Chapter Eight

The recesses of her unconscious scared Faith. She was in tremendous pain, tossing and turning over the sheets, clutching the soft velvet with her nails, digging deep into the mattress. The layers of her mind were dark, much unlike her sunny personality. She wasn't innocent, she wasn't pure or decent. She wasn't a virgin. Sweat drops cascaded down her oval countenance as her closed eyes rapidly moved from one side to another.

Her clothes were torn, he was coming towards her in long, steady strides. He had a glass of beer in his hand. He evacuated the alcohol on her body as it clung to the soft material of her favourite white tank top. Her clothes were now torn and wet. She smelled like alcohol, smoke and dirt. She found herself lying on a dirty floor, messy and dusty. He approached her and in one swift move, he tore apart her top and came on top of her, ravishing her body and soul as she lay there, barely moving, barely breathing and completely intoxicated with drugs.

Thud!

A loud noise woke up Faith. She got up hastily from the bed, her nightdress clinging to her body because of the abnormal sweating. It was a dream. If she hadn't known better, she would only tag it as a dream but she knew it wasn't. It was a true incident that kept on haunting her. When would this all end?

She felt that certain level of tiredness that equated to insanity. She wanted to sleep peacefully without any images disturbing her. She just wanted to temporarily dislocate her spirit from her body, as if she could ask God to take her out for just a short while, let her soul go wherever souls go to be zen.

Tomorrow was going to be hard for her. Alex had told her he would call tomorrow for the contract signing. Nervousness gripped her heart as she pulled up the duvet over her trembling body.

Tomorrow had come with a feeling of despair. Faith was scared, it wasn't just everyday that she entered into a contract marriage, right? It was nine in the morning and Alex had called just few minutes ago, telling her to come to his mansion at ten. Well, he had simply ordered her like a slave and disconnected the call, without waiting to hear her reply.

She was ready in, as Alex would call it, unattractive clothes. She saw herself in the mirror, brushing her hands over her yellow cotton sundress that reached upto her thighs. She looked at her open hair that was cascading down her shoulders into a thick mess of curls and waves. She didn't care what he thought of her, that's why she was going through this hell, wasn't she? If he thought she was unattractive, so be it, she didn't give a damn.

But the feeling of Alex seeing her in a short dress for the first time made her heart flutter in an awkward way that disturbed her to the core. Shrugging off the alien thoughts that were clouding her brain, she booked a cab to Alex's mansion. She reached there exactly at ten, applauding her own sense of punctuality.

She noticed Alex sitting on the chair wearing a simple casual shirt and a pair of track pants. Again that weird combination. He still looked handsome, and also a bit sexy, Faith admitted to herself. He turned around and saw her staring at him. Awkward, she dropped her gaze from his face.

"Come here, sweetheart. Meet Mr. Henderson, my lawyer." He signalled to an old man seated beside him.

The lawyer smiled at her, his wrinkles spreading all over his face. "Hi, Miss Cole."

Faith smiled back, "Hi. Should we sign the contract today?"

Alex patted on the chair in front of him and beckoned her to sit, "We're looking through the clauses of the contract today, sweetheart. We'll sign it on the day of our marriage."

Okay, phew, what a relief, Faith steadied herself.

"This contract marriage shall be valid for six months and after that, it shall be null and void. As if the marriage didn't exist. This would secure your futures as you both will not be carrying the burden of divorce. Annulment means your marriage didn't exist," Mr. Henderson stopped to see their reactions and continued again.

"This contract marriage can be cancelled midway by both the parties. If it's cancelled by Alexander, Faith will be given her share of monetary payment which is up to two million dollars, one million for the treatment and the other for her personal needs,"

Faith couldn't believe it. She hadn't even heard of such a huge sum of money together. Let alone, receiving it. She smiled and nodded her head in agreement. If she was going to sell her time and her entire life for six months, she was happy she would earn some money. Not that money mattered to her much, but she needed it to save the only person who cared about her; her precious Jenny.

She mentally planned that she would fix up the other one million and use it for her granny's post treatment charges, medicines and regular check ups. She wouldn't use that money for herself, ever.

"And however, if Faith decides to walk out of the marriage before the stipulated period of time," The lawyer looked at her and smile. "she shall not receive any money and have to go empty handed."

