The contract
BENEDYKTA
All my choices have always been monitored by society, and whatever I did didn't shy away from the media.
Being the oldest kid of the Rebels made my life only difficult.
As the only girl in the family, I've always vowed to work hard and prove that I was capable of handling the company better than my brothers.
Let's just say that I wanted to be the first choice.
In the family, nothing really gets handed to you, especially with my grandfather around; he's probably the one guy you need to impress, and I plan on doing that.
There was a knock on the door, and I sighed deeply, keeping my gaze on the work I was typing.
"Come in."
A few seconds later, Monica walked in holding a few folders in her hands as she slowly made her way towards me.
I adjusted my reading glasses.
"What do you want?" I snapped.
I hated being disturbed while I was working.
My personal assistant looked timid, and it makes me wonder what I saw in her the day I chose to hire her.
She placed the documents on the table.
"Ma'am, these are documents about the upcoming meetings you have this week," she mumbled softly.
I chuckled darkly, and I could see the fear on her face.
"Get out."
She swallowed hard and nodded eagerly, sprinting out of my office.
I narrowed my eyes at the documents and noticed that one of the papers was sticking out.
I pulled it out and began to read the letter, and halfway through it, my blood ran cold.
It was him.
I moved out of the chair, debating my next move.
He was back.
I ran my fingers through my hair and began thinking of how to get rid of him other than murdering him.
There was only one man on earth who had gotten under my skin and into my head.
Zane Gray.
Was he back in the city?
My mind kept reeling back to those memories, and I opened a drawer and took out some anxiety medication.
This was my only shame.
A secret I had vowed to take to the grave with me no matter what.
Zane and I have history.
We were childhood sweethearts, and most people thought we'd get married someday, and that almost happened because years later he proposed to me after my graduation.
The timid me back then instantly agreed and didn't pay attention to the warning signs.
Fuck, I was in love, and I'd do anything to be with him, to the extent of sabotaging my family's company.
I slumped in my chair tiredly as tears filled me.
My collected demeanor slowly fading away as I returned to the vulnerable girl on that horrible night.
We were going to get married, and yes, there had been rumors of Zane sleeping around with one of my friends, and that was the last straw for me.
That person shamelessly sent me their hotel room number and location, and I went marching there like a bull and caught them in the act.
I beat up the girl so bad that she ran out of the hotel room half-naked.
Then I turned to Zane.
The man who was the bane of my existence.
I'd sacrificed so much to be with him and made sure that his father's company was always on top.
There was no remorse in his eyes.
I only saw anger.
A bed of roses seemed blissful at first glance, but it turned into a bloodbath.
A color of romance now turned into a shade of death and betrayal.
A safe house.
I thought I'd be safe in the arms of my beloved, but I was wrong.
I was just a pawn in his twisted game.
Frozen with fear, I was trapped with a monster.
This wasn't the man I fell in love with.
Hands pinned against my will, but I still tried to fight back.
My screams died out as the happy memories we shared this past year flashed before my eyes.
Those memories were mocking me.
With no remorse in his eyes, he tore my dress to shreds, leaving me vulnerable under his unforgiving gaze.
How did I fall in love with such a cruel monster?
Maybe I had turned a deaf ear to the warning signs.
He forced his way into my body, and I cried out in pain.
It felt wrong.
My body felt it too.
This wasn't love.
He was killing me.
I begged him to stop… nothing seemed to work.
I felt disappointed in myself.
I let this happen.
I let him do this to me.
I let him break me.
“Stop overreacting, Ben," were the only words he could say to silence my sobbing.
I felt used as he pulled away, staring at me in disgust because the sheets beneath me had turned crimson.
He took my virginity and didn't bother to even use protection.
I broke down crying, imagining what would happen to me if I got pregnant.
What would I tell my parents?
What about my dreams?
His face softened, and he wiped my tears away, claiming that he was sorry.
“I love you so much, Ben, but if you're going to be my wife, you need to know your place," he said, justifying his actions.
I didn't believe it.
I felt like I was on the verge of losing my mind.
He reached to his nightstand and placed some money into my hands like I was some wanton prostitute he picked up on the streets.
"Go to the pharmacy and get the pill."
He drove me home that evening as tears continued streaming down my cheeks.
I didn't report him to the police for what he did to me, but instead I chose to block him out of my life.
I called off the engagement, and my family hated me for it.
That horrible day still haunts my dreams.
I don't think I'll be able to give myself the chance to trust or fall in love with anyone ever again because deep down, something will always hold me back.
I don't know how to get past this.
I don't know how to get back on my feet without stumbling with every step I take.
I don't know what happiness feels like.
I'm drowning in an ocean of dark, scary thoughts, and no one even notices that I'm sinking.
We haven't spoken in six years, and the bastard decides to casually send me a love letter.
There was a knock on the door, and I snapped out of a trance and wiped my tears away.
I was back to being the cold-hearted bitch people always gossiped about behind my back.
"What?"
Monica's head popped in halfway, and I felt more pissed off than ever.
She was trembling.
"Your grandfather wants to see you, ma'am."
I stood up and opened the door wider.
"Who slipped a love letter into my documents?!" I yelled furiously.
She went pale, and I could see the fear in her eyes.
"I-I don't know, ma'am..."
I chuckled darkly.
"Consider yourself fired," I exclaimed sternly and walked past her, venturing to my grandfather's house.
I took a deep breath and opened the door. My grandfather looked up; he gestured for me to have a seat.
"It's nice to see you too, Grandpa."
He didn't seem amused.
"I have a proposal for you, Benedykta, and you're going to say yes if you want to redeem yourself."
I didn't like where this conversation was heading.
My grandfather was still holding a grudge against me because of the potential business ties we lost because I didn't marry Zane Gray.
I released the breath I was holding.
"Mr. Ambrose Esteban has offered to give a very tempting investment for our upcoming project and has promised to handle all the necessary funding."
I was trying my best to hide the shock, but it felt like there was a catch.
"What does he want in exchange for the investment?" I asked curiously and crossed my arms over my chest.
My grandfather smirked in amusement.
"This is why I like you, Benedykta, you're more intelligent than your brothers."
He pushed some documents towards me.
"Mr. Ambrose wants a stable, long-term relationship with our company and family, and what better way to strengthen the partnership than by getting you married to his son."
I could feel the color draining from my face.
"Why do I always have to be the scapegoat when it comes to making sacrifices for our company?"
My grandfather maintained his poker face and adjusted his reading glasses.
"You want me to marry some douchebag?!" Ben angrily yelled.
"He's a very respectable man, and I'm sure that you'll like him. I chose the man myself; all you have to do is marry him, and the company is yours."
That was all it took.
He knew how hard I've been working
to become CEO, and now he was using it against me.
Only my signature was missing on the document, and the future husband took the liberty of signing it.
Filled with rage, I stormed out of the office and went to the parking lot.
I needed a drink.
My grandfather was going to have his way, and I was going to be stuck in some loveless contract marriage.