking, every inch a man used to control—and tried to find her voice.

“I’m here because I need help,” she began softly, twisting her fingers in her lap.

“I am in serious debt… and I don’t have the money”.

Easton remained silent for a moment, studying her with an unreadable expression. Then he leaned forward slightly, his tone calm but laced with something dangerous.

“I’ll pay off your debt,” he said slowly, “but there’s a condition.”

Britney’s eyes widened. “What kind of condition?” she asked, though part of her already feared the answer.

“You’ll become mine,” he said flatly. “Not in theory—not in sentiment—but physically, intimately, completely. In exchange for my help, you’ll be my s****l partner.”

Britney sat frozen, unsure if she had heard him correctly. Her mouth went dry, and her heart pounded against her ribs like a warning bell.

“You… you want me to sleep with you?” she whispered, barely able to say the words.

Easton didn’t flinch; his gaze remained steady, unreadable.

“Not just once,” he said, his voice low and deliberate.

“You’ll be mine whenever I want, for as long as our arrangement lasts.”

The room felt colder somehow, despite the warmth of the polished wood and leather. Britney’s stomach turned, and she looked away, shame flooding her face. This was more than a transaction—this was a choice that could change her forever.

She thought of her father—weak, fading, drowning in debt he couldn’t repay. He had no one else, and without help, he wouldn’t last another month. The weight of responsibility pressed on her like a stone.

“I don’t want to be someone’s… possession,” she said quietly, more to herself than to him.

Her voice trembled, caught between desperation and pride. But Pride wouldn’t pay hospital bills or stop debt collectors from showing up at her father’s door.

Easton stood and walked around the desk, his presence somehow even more overwhelming up close.

“I’m not asking you to love me,” he said, his voice even. “I’m offering you a choice—your father’s freedom, in exchange for your body.”

Her chest rose and fell quickly as she struggled to breathe under the weight of his proposition. “And if I say no?” she asked, forcing herself to meet his eyes.

“Will you still help?”

“No,” he answered without hesitation. “This deal only exists because I want something in return.” There was no malice in his tone—only brutal honesty.

Britney looked down at her hands, now clenched into fists on her lap. Her heart broke a little as she realized what she was about to do. But sometimes love demanded sacrifices that tore you apart.

“I’ll do it,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. A cold shiver ran down her spine, but she held her chin high.

“I’ll be yours.”