The contracted wife of the boss

THE OFFER

ALLISON POV

I was sitting there with the contract in my hand when I suddenly had a lump in my throat that caused a stingy feeling in my eyes. The message I received from Mr. Dre rang in my head like one particular music can penetrate a man’s heart and consciousness.

The man has told Mrs. Alison ‘I’ll leave you to think about it’. ”I need your decision within the next one-day only.”

I blanked for a moment, looking at him, my heart as busy as my mind seemed to be slow. “What do you mean, Sir?” I inquired, shivering.

He didn’t even flinch. He pulled out a document from his pocket and said to her, “If you want to proceed with the marriage contract, then sign here on the dotted line we’ve agreed on”

My throat seized up at that comment. “And if I... don’t?” The only thing I could manage to say out of my own mouth.

He looked at me with an utterance, which is as immovable as a mountain. “Well, let me put it this way,” he said in a frosty manner, “then I will call his bluff.”

My stomach dropped. His sentence, so deep and powerful, caused immediate pain to the already bleeding heart I possessed. ”I…yes… “Okay,” I could barely muster, “let me get this straight.” At the same time, I was holding the contract in front of me, my hand shaking slightly.

They have been pulled up by their respects and are towering over me while I am nearly suffocating from the pressure of that decision. “Well, I will let you think it over,” he said and, without any other word, he rose from his seat, took to his feet and left the room, leaving me with the contract.

I glanced towards the paper on the table before me. Marriage? I never imagined that one day I would be in this situation where all I can do is barter for my child’s life and even my own worth.

“What am I going to do?” I asked myself with my hands on my cheek because I was upset and afraid. I could really use the money, but marriage? To a man like Mr. Dre? A man who is without mercy, a man who is all about profit and nothing else, because he sees life as business and business as life.

Unbelief is one thing that filled my head. I’ll answer in 24 hours, I said immediately, to which he replied that I have 24 hours to consider inpatient rehab facilities. But if I say no… will he really not lift a finger to assist? And if I say yes... is this really the right thing Ariel should do?

I could analyse my thoughts any deeper when a soft voice interrupted me. “Madam, isn’t your conversation with Mr. Dre over yet?” She inquired, surprised, looking at me; she was employed as Mr. Dre’s assistant.

Jeez, I barely managed to rub my eyes away and force a smile as fast as possible. “Yes, we’re done,” I replied, even though to me nothing is ever done.

No sooner than I got up from the chair and felt as if I were a zombie, I went to his office and then to Human Resource to request the rest of the day off. When I did not see Mr William, I got anxious, but his Personal Assistant was very ready to inform me that he was at the canteen. I said thank you to her and went there, where I met, oh, yes, both, Mr. William and – of course – Mr. Dre eats his snack at a table, during the break.

Inhaling deeply, I came towards them. “Hello sir. ”Hi Mr. Dre,” I said to both of them while attempting to breathe calmly in order not to be mad.

Up from his trunk Mr. William looked with horror. ‘Oh Alison, what’s the matter?’

“Sir, I came to your office this morning, your PA directed me here. I would like to go home early. I have a personal errand to attend.”

Mr. Dre eyed me for a moment speculatively “You’ve been getting up early, Alison, have you been all right?”

At this point it felt like my heart was pounding and anxiety kicked in. “Oh I see it as just a personal appointment that you have to meet sir.”

“A personal appointment? But you have not even slept until 1 PM today,” said Mr. William, his voice expressing a lot of anxiety. ”Are you in trouble, Alison? You have not marketed your products to reach your monthly goals too.” You see, I may be of some assistance to you, just talk to me.”

Sometimes I felt like yelling, to tell somebody all these things but how to tell about my life and not to cry?

I didn’t get a chance to say anything else before Mr. Dre interjected. "Let her go, William. She has a personal decision to make within the next twenty-four hours.”

Despite the brief moment of uncertainty, Mr. William agreed and let the offer materialise. "Alright. You can go."

I drove home, trying to untangle my frantic mind and realise I was helpless. I didn’t hear her entire greeting when the nanny spoke to me the minute I entered through the door. After she left, I climbed to my room and fell onto the bed putting my head on my hands, crying sore and hot.

I can’t do this. I can’t. I still had my ruined life over my husband to mourn forever and now the responsibility to save Ariel was weighing me down.

The grief was suffocating. Andrew... Why did you leave me to face this alone?But I had to be strong. For Ariel.

I paused for a moment to gather my thoughts when my phone started ringing. The name appearing on the screen was unknown to me but I replied.

"Good day, Mrs. Alison. This is Cynthia from St. Mary’s Hospital out here to perform duties as an Operating Room Nurse. Since this is the last day of the month the doctor wanted me to remind him that the p*****t should be made. If the p*****t is not made by tomorrow, as spokesman of the hospital, I want to inform you that we will have no option than to transfer your daughter to the public ward.

I feel that the phone almost flew out of my hand as I was trembling with fear at that point. Cynthia, please don’t transfer her to the public ward. I’ll pay tomorrow. I will tell the uncle how much I paid for all these things, just please don't harm my daughter.

But as I put down the phone, my sight slid back down to the contract bed on the table. I have no choice. The words he had said echoed still in my ears and as new tears clouded my vision I wiped them away. My daughter was dying. If I fail to do something at this moment, she’ll be gone.

Raising the contract, I noticed my hands were shaking, as I attempted to read fine prints of the contract. I did not believe what I was about to do, but Ariel required my help. I was in a position where I had to make this sacrifice equal to whatever it needed.

The next morning I was in Mr. Dre’s office, my heart was beating fast and felt like it would jump out of my chest. I had not slept at all the night through due to the seriousness of the decision that lay in my hand.

Mr. Dre raised his head from his desk and his expression remained as hardened as usual. “Hello Alison, what can I do for you?”

I bowed my head, unable to speak anything other than a feeble forced sound somewhere in my throat. "I... I’ve made my decision, sir. I accept the contract."

My maid caught me staring at him and his eyes narrowed at me for a brief instance of time, a satisfaction glint in them. "Very well," he said slowly. “I’ll get my lawyer to make the necessary papers for you.”

But let me make one thing clear, Alison: when you sign, you are stuck even if you don’t want to be. Yes, baby, wife has again echoed the words that you’ll be mine, body and soul.”

Those words cut me like a knife through my lungs, which is probably why I nodded through the fog of shock and determination. "I understand."