The Deal

What do you do when a dubious message pops in your phone?. Was I skeptical about it?, a hundred and over percent. It felt like a child's prank, unrealistic and set.

The unknown digits and odd sentences creeped the mind to tons of thoughts. Yet again in my situation I was more than willing to give in to anything, it was no harm to meet the weirdo behind the messages. As much as I wanted the messages not to be prank I was more curious to see where it ends.

"What going on out there?" Linda squint an eye through the window, cursing beneath her mouth to the girls posing in front of the black Lamborghini that parked across the street of the cafe, few of them were chatting in the cafe before sprunting for their next social pictures. Standing in admiration to their courage and strength, the energy it took to frame a life that wasn't theirs, the will to build an unrealistic illusion.

"Miss Alice" a man squat his way in. His intimidating built sent chills in my chest, my body begged for warmth in catch of his eyes that was hidden behind the black lens. "Yes" an instant regret crawled in the second I responded.

"My boss instructed to pick you up" he said in one gasp, hell no I said while tracing my steps back. "I have no clue of what you're saying, who's your boss?" the right question popped out.

"He said you will ask that, he also said to tell you you'll get to who he is when you meet him. All you're to know he sent you the messages and if you want to save your family then, you'll make the right choice" those lips didn't move an inch to beauty, it was held hell firm. I thought not much about the messages but the whole scene of him his subordinate in dark attires and the mysteries sent creeps to the spine. It pointed out like that early alarms in horror movies , but like the horror movies the protagonists always walks to the danger I was also tempted. The danger is what the viewers thrills for, without the risk and edgy hells the movie would be boring , the mind convinced itself on it new course.

I was in that situation where anything was a go for.

"Okay" I reluctantly said earning a gossip look from Linda, lashing her eyes to he objections to my decision.

"I just have to change, give me a minute".

"That won't be needed, my boss already made arrangements for that, all you have to do is come with me" that was one crazy scenario fir sure, everything about his so called boss sounded out of box, yet I questioned no further and followed his lead.

He opened the car door and shut it after the quick pull of my dress.

It was a long silence drive, he faced front all his attention and went deaf to all my questions. My several attempts of conversations with him was a Christmas without carols , even my trick of asking for a drink was at flaw. With just a push of a button the bottles of wine and water swiped out. I felt dumb at the moment, it wasn't my first time in such car or having the lifestyle yet the experience felt new.

The long boring drive soon came to an end with the open of the car door. The glowing lettered stole my view, catching each letter that read 'BRANDI'. "Why are we here?" he was supposed to take me to his boss but there I was In front of the famous Brandi fashion house, a tailor made design house that earned its name for its unique creations and flawless fabrics. Even as a heiress I wasn't opportune to exhibit in their fine art.

"We're here to change you into something more suitable" he wasn't serious, was he?. A dress of theirs cost fortune, hold on what was with tone. It like I was an ugly candle that needed a decoration for Christmas carol .

"Please this way miss Alice" he prompt his pole legs for the door and lashed it open.

The fresh mint artificial sir was the first to hit my skin and nose, cautioning myself with the pull of two women on my body, forcing my steps to their will with an incline from the so call boss subordinate. They freed my will in a silence room with little light of the natural.

With a flick of their fingers girls came rushing with dresses in their hands, sketching my figure with her hand she threw my body behind the curtain walls. My skin went sour from all the trials of dresses and stitch of one dress on me. The feet exhausted from the twice in role change if shoes, ears hurt from the rings put in it. The body of a whole came to a rest after an hour or more of satisfaction to them .

"You can take a look" the head designer I presumed from her different uniform. The old me reflected in the mirror, with more decors to it. They worked magic in transforming the hair that I forsake to the hours of works, the exhausted eyes was fixed with sweet paints.

He handed out a card to them in seconds they walked me out. "Shall we" with that we left the building.

"The designers sure did a great job" the voice echoed from the upper floor, craving my eyes it destination. I grabbed a memory from the beautiful garden I walked through to reach him, if he was trying to be mysterious the he did succeed. The tall statues and artistic carvings on the pillars and walls, the double size foot path which one can loss his way in.

"You're looking beautiful, nothing like what you looked when we met" wait what, the night memories came flooding in, that blue eyes brushed in old sweet wounds. My handsome saviour from the gutter was staring right at me and I was taking every bit of it to my merit.

"Don't you have any questions?" his feet tread on the reflect me stairs, looking fine like an old wine with high value. I dazzled my eyes on his legs out on the short, the half button shirt that lend me chance to steak a glimpse of his chest and the crowdy beard that sent heavy digest in my stomach. He was a poison that I was willing to drown in, the fact was in mind that the heart was lost in his looks.

