1- Contract At The Altar

"Crap, pastor! To not love but to impregnate. Until the contract do us apart.” He paused for a moment, waiting for my reaction before continuing, “This is my solemn vow."

A tear fell from my eyes down to the altar, which I quickly cleaned away. His eyes glared acidly behind the back of my head as I rose, doing the best I could to conceal my fear.

Then with a shaky hand, I proceed to exchange rings with him.

I wasn’t stuck to the floor yet I couldn’t leave. Well, unless I want my step sister’s head rolling by my feet, only then shall I think of fleeing.

Beep. Beep.

And that was the exact time my life began to fall apart.

A call from my stepmother, Evelyn. Probably about to lash out on why I was yet to return with her daughter. And also never failing to remind me how my lashes shall double by each passing hour.

Just that, this time, I wasn't sure I was returning home talkmore of getting beaten to death by her.

And her daughter Gwen? She's the only reason I succumbed to their threats. I want to take her home alive, I rephrase, they shall return her home after I have performed the wedding rituals. Of course, without no chaos.

As for me, I remain stuck with him. Not for a lifetime but until the contract's expiry. Which according to them, was until I bear him a kin.

Unfailingly, a male child. Bullshit! I reminisced on how I almost spat at their face upon their ridiculous demand.

But it was a bullshit I had to put up with. I was left with no choice, if only I hadn't been kidnapped, I wouldn't be here in the first place but rather, home, reeling in my step mother's torments.

Where I had rather been than here. With these maniacs.

"You may kiss the bride." That was the part I looked towards the priest, wishing he'd one way or the other denounce the statement but it never came.

After all, it was Nikolai Romano— New York's youngest billionaire, they must do what he wants. Moreover, kissing a stinking rich like him was a chance to come in a lifetime, but that doesn't dispute the fact he's an asshole.

Someone who could have had any other girl, but abducted me, the most miserable.

"James, enough already." The warning in Nikolai's voice didn't go lost on the priest.

Nikolai didn't spare me another glance before he stormed out of the church, and my heart slammed so hard against my chest as his men dragged me away, and bundled me inside a Rolls-Royce.

Which immediately piqued my interest. How much was it worth? It smells fortune. I ignored Nikolai's men's weird stares as I ran my tender fingers delicately over the plush leather.

I was so sure I had be licking the car seats by now if I hadn't met myself where I shouldn't be. The hospital.

Except he lives here, there's no reason for me to be here. Holy shit, could they hand over my step sister to me already? I'm sick and tired of their psychopathic ass.

"Accurate result, Mr Steven. We don't want to keep a stranger in our abode, dining and wining yet unable to reproduce. Fertility, and most importantly…"

I hesitated when I walked into the doctor's office to be met with a doe brown eyes staring back at me.

The woman who looked to be in her fifties screamed wealth. Her red lipstick accentuated the lines around her mouth, while her Balmain dress looked equally sophisticated, giving the perfect luxury allure.

She gave me a once-over which I feigned oblivious to as I closed the door behind me.

I took a deep breath, mustering up the courage to cross the hefty bridge ahead. It was then I noticed a doctor in a white coat, and a stethoscope around his neck, standing just across.

"Oh my! I can guess just where Nikolai found you." The woman exclaimed as I neared. Her chestnut curls falling in soft waves beside her face, her movements were graceful. However, unlike the sense of poise she exudes, her tone hinted at annoyance.

Irritation, maybe.

"Serina, this is Mrs. Romano. Your mother-in-law." I heard the doctor say.

"Hi, ma'am." I greeted her with a smile, choosing to ignore her earlier remark. It was a question of my existence. I know I looked dirty compared to her attire but her son was to be questioned.

If he hadn't abducted me, I wouldn't be here, and she would likewise have no need to feel disgusted by my appearance. Moreover, I'd be willing to go back home and continue my suffering than be here, feeling unworthy and downgraded.

This world itself knew I had had enough. Being a 21-year-old lady without a mother, my life has been downhill because even though I was being sheltered by my father, it was no different from having no roof on my head.

The food we ate barely filled our stomach. He knew that but still went ahead and brought another wife in, barely three years after my mother died.

I became their scapegoat. The one to starve to bed just so the others can eat to their heart's content. For a $2 dollar milk, I would run errands a town away.

I could go lost for all they care, as long as I return with their possession and not empty-handed.

Those are my family that have somehow exceeded my expectations, and whatever shits they were to throw, I would see it coming but with these people? I don't even know what to expect of them.

"I shall go on with the test, and hopefully before night rolls over, the results should arrive at your mailbox." The doctor, Mr. Steven, chimed in and even as he dismissed Mrs. Romano, I became even more alarmed.

What's he about to do with me?

What test?

Holy mackerel! Isn't this my hint to hightail it out of here?

"No. You ain't leaving." I had barely held the doorknob when he called me back, making my heart palpitate with abnormal rapidity.

"It's a harmless test. Just your blood test and then we round it up with a fertility check." It felt like a dagger was pierced into my chest. Amid the loud thoughts in my head, his persuasion did nothing to justify the mistake I was about to make.

I'm doing this for Gwen and for my freedom. I repeatedly chanted that to myself as I staggered towards the doctor, to lie on the bed.

Each second didn't go uncounted. It was a matter of whether I liked it or not, Mr. Steven didn't let me off the hook until he was done, exactly two hours later.

I was driven back home in the same Rolls-Royce I was so mesmerized about earlier, but I felt no single atom of excitement now even as I was being conveyed to Nikolai Romano's abode in the same car.

"This way, Ms." I was led out of the car but I almost rushed back into its cabin.

I'm frightened, and petrified stepping foot on the mansion's flooring alone has the tendency of tainting the whole house's image.

My eyes felt unworthy even as I openly gawk. The imposing exterior has a stately facade and immaculately-kept gardens. I didn't even wait for Nikolai's men, I took the lead and walked inside.

My jaw hit the floor this time around, as I realized the outside was just the tip of the iceberg. The mansion was as grand and opulent as the owner's reputation. We reached the spacious and lavishly decorated rooms and the insides were filled with priceless works of art and bespoke furnishing.

I must have been too lost in my drooling that I didn't realize their betrayal was at hand, I only came off my high after the key was turned in the lock, leaving me alone in one of the rooms.

Scared, I turned around but I wasn't alone after all.

I have someone here with me. I coughed: well, a kid– whom am afraid looked too menacing for her age.

"Look," The girl stood and her mouth set in a hard line, she slammed her hands on her hips for effect. "Once your test result is out under few hours, we either discard or use you. If fortunate, that is."

I could have spoken but she cuts in, her words sharp and biting. "I'm allergic to noisemakers so for the meantime Ms, let's maintain a perfect silence."

"I don't even want to speak with you." Her bangs falling over her eyes, she turned her back on me and hissed.

In short, that was how I spent the rest of my day locked in with a mean, seemingly eight year old girl who looked always ready for a fight. The door only opened when night came, but nevertheless, I could at least breath in relief.

But my face drained with blood when I sighted a replica of the girl, Nikolai, by the door.

"Congratulations, Serina Stone, you are fertile. Now, let's get down to business, shall we?"