Chapter 21

DIANA THORTON

I watched in awe as Alexander said all those things about us on TV. We are not in love, far from it but he was able to paint a vivid image of us being happily in love to the entire public.

What's the reality of all this for me? He didn't even consider my opinion. I'm livid and helpless at the same time. It's not like I can stand up to his bullshit.

"Would you like some juice, madam?" The housekeeper said with the most weird expression I have ever seen. I mean, why even bother to ask if I need anything with that hateful look on your face?

"I am fine. I need to go actually" I make a motion to leave and she stops me mid-way.

"I'm sorry madam, the boss gave a strict warning to not let you go anywhere and if you refuse, we've been ordered to lock the doors" She smiled. A fake smile.

That's insane. I am a human being and not some lab rat.

I call it a bluff then aim for the exit door in the living room and when I turn the knob, it wouldn't budge. I turn around to see a remote in the housekeeper's hands. She must have locked it with that.

I used to freaking admire this house and was eager to see how it looked inside but now, I just want to leave the terrifying walls of it. Alexander, the housekeeper, everything about this house terrifies me and I can't just stay put.

"Ok," She says to a wristwatch. "The boss is here now, you can have that conversation with him"

She unlocks the door and heads inside. Shortly after, Alexander walks in. I see that he's also wrapped a Band-Aid on his knuckles.

I have never felt anger to the extent of inflicting injuries on myself and to see that happen, made me dread the things I did not know about Alexander.

"Sign these" He hands me some documents.

When I read on, I realized that it was a sixteen-month marriage contract.

"A marriage contract?" I look up at him but his face is away from mine.

"I'm not going to abandon my child" He defends

I mean, that's a good thing but we don't have to be married. We can co-parent but marriage? Marriage is a big deal to me.

I read on to the part where it states that he's going to annul the marriage with five million dollars given to me. My eyes grew wide when I read that part.

"Five million dollars?" I whisper

There are a few rules I need to follow.

I can't talk to anyone about our current relationship, I can't grant any interview, and I have to do everything he orders me to do. This is modern-day slavery.

On the bright side, if I agree to this, I am set for life. My beauty company is set and I would have immediately agreed to this if I didn't have this unsettling feeling in my stomach.

"What's going to happen to my baby after we divorce?" I managed to ask

"I will take full custody." He says, plainly.

Full custody? That means I won't be a part of my child's life- I don't want that.

"I'm not signing" I refute.

He scoffed "You don't have a say in this Thorton, this is just formality."

The tone he used scared the batshit out of me. This was a whole new Alexander in front of me.

I read on to the part of a DNA test being carried out to confirm the child is for him.

"A DNA? You think the child is not yours?" I scoffed "You know what, you're right. The child is not yours and I just wanted to blackmail you so can I go?"

"You are not going anywhere, Thorton. You will fucking sign the documents and we will fucking have a fake wedding and then divorce at the end of sixteen months."

I have no idea what to do. I need the money but I need to protect my baby more.

I begin to think...hard. I only have a couple of seconds to think of something before signing these.

As if a bulb lit over my head, I had an idea. I may not have finished school but I am not dumb.

The weight of that clause carries a weakness that only I have come to realize. The money.

When I receive the money, I will take the baby and we will run far away from Alexander's reach. The baby and I will have a fresh start. I initially thought we would be able to co-parent but if he decides to take full custody, I can't have that.

I sit down and sign the document, including the NDA.

When I finished, I handed the signed documents to Alexander.

"We are having our engagement party within the week"

"Is there a need for that facade?"

"I am sure you read the part where it says you have to do what I say. No questions asked"

Right, master.

"We have already been dating before the ball. I invited you and the plan was for our relationship to still be a secret but you outdid yourself and after a couple of drinks, you kissed me. I was madly in love with you that I knew I had to put a ring on it a few weeks ago. I don't have a favorite color, discard birth questions about me, my parents are dead, and the same goes for you"

That's a lot of details to memorize. Wait, how did he know that my parents were dead?

Right, he must have run a background check on me.

So this is my life now. I'm laughing hysterically on the inside because never in my life would I have thought that this would happen to me. A fake marriage with my boss and a baby on the way, so soon.

I just might go crazy at this point... Or maybe claim to have Methuselah syndrome.

"You have a few hours to transfer your living conditions to this place. There's a car and moving truck waiting for you outside. You have to be back here by nine"

He wasn't bluffing... He was serious. The more I get to see through him, the more I'm terrified of the fact that my boss might actually be the lord of all devils.