Chapter 2: THE AGREEMENT
1086 Words
ALLISON'S POV
I pressed the button for the top floor, my hands clutching the elevator's railing as the door slid closed. My heart pounded against the walls of my chest and my knuckles turned white with fear. Now that I was here, the weight of the situation felt suffocating.
The elevator doors opened with a soft chime.
My legs wobbled as I stepped out, every
movement sluggish, as though my body was
working against me.
The door at the end gleamed with its brass
handle, glinting in the dim light. My hand
trembled when I knocked, the sound barely
more than a whisper against the silence.
"Come in." His voice sliced through the air, cool
and commanding.
I pushed the door open, my stomach dropping.
The office stretched before me, vast, with
towering glass windows that looked out over
the city below. The furniture was sparse just a
massive desk and a chair in front of it,
minimalist and imposing.
He was sitting still with his broad back to me and staring out at the view, his posture relaxed, as though time meant nothing.
My heart was pounding against my ears and my voice was feeble as I spoke.
"Um... Excuse me?"
For some heart-pounding moment, he didn't act like he heard anything, didn't move. Then, slowly and deliberately, he swiveled toward me. His eyes locked with mine, and my
breath faltered.
He was undeniably handsome, but his eyes...
Something was chilling about them.
Something empty.
"Can I help you?" His voice was low, measured,
each word weighted with intent.
I swallowed, trying to steady my racing heart,
but my body refused to cooperate. The words
I'd practically disappeared the moment I saw
him.
"I'm Allison Stewart, "I stammered, the sound
of my voice foreign to my ears. "You
asked me to come."
A faint, humorless smile curled at the corner of
his lips, but it never reached his eyes. "Ah. Yes.
I did, didn't I?" He rose from behind the desk,
moving with a deliberate grace, as though
savoring the discomfort in the air.
I froze, a shiver running up my spine and my skin prickled, uneasiness crawling beneath my flesh. My pulse thudded in my ears, and I couldn't decide if it was fear or something more“—” something darker.
He stopped in front of me, his eyes scanning
me with a disconcerting thoroughness. It felt
like he was peeling back my layers, looking into
the very depths of me.
"I should believe you know why you are here, right?”. His voice was cold, and it made me shiver; it felt like a challenge.
My throat tightened, and the words barely
escaped. "I... I came to discuss the loan my
father took out in my name," I managed, the
words tasting wrong as I spoke them.
His lips twitched into a small, cruel smile. "Oh,
I'm aware of that. But there's more to it, Miss
Stewart. Much more."
I blinked, confusion slamming into me, my
pulse racing. What was he talking about?
He stepped closer, his presence filling the
space between us. "Your father made a... deal.
A contract, to be exact."
My eyes widened with shock, my legs threatening
to collapse under my weight as I struggled to stay
upright and lean on the chair by my front for support.
"What kind of contract?”
His eyes gleamed, the hint of something dark
flashing behind them. "Your father agreed to
marry you to me." His tone was as calm as if he
were discussing a simple transaction.
I stumbled back, my mind struggling to process
his words. "What?"
A low, dark laugh rumbled from his chest. "Yes,
your father sold you to me, Miss Stewart." He
said it so casually as if announcing a business
merger. "Your hand in marriage, in exchange
for.. let's just say, the money he owed."
A sick feeling churned in my stomach, and the
words pricked my skin like needles. I wanted to
scream, to deny him, but the truth of it settled
over me like a weight. It suffocated me. I swallowed hard.
I stared at him, trying to make sense of all he was saying, but I just couldn't."That's ... that's absurd."
He tilted his head to the side and a slow, cold smirk settled on his lips."I'm afraid not."
I wanted to speak, but at the moment, I lacked the right words; I was caught in the whirlwind of his revelation. "Why... Why are you telling me this?"
He stepped back, his gaze cool and detached.
"Because, Miss Stewart, the deal is in place.
And now, I expect you to honor it."
“My head spun”. "This is insane. I didn't agree to
anything. My father...he's..he's not even here!
He's...he can't do such a thing!"
A brief flicker of something”—” recognition,
maybe?-crossed his face, before the cold
mask returned. "I'm well aware of your father's
absence. A deal is, sadly, a deal, and you should know I'm a man of my word. Your father agreed,
and now it's your turn to fulfill it."
I staggered back, the air thin in my lungs. Panic
rose in my chest, threatening to overwhelm me.
"l can't... I can't do this."
He didn't flinch. His lips curved into that same
cold smile. "You don't have a choice."
The air between us thickened, pressing in on
me. “I wanted to run, to escape, but my legs
betrayed me. I was frozen to my feet, unable to
break away from whatever trance I’d fallen into”.
"You can't force me into marrying you”.
I wasn't there when you made whatever
agreement with my father.”Please, sir, you can't force me into a
marriage I know nothing about.”
His gaze softened, but it was condescending. A
mockery of sympathy.”I can't do whatever I please, Miss Stewart. That and many more. You see, I've already secured your future. Your life, Miss Stewart, is no longer yours to control. I've already made arrangements. The question is, how long will it take for you to accept what's coming?"
I took a shaky step back, my heartbeat accelerating and roaring in my ears like a drum." What...what do you mean?"
A slow smirk spread across his thin lips again and the coldness
of his eyes made me swallow out again, sending a shiver down my spine."
I think you'll find out soon enough. But I'll give you a hint..."
- Writer