She could do nothing but feel intense amount of rage for Alex. He didn't trust her to finish the marriage? That's why he had binded her completely to the contract by removing the money if she decided to leave. Though his thoughts didn't matter to her, she reminded herself, still she couldn't feel anything but remorse for his lack of trust.

"There shall be no sexual relationship, this marriage will be strictly platonic."

Thank God, she told to herself, looking up at the sky. But what would happen if they did have sex? The consequences and the question both bothered her. She wasn't going to think about it. She had no sexual interest in him; and neither did he, given the fact that he hadn't bothered to put up a consequence in the contract if they developed something....sexual. Because he had been so sure that wouldn't take place.

Her skin felt cold, oddly cold and damp with sweat. The sun was shining at its best and they were sitting out in the lawn, surrounded with flowering plants.

Alex interrupted with a cough, "Tell her about the affair part." He winked at the old lawyer who made a scowl on his face.

"And, both the parties can maintain extra marital affairs but they need to secret and discreet."

"I know, I will." Alex made an obvious face and took the contract from Mr. Henderson's hands. "Take a look, sweetheart. Do you approve of it?"

That asshole was asking her opinion on it? Her brain stuttered for a moment and slowly she registered the fact that he was giving her the contract to read. She took the paper from his hand and started going through it. It was usual, really: she must go his mansion and live with him for the time period of the marriage, check. She must wear a ring on her finger and validate their marriage, check. She must make food for him and clean up after him, Faith wanted to cut his head off. Making food and cleaning up? Was she a slave or a wife, precisely?

"It seems you're hiring a maid," She made the sarcastic comment harshly and glared at him.

"Now, sweetheart," Alex said, "it's worth all that money, isn't it?"

She rolled her eyes to heavenward. God, what had she done to herself? To her, marriage was sacred, a union of two souls for eternity. She wouldn't want to be tied up to him for a single second, if that was possible. Mentally slapping herself for her terrific move and her pathetic life, she sighed and accepted the fact that she had to do it, no matter what; she had to marry him, had to say 'I do' and kiss him in front of an exasperatedly happy audience.

"Sweetheart, is it okay?"

"What about my work? I can work after marriage, right?"

"About that, you'll work for me." He said, watching her eyes slowly changing their colour.

"But isn't your company in New York?"

Flabbergasted, he said, "Yes, it is. But I'm talking about my father's company: Hamilton Inc. It will be technically mine after our marriage."

"Fake marriage," She said, as a matter of fact.

"Yeah, okay, okay, fake marriage." He repeated. "After this fake marriage," He looked at her and continued. "my father will sign the company over to my name and retire. So basically-"

"I'll work as your P. A." She could barely keep her mouth shut anymore as she knew what he was going to say.

"Now you're getting it, sweet pea."

She gave him back the contract, "What's with the names?"

Alex had a smug look on his face. "Get used to them, honey. Married couples call each other with endearing names."

The word 'endearing' coming from his mouth seemed like the greatest irony of the century. The man who was a definition of revenge, mischief, anger and dark impulses was actually talking about something sweet and blissful. Faith wanted to get up, run away and hide. But she knew better; she understood that no matter how hideous he might be, he was the only shot she had at saving Jenny.

"Yup, I guess so, babe." The mock satire was evident on her lips as she rose up from her chair and smiled at him and at Mr. Henderson.

"You are a very bright young lady. It was nice to meet you," Mr. Henderson said genuinely.

"Same here." She looked at Alex, once and then turned her gaze away.

Alex breathed. He mentally noted that he had been holding his breath again. Her dress was as the yellow of a thousand warm suns, the promise of light that gave energy to nature. He stopped at her eyes, oh, not again, he told himself. As hypnotizing her eyes were, they changed colour from light to medium to a dark shade of brown. He wondered what emotions could make her eyes change; did anger make her eyes dark? And sadness made them deep? Did happiness make her eyes as light as hazelnut?

She was staring at him in that same unnerving way. Her stare was so still that he was feeling stillness within himself, as if every movement collapsed inside, every barrier came down, and minute by minute, they fell.

"Bye, Alex." She turned on her heels and left before he could reply.

"Are you okay, Alexander? I mean, you're quite smitten by her."

Alex jerked up from his thoughts, lunging back into denial. "Smitten? Oh, Henderson, you know I don't get smitten. Simply not my thing."

The lawyer laughed and nodded, taking his briefcase and shortly leaving Alex alone with his thoughts.