In His Grasp: Contract Wife

Game on, love!

Leila fluttered her eyelashes a few times. At first, she had no clue what time of a day it was or where she had been.

The blinding beams of the golden sunlight burned into her eyes, telling her it was the middle of the day. And it was another hotel room that asshole brought her in, Leila noticed, remembering events from the day before. This hotel wasn't anything like the Rosewood, just a filthy dump.

Precisely noon, she finally learned, looking at her phone. It was right there on the nightstand next to her aching head. At least he didn't take her phone away.

She was lying on the king-size bed, her body half-covered with some dirty old quilt. At least she was fully clothed, she sighed, relieved, after finding herself still dressed in those old clothes under the cover.

Then, the bathroom door opened with a gust of cold breeze, and she saw Nate walking toward her. She pulled the quilt over, wrapping it around her body, like trying to shield herself from her kidnapper.

"Got your beauty sleep, princess?" Nate asked her. There was nothing royal in her current looks, so he was obviously mocking her.

"Perfectly. Why am I here? What did you do to me? You could have killed me!" Leila couldn't miss a chance to scold him, not letting his teasing get to her. All she wanted was to break free from this madman.

"But I didn't. I want my wife alive and kicking. Get up and sign this before I change my mind!" The bastard told her, putting a pen and a piece of paper on the little coffee table in the middle of the hotel room. Then he sat on the couch, like waiting for her.

Not knowing what else to do, she got up, approaching him.

Taking it into her hands, Leila pretended to read what he had written in that idiotic contract. He must be kidding, thinking she would put her signature there.

"Hmm, no!" She let the contract slip from her hands, watching him as he watched it fall on the ground. It made him angry, no doubt about it.

"Look what I have here," Nate coldly smirked at Leila, showing her his phone screen, an ace up his sleeve. It was Alice on the bastard's phone.

"Alice! What did you do to her? Don't hurt her, please!" Leila shouted. Her friend looked drunk, and there was that Ivan, Nate’s bodyguard, wearing all black next to her. He had Alice, Leila shivered with the thought.

"Don't worry! She is fine. But, unless you sign...," Nate declared calmly.

"You bloody lunatic! Let her go! Don't touch Alice!" She let her anger and fear talk instead of her brain, still shouting at him.

"Sign this, and I'll let her go," Nate stayed firm, again offering her a pen and a contract to sign. Leila only stood there in the middle of the hotel room, with tears swelling in her eyes as she watched him furiously.

But she made no step to take the contract from his hands.

"No? Ok, then! Let's do it as you wish!" He was not going to let her stall with this. She would sign it. So he grabbed his phone again, looking threateningly at Leila while making that phone call.

"Ok! I'll do it! I'll sign the bloody contract!" Leila finally jumped to it, deciding not to gamble with her friend's safety or her life. Gripping the pen and the papers, she hurriedly scribbled her name on the marriage contract.

"You can be a good girl when needed," Nate smiled, finally satisfied. He had solved his problem, and he was ready to present his girlfriend to his parents. "Be ready at 5 pm! I'll pick you up from here to meet my parents!" He added, leaving the contract and some papers with the basic info about him on the table.

If he wanted to convince his parents she was a real deal, she should know some things about the man she was to marry. There shouldn't be any unpleasant surprises. After ordering Leila to read it, Nate was ready to leave the hotel, already heading toward the exit.

Leila only affirmatively nodded. She knew she should act as he told her, with Alice in his hands. For now, she wouldn't oppose him.

"And what about Alice? How do I know she's safe?" Leila stopped him on his way out of the room, worried about her friend. She did her part, and now it was his turn.

"I gave you my word, love!" Saying it with a cocky smirk, he left Leila alone in the hotel room.

"His word! That arrogant, pretentious asshole!" Leila escorted Nate out of the room after watching at his back as he walked away.

Maybe he was bluffing about harming Alice, she thought, but she wasn't ready to take that risk finding the truth this time. That was why she signed it. But this wasn't the end.

Then she sat on the sofa, taking those papers into her hands. First, she read the contract.

Party A: Nate Hill.

"Aka, a good-looking bully, a playboy, so full of himself! A dickhead from my worst nightmare!" Leila added out loud, assessing her opponent. In her book, this was war. And she was on the task, with the first rule of combat: getting to know your enemy.

She continued to read.

Party B: Leila Swift

Party B agrees to marry Party A of her own free will.

"Haha! Yeah, right! Oh, that bastard!" Leila sighed, bursting into bitter laughter. How dares he!

Party B agrees to follow all orders issued by Party B within the duration period of their marriage.

"Wow! Just wow! Look at that asshole! He thinks he is some general! A slavemaster!" She continued to make her witty remarks. The humor made it easier for her to go through all that s**t Nate wrote down there.

Party B is never to be seen with other males apart from Party A and can never interfere with Party A's personal, s****l life.

"Ooh, bloody Casanova! I have better things to do than track his numerous affairs. And I'll see whom I want to see!"

Party B needs to call Party A “honey” in front of Party A’s parents.

“Ugh!”

Both parties agree to divorce after one year of marriage.

Both parties agree to enter into a confidential relationship and keep all information confidential in whatever circumstances.

Party A will pay Party B 800 million US dollars right after divorce.

Lastly, both parties agree to major punishment if violating this agreement.

"Bastard!" Leila cursed, finishing with the contract. Nate made her furious, and her face reddened in anger and embarrassment. This contract meant she would lose her freedom, becoming almost his puppet.

She took a deep breath, taking those remaining papers within her hands. Reading it, she saw those were like scripts about their so-called romantic relationship.

They supposedly first encountered each other at some fashion show in Paris. And that's where they had their first date too, in some Japanese restaurant. Oh, and they traveled all over Australia for their first dating anniversary.

"Isn't that lovely! How romantic of you, Nate Hill! You i***t!" Leila screamed to herself. She couldn't believe this guy. What an arrogant bastard!

She read other papers, those containing Nate's basic info.

Nate Hill

Age:30

Hobby: Rowing & Swimming,

Favorite food: Beef

Allergies: Seafood

Dislikes: Sweets & Spicy food

"Nice," she smiled, glancing at her phone. It was time to get ready. She had to attend dinner with that asshole's parents, hoping they were nothing like their son.

Leila's naughty mind was spinning while she got dressed, and she giggled. Then she chuckled some more, putting up a plan.

She would make Nate Hill look oh-so awkward and silly in front of his family.

"You want to play with me? Well, it's a game on, love!"