Chapter 4

"I'll give you whatever you desire, and you give me what I desire."

I slowly opened my eyes and met his menacing gaze as tears brimmed in my eyes,

"It's a fair deal."He said and got away. I let out rapid breaths in dread and turned to leave, but I heard him saying, "Just a week."

I wiped my tears and left, my form shaky, submerged in his apparition.

The driver offered to drop me off at home, but I refused because I don't want to be in that abhorrence-filled mansion anymore.

I took a taxi home, filled with unwanted thoughts. I just knew that- this guy can never be the one I deeply hoped to meet. That he can ever be the Knight I used to admire.

A loveless marriage is something I never want, but I have no choice. I want Eugene to recover, and to do that, I have to do it even though I don't want to…

Filled with unwanted thoughts and great fears, I went home. Mother came, and I looked at her.

“What happened Dear? Are you alright?" She asked, tensed. I tilt my head and left for my room, saying, "It was... fine"

I close the door behind me and lock it. I leaned on it and fell on the ground. I hid my face in my knees and began to cry.

He held supreme power over everyone; I am just an ant that he can easily sway with the wind. I understood what it felt like to be overwhelmed, to have a feeling of being vanquished.

I don't want to marry that revolting guy. I don't want to become his toy forever. I don't want it... but...

I want to give my mother a house, and I want to treat Eugene in a better hospital so that he can recover. I want to give my mother a luxurious life.

I want to fulfill all the dreams I held dear, but I can't do that by marrying him...

***

Days flew by, and before I knew it, one week would be over tomorrow. Thinking about it over and over again, I've got no choice but to comply. For mother’s and Eugene's sake, I have to...

Still, to clear up some uncertainties, I decided to talk to Mother. I knocked and entered her room. She smiled, and I lay on her lap,

"Mother..." I called her name softly. She hummed, and I said, "Tomorrow, I have to tell whether I want to marry him or not..."

"Wasn't he supposed to decide that?" She asked.

"He... gave me a week to think..." I took a deep breath and began to say,

"He will give me everything I desire in return for two things..." I took a pause and spoke up again, "Loyalty and Satisfaction... No affection, no love..." I sat up and asked,

"What should I do, mother?"

Mother hugged me and looked at me, her eyes showed a glint of desperation to tell me something, but it vanished the instant I noticed it as she began to say,

"Listen, Sophie, I leave the decision to you, but remember, dear, instead of having an illicit relation,” She paused. I frowned.

“He is willing to give you his name and a respectable relation of husband and wife rather than a plaything which he can throw away anytime.”

Now I paused, and she hesitated.

“He will give you what you want, and there's nothing wrong with being in an intercourse relationship with your husband...

The rest is up to you, whether you want to spark the flares of love in his heart or not."

I blinked and remained motionless. After coming back to my senses, I gave her a nod and left for my room.

Love? Him?

Like hell, I would. But I was left with no choice; I had to marry him, no matter how much I didn't want to.

The next day, my heart began to pulsate rapidly as I was being lost in the midst of dread and anxiety.

With each passing second, I felt my heart stop. My hands and feet are cold. I was having lunch with my mother, and my phone rang.

“Hell-”

I picked it up, and my breath hitched when I heard the voice,

"What have you decided?"

My heart skipped a beat at his deep voice. I dug my nails into my palm to calm myself and said in a faint tone,

"I agree."

I can't see him, but I bet he's smirking because he knew he'd left me with no choice but to speak to his liking.

"Good." That's all he said, and he cut the call.

I looked down, stood up and left for my room without saying a word. I fell on my bed and closed my eyes.

A strange feeling of being void filled me. Like I am not living, and I can't feel a thing. I continued to stare at the ceiling for I don't know how long.

All my feelings were drained from me. I stood up and looked at my messy form. My messy hair, and since I am home today, I didn't bother to change my nightwear.

I am still in my gray trousers and black tank. I was looking at myself as I put a hand on my waist and began to wonder,

‘Why does he even want to marry such a low girl like me. I mean, there are more alluring girls.

I have seen the pictures of him with his previous wife. She is the epitome of beauty; what charm she possessed. I wonder why he divorced such a lady.’

“Well, It's none of my business…”

I went to the hall and saw my mother serving dinner.

After dinner, I began to walk around the house. I still feel like whatever happened is a dream. I continued to look around.

Our house isn't too small. Eugene and I grew up in that house.

It's our house. This holds too many memories...

I came to the hall again and started watching TV, but then the doorbell rang. Mother was washing dishes, so I had to open the door.

Being careless, I opened the door without checking or asking.

My eyes widened in horror as my throat dried. He was standing in front of me.

My heart began to pound as I lost my strength in his crushing presence. My quivering lips called mother.

"Mother! Come Here!"

Mother came, and she was also shocked like me upon seeing him.

On the other hand, he was amused by our reaction. Unlike me, my mother regained her posture and said,