So long!

I was still very stunned as I followed Devon back outside. The wedding guests had left the garden and were gathered at the front of the house, where they were waiting to bid us farewell. The guests cheered when we appeared at the front door.

Jordan took my hand and gently led me down the stairs. I followed him slowly, but he led patiently. As I walked down, I once again caught sight of my friends Sandra and Lynn. When I looked at them, they looked like they wanted to talk to me, but they didn't move. They just stood there, watching me with sad eyes, and I wondered if they had any idea what I had just gotten myself into. I didn't think so. They didn't look like they knew. They just looked guilty. I guess they were regretting the way they had treated me. Maybe they were only regretting their actions now because they thought that I had gotten lucky. They probably thought I was finally marrying a wealthy man for sure, and they wished they had remained friends with me. Yes, it was that kind of regret that I saw in their eyes. They had no idea however, that I had just signed myself away on a slave contract, in the guise of nuptial papers.

I knew they weren't exactly great friends, and I knew I could not trust them for help. But in that moment, I didn't have very many options. I looked at them desperately, hoping that they would see the distress in my eyes. Hoping that they would notice that I was not as happy as they thought I was. But I don't think they did. I don't think they saw my fears or my unhappiness and distress. For how could anyone ever guess or imagine that I, a common who got lucky, was sad and desperate to get away, while I was being led hand in hand, towards a limousine by a super handsome man, who looked like every girl's dream. Both in looks and worth.

I turned to the other side as Jordan dragged me along. Some people from my agency were standing there. They weren't all very familiar, but I recognized a few girls who I used to model with. They were all smiling so brightly, and they all looked sincerely happy for me. As I walked by, my agent, Mr Khan, leaned forward and whispered to me;

"Congratulations." He said, smiling.

My eyes held his eyes desperately again, and his gaze showed a little confusion and concern. But Jordan was pulling me on, and I had to walk past him. I tripped and stumbled as I kept looking back at Me Khan. I fell right into Jordan's arms, and he held me up.

"Watch your step." He said to me gently, his face very close to mine as he held onto me, supporting me while my feet steadied back on the ground. A cry of admiration rose from the crowd, and I quickly realized what the situation looked like! We definitely looked like two adorable couples to the guests in that position.

I quickly pulled away from Jordan, but he held onto me for a while longer. Then he took my hand again and continued leading me amidst cheers and continuous cries of admiration and hooting.

My parents were standing at the foot of the stairs, next to Daren's mum, Mrs Rockshire. They looked away as I approached. They could not hold my eyes. But Mrs Rockshire was looking up at me with bright and gleaming eyes. A big smile was plastered on her pretty face. It looked bright too, but it wasn't warm at all. It was cold, very cold. And so were her eyes. Her eyes pierced into me with ice cold intensity. She had completely transitioned from the woman I saw earlier in the day, back to the woman I had met when I saw her for the first time.

Mrs Rockshire reached her arms out to me as I drew closer to her. She took my hand from Jordan's, and held both of them in hers, pulling me closer to herself. She kissed both side of my cheeks, then she leaned away and smiled into my face again.

"Welcome to my family, darling June. I guess it was written in your stars that you would enter my family one way or the other." She laughed, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Then she leaned into me again and whispered in my ear.

"My brother will take you to where you belong. He will put you in your place and take good care of you for a long, long, long time." She said. "Please, be a good wife, and do not try to go against what you have signed. There are penalties, you know." She added, then she let go of my hands.

My arms fell limply to my side as I stared at her.

Mrs Rockshire knew about the contract? If she did, then she and her brother probably planned all this. My heart began to pound as my mind wandered. But then again, on a second thought, Mrs Rockshire had admitted to knowing about the initial plan. She had not hidden that she knew about the marriage being a ploy to save Daren. If she knew about that, then it only made sense that she should know about the contract agreement. Maybe I was just over thinking, but something about the way Mrs Rockshire said the words she said, something about it felt sinister. It felt as if she was gloating, her eyes mocking. Her words sounded heavily sarcastic. But there was nothing I could do about anything now, even if my suspicion turned out to be true.

As Jordan took my hand again and continued leading me to the car, I wondered yet again, what I had gotten myself into.

I still could not see how my marriage to Jordan could save Daren's life, and I especially did not see what good the contract I had signed, would contribute to this course. I wondered if I was making a very big mistake.

When we settled into the backseat of the car, