The contracted wife of the boss

SIGNING THE CONTRACT

The lawyer came shortly after putting what I have been ascertaining as the files in front of me. I shakily took the pen in my hand. With a final heavy sigh I endorsed my name thus signing the document that would determine my future.

The stakes were high and I knew there was no turning back now.

He handed me some documents to sign and as I skimmed through them; when I picked up the pen and signed on the dotted lines, I felt a lump in my throat when I placed down the pen – that ink so symbolic of a future I agreed to willingly because I couldn’t find love if I tried.

That was reality and what puzzled me most was that I was now married to this man not for my sake but for Ariel’s. No more than what my daughter needed, her life and her well-being were risked because of that.

“That is the end,” the lawyer responded in a quiet, formal tone, trying to maintain a professional facade while smiling at me. ”You are now married to Mr. Dre. He is now your husband. You may… Some of them even free him a peck on the cheek to end the wedding.

Kiss him? These words sounded strange to my ears; I had a generic uneasiness in the pit of my stomach – a ball of fear starting. My mouth dropped wide open, it could not be what I was being told; I was sitting up straight and my eyes were only on Mr. Dre’s lips.

“I—I have to kiss him?” I said impulsively; my voice was lost, quivering with nervousness.

I next moved my eyes to Mr. Dre and realized that he sat there as deadpan as when I first caught him, apart from the fact that he had a slight sneer on his lips. He looked at me and his evil black void pupils had a doubt in them. This was not the kind of marriage the two of us signed for.

I was about to have the proof I needed, and although dread clawed at me, I couldn’t help but slowly close the distance. True, we only kissed once – a chaste peck, or at least that was one step down from it –, nothing more than a brushing of our lips. This was a cool, dispassionate world; there was no love, no pampering. About the kiss: There was little love to that and a lot of lust; it was the sort of kiss whereby one could say to people, ‘I did it not because I wanted to do it but because I had to do it.’

As soon as we said goodbye I understood that it was creepy to have the further emptiness behind the car seat. We both looked at each other, the tension which rises above our heads was palpable as the breath we both have taken. I knew there was an impact of the decision that had been made, and that was a decision that impacted me, children most especially, Ariel.

The lawyer then immediately started laughing by broadly gesturing by clapping his hands; this action helped to reduce tension in the room. “Yes congratulations I now declare you husband and wife”, he said jovially, as if we were a union or something. I was still not happy content in my heart though Jack was my boyfriend and though we used to go round together.

A cold expression settled on Mr. Dre’s face. He put down the phone and got up from the chair, “I want to have her move in today and ensure that she gets money for the child’s surgery.”

All his PA did was to look at me and give me a pitying smile. "Yes, sir. "

“Move in with you today?” I whispered. I did not want to be under the same roof as this man, I didn't even want to look at him, let alone be under the roof with him.

Mr. Dre started and me and I saw all the hatred in his eyes. “Yes. Today. “ He said this in a way that left no room for arguing.

I was like to give him a piece of my mind but I never got the chance to open up my mouth as the mission erupted. I was trapped. I had no choice. I had done this for Ariel. I had to remind myself of that as well.

As I managed to leave his office, hand in hand with his PA, I thought I had a boulder placed on me due to the decision that I had to make. I went out of the building, my legs were heavy like there was weight on them and I got in the car, all my mind in fear and confusion. What have I done?

Upon getting to the hospital, which was much later after Mr. Dre had made the cash deposit for Ariel’s surgery. My heart fluttered. I moved towards the reception desk and I was nearly breathless.

“I want to see James, Doctor,” I told the woman at the reception calmly, although I wanted to shout with joy.

The receptionist took me to his office and I knocked before I was allowed in.I said, ‘come in’ he said, even though he barely spoke loudly.

I tightly took the money nicely in my hands tight when I was entering the shop. “Doctor, I have the money,” and she pointed at Ariel, “She can have the surgery now, right?”

When I got in he was seated at his desk, scanning some papers; he turned to look at me and smiled when he recognized me. “Yes, Mrs. Dre,” he said so low and deliberately. “We will begin operating on her this afternoon. You arrived on time.”

Tears came to my eyes and could for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime, I can breathe. “Thank you” I murmured as the tears of relief threatened to engulf me. "Thank you so much."

“You can go see her now before we prepare her for surgery,” said the man softly.

I walked quickly towards Ariel’s ward and my heart was beating really fast. For example, when I went in, she was lying in bed; that fragile girl could barely reach the size of a hospital bed. She seemed so frail but the moment she saw me she tried to crack a vane smile on her feeble lips.

“Mama….” She said in a low voice.

I stayed near her bedside and grasped her little hand in mine, and knelt down. “It will be over soon, sweetheart,” I whispered, trying to reassure her with my voice. “Is this going to hurt me? Well, the doctors are going to fix your heart, and you’ll be all better soon.”

Ariel’s eyes closed, and she offered me a small smile. “I miss Gabriel and Zara.”

“They miss you too, darling. I would bring them soon, I promised her, while tears welled up in my eyes and seeing how helpless she looked.

“But for now,no need to worry, just rest.” This is why whenever one wakes from bed, I’ll be there to respond immediately.