The Marriage Contract: A Marriage for Help

Chapter 5

Natasha arrived at the Sterling household and saw the car of her foster father, “Good, this will be easy”. She thought.

Passing through the door, she saw everybody sitting in the living room, they looked like a complete family and she was just an extra in the house. “Well, I am indeed and extra they treat less than a servant”. Clearing her throat, she caught the attention of the people in the room.

“Hello, Dad and mum, I will go discuss something issues with you”. Natasha said.

“Oh sister, what else do you have to say?. Or do you plan on giving Daddy the chairman position when grandpa gives it to you?” Came the voice of Linda her foster sister.

“If you don't talk, nobody will think you are mute, Linda” Natasha replied her.

“You” Linda stood up from her seat and ready to jump on Natasha.

“Enough” came a booming and authoritative voice of Charles Sterling Natasha's foster father from the other side of the room. “Natasha, go ahead with what you have to say”. Natasha sat on the sofa and said “well, I want to cancel the engagement between I and Lucas Regens of the Regens household”. The living room was in silence for a while everyone in shock of what they just heard. Whereas, a trace smile and eyes appeared on Linda's face. It seems that the heaven were already working for her but before she could think further, she heard the angry voice of her father.

Charles immediately sat up with shock and anger visible on his face, pointing his finger at Natasha, he said “what do you mean by what you just said?. Do you know what trouble that would get us? We and the Regens family are not on equal footing anymore, do you know that they can suppress us till we are bankrupt?. What have gotten into you?” Charles continuously repeated one question after the other. “Alright, tell me the reason why you don't want to marry him, but remember that this marriage would be beneficial to us more than the Regens family” Charles decided to ask in a softer way.

Natasha looked at him and said, “ I don't love him and the engagement was made with a flimsy excuse, besides who doesn't know that he changes women faster than clothes Dad”.

“Don't accuse Bro Lucas just because you are looking for a way to break up”. Came the angry voice of Linda.

Natasha slapped her forehead in reminder, how could she forget that Linda had been in love with Lucas since forever but unfortunately, she didn't know that she was just one of the many women of Lucas.

“I didn't say anything but the truth, just that you are too dumb to notice Linda”. Natasha replied.

“That's enough, you don't have to insult your sister to prove your point, beside what will you do if you don't marry Lucas, remember there is a compensation we have to pay since this can be considered as a breach of contract on our part Natasha”. Came the gentle reminder of Mrs Sterling as if she actually meant it.

Natasha asked wide eyed “what contract and compensation are you talk about?. That contract was signed behind my back and I will not accept it”. “You must accept it or we will have to pay the sum of a hundred million dollars and the Sterling group doesn't have such amount to spend at the moment”. Came the voice of Charles “I will disown you, if you don't accept the engagement”. Charles continued.

Natasha scoffed and replied “that's your problem and it would be nice not being part of your family” saying this, she walked to her room leaving the others in distraught.

“What should we do” came the panicked voice of Charles. Linda eyed her mother to signal her, which she caught.

“Relax my dear” came the subtle and gentle voice of Beatrice Sterling with her hand rubbing the back of Charles to calm him. Charles stood up, walking to and fro the room with hands on his waist “how can you ask me to relax, you of all people should know how wicked the methods of the Regens family are, canceling the engagement may actually not be an issue but without providing the money borrowed from them. We are doom for bankruptcy”. Replied Charles. Beatrice stood up also and held the face of Charles saying” “Calm down my husband, who said anything about returning the money or canceling the engagement now”.

Charles became confused and looked at his wife as if she was something else “didn't you hear what Natasha said a while ago, you know how stubborn she is and whatever she says is always backed by that old man. How can you force her to marry Lucas now”.

“Listen, my husband, nobody is forcing anybody, but what about we exchange the girls and say that Linda will marry Lucas instead of Natasha besides the people outside only knows that one of the Sterling daughters is getting married to the Regens family”. Beatrice said to Charles.

“What is wrong with you?. Do you think that the Regens family doesn't know that it is Natasha that is to marry Lucas?” Charles asked angrily.

“But Dad I love Bro Lucas and he loves me also” Linda said with a pout standing up and crossing her hands akimbo.

“Let me not hear that from you again, and do not let anybody hear that from you for that matter except you don't want to be my daughter”. Charles said angrily and walking away.

“Mum,what do we do now?. You know that I love Lucas and I cannot stay away from him. Why don't you go talk to Dad and make him see reason that I am better than Natasha”. Linda said sulking.

“Don't worry, I will talk to your father about it. You just make sure that Lucas loves you and will do anything for you.

Natasha sat in her room going through the drawers by the dressing table, when the someone knocked on the door. The door opened revealing the face of her foster father, walking inside and looking at Natasha, he said calmly “Natasha, my dear, can you give me an exact reason why you don't want to get married to Lucas?”.

Natasha looked at him lost in thought, that he was once her loving father who made her the top of his world, till he had Linda, then the care and affection dropped and negligence and abandon became what he offered her but the hatred stepped in when grandpa decided to give her the company's chairman instead of him but seeing his attitude now, maybe all those attitudes where engineered by his wife and he still had a bit of affection. Taking a deep breath and sigh, she said “I have already said my reasons in the living room Dad”.

“You know my dear, its a normal thing for a man to have a few affairs before marriage but I promise you, that all that will stop when you get married”. Charles said intending to convince her.

“Well Dad, do you know that Linda has been sleeping with Lucas for the past two years?” Natasha asked.

“That is not true, I know your sister can be a lot and like to act spoiled but she won't do that to you Natasha besides you are family, what will people say when they hear of this”. Charles said to her.

“Does she know that Dad” Natasha asked. “ what exactly is in it for you if this marriage works Dad?”.