"You're okay?"

"Yes" I said clearing my eyes off him, hopefully he didn't take notice but the smirk on his face said otherwise.

"You sent the messages, why?" I asked him.

"You already know why, it to save your family" he said taking a seat on the couch in the breath taking sitting room, that contained fifteen or less chairs, tables, the stroking carvings on the pillars were copied to the inside pillars. One thing was for sure his style was unique from other men I'd cross paths with, most found likes in plain and dimmed colors but his choices were bright and decorative. Oh unjust my words would be to his preference of paintings.

"That's my reason to come here but what yours for sending the messages?, What do you want from me?"

"Be my wife" Strapping my hands on my laps, my throat forced down the saliva that stuck half through. Gracing him with my eyes, I tried to figure what was playing in his head. 'Was he insane?, we hardly knew each other why would he propose so sudden?, Could he had fallen fir me that night?. My beauty must have captured his heart and he has been restless ever since' I silly smiled on the thoughts.

"Only for a year"

'what?' the heat of a thousand flames came banging my heart, the sweet air went sour, the smile lost it glow as I screamed within the walls of my head.

He just proposed, what was with the one year, was he messing with me?. I didn't mind his early proposal but a year, that was out of my bucket limit. I would have taken the risk of not knowing him and marry him fir hus beauty but a year, what was it, a marriage contract?.

"Yes, it a marriage contract" he answered like he could read my thoughts. " Marry me for two million dollars" my eyes crossed it way on him, I arched my brows at the sound of the booklet slapping on the square table. Bringing my sense to notice the two giant men at his dudes in guard to him, as I realized I have been drown by him since I arrived to the point of seeing nothing but him. He sent his eyes at the table in gesture to take at it.

I squat my knees and traced my fingers through the smooth texture of the front cover. The dyed ink on it rise the stench of vanilla and traditional smoked fish. "A year is all I want from you, you're mine till the contract come to an end" what the hell.

He sounded cocky, insane and creepy at the he same time, plus his tone wasn't helping either.

"Sign it and I'll wipe away all your troubles" I desperately wanted to hear those words but not in such manner and specially nit from a guy I'd met in circumstance. Even thou I was dreaming about giving it all fur his beauty but his attitude was a kill joy. As it goes not all that glitters is diamond.

I was curious to what his intentions were and where the hell he came about the crazy idea and importantly why me?.

'What was he hiding?.

From his words it was clear it wasn't love that made him chose me and I refused to believe he was doing it out of Santa spirit.

Or perhaps he was messing with me.

"So, what have you decided?".

"No!"

His bluff smirk became shadowed with cloudy frowns, his hand fisted on the chair's arm while I watched in display of his discontent. He clearly did not expect me to lay down hus offer, he thought he had me in the court with him in control.

"Is the amount not generous enough?" he asked while trying to keep his cool.

"Not quite generous as you thought it to be"

"I'll have it double then" he purposed eagerly.

"I'm going to be honest, your offer is attractive but.." I held my words with intentions to urge him, to crawl for full detail.

"But what?, If it attractive why reject it?" he slowed his pace in recognition of what I was doing, his fingers rubbed through his nose like he was sniffing something, more like a drug addict trait.

"I want more than that and since you're being so generous am sure you'll have no complain to my demands" his body loosen, showing a different attitude, one of pride and anxiousness of what my request might be. "Go ahead, let me hear what you want".

"First, you help me get back into the black diamond company" his face was still which tell he wasn't taken by my request and I knew he did not just choose me. Something else must have got him to make such deal and I was gonna to take full advantage of it.

By his attitude and knowledge of me, he must have dig into me.

"Second you have to financially help my family" he nodded in accord,

"Third I got to do what I want, you don't own me . I'll be your wife bit it doesn't give you any rights on me, I'll be my own boss" my voice went cold and firm.

"Is that all?"

"Last, you have to help me clear my dad's name" his legs sprint up the second the request fell in his ears, "And why should I ?,he is your father so you get his name clear. I want nothing to do with him".

"True, but you want to marry me don't you?. I know it not because of love but am sure you're desperate enough to agree to my every demand even this one. I'll only say the vows after you give your word to grant all my demands" I stood my ground with no back out, it was a win or lose negotiation. What ever reasons he had I was sure it would compel him to agree ,at the same time I was in worry he would decline. At the end it all came to how strong his reasons were to marry me.

"Accepted".