The Bargain

A common thief

"No! I don't know where that came from." Racheal said immediately in horror.

The guests began to whisper, and soon it became a full hall of murmuring and irritated hiss.

Everyone was giving her dirty looks.

"What is the meaning of this?" Steffan said, walking towards her.

Racheal turned to look up at him. His eyes held a look of confusion.

"I don't know where that cufflink came from, I did not take it."

"Then how did it get in your purse?" Racheal heard a beautiful feminine voice say from the other side of the table.

She turned to look. It was Thalia, she was looking at Racheal with sympathy.

"I am not a thief." Racheal said, defending herself.

Thalia looked horrified. "I would never label you. I just asked a question." She said sweetly, looking like she may soon burst into tears.

Steffan's mother Danna Sherrod shifted towards Thalia and rubbed her shoulders, consoling her.

The woman had gone over several times during the dinner to check on Thalia and have small chats with her.

"Racheal could not have stolen it. She was beside me the whole night." Skylar spoke up in a clear voice.

She reached out and held Racheal's hand in solidarity.

"Not all night. She left for the bathroom a while ago, I saw her." A woman Racheal had never seen said.

"She has not been near the vice president all night. Except he followed her to the LADIES bathroom. I cannot see how she managed to take his cufflink." Skylar fired back angrily.

"I beg your pardon!" The man who the fuss was about, the vice president, finally spoke up.

"Enough." Spencer Sherrod finally said, slamming his hand on the table. Then he smiled tightly. "Our bride is so beautiful even your cufflink could not resist the attraction, Roberts." He said to the vice president. "It followed her and snuck into her purse."

The hall was silent for two seconds. And then everyone burst into loud laughter.

Racheal felt her face burn with embarrassment. Her father-in-law was trying to de-escalate the situation. But he believed the accusations.

Although he was laughing now with the vice president Robert Sanders, he looked like he was keeping his anger in check.

He believed she was the thief.

Everyone went back to being merry and partying.

She saw the president whisper to a security guard. The guard soon walked towards her and stopped.

"The president commands us to escort you to your quarters."

"I will lead her there myself." Steffan said. He had not left her side the whole time.

Skylar quickly hugged her goodbye. "I will see you in the morning."

Racheal nodded, took her purse and left, walking behind Steffan who led the way out of the hall.

Some people gave her a curious look but others gave her plain dirty looks.

She heard a sharp whisper,

ALL THAT BEAUTY BUT STILL A COMMON THIEF

She was almost at the door. Steffan heard it too because he stopped and looked towards the direction the whisper came from.

The women standing there quickly hurried away. It would have been difficult to know who made the statement.

Steffan finally continued out the door and she followed him. Some guards followed at their heels.

They walked down several large halls and took an elevator up. Steffan ordered the guards to take another.

After the elevator closed behind him, he turned to Racheal.

He stared at her quietly, like he was taking everything about her in.

Racheal looked down at her shoes.

She was uncomfortable under this bold and careful examination. She finally mustered up courage and looked at him.

"Did you do it?" Steffan asked.

"No."

"Good." He said

"You believe me?" She asked wide eyed.

He was silent for a while. "Skylar believes you, and I believe Skylar." He said, sinking his hands into his pockets.

Racheal said nothing. Why was she hoping he would believe her?

Why did she want to suddenly be in his good books? Impress him?

He was a stranger. A stranger she was forced to marry.

He was looking at her, and she felt he could see her mind and read her thoughts.

He looked like he was about to say something but then the elevator chimed. They were on the last floor.

The doors slid open and she spied the same set of security guards already waiting for them.

How were they so fast?

Steffan again led the way down the hall, she took her place paces behind him and the security guards did the same beside her.

They walked down a wide hall, lavishly decorated with polished floors.

Steffan stopped before a heavy oak door. He turned the lock and stepped aside for her to go in first.

"This will be your quarters till there are any changes to the arrangement." He said coming in after her.

"Arrangement?." Racheal turned to him.

"I mean this marriage, your living here and all that." Steffan said.

Racheal looked away. The living room was large and looked comfortable.

She walked in and checked out the bedrooms, kitchen, balcony, then quickly walked back out again.

It looked like she had merely changed prisons. She wondered how often the Sherrods would let her step out, if at all they did.

Steffan walked close to her and took her hand in his. She stared up into his blue eyes.

Why was her heart beating faster and her arms hot? He was staring back at her, towering over her.

She wanted to break the gaze but she could not. She looked from his eyes, to his nose and the curve of his lips.

She quickly got a hold of herself and immediately returned her gaze to his eyes.

Had they darkened? The blue of his eyes had taken on a darker shade.

He suddenly let go of her hand and took a step back.

Racheal exhaled deeply. Damn! She had been holding her breath the whole time.

"I got you something." He said, bringing a box out of his pocket.

"You did?" She could not help feeling excited despite her confused nervousness.

Her heart raced faster as he opened the jewelry box.

Racheal gasped. Sitting in the box was a diamond fancy multi shaped sing-line bracelet.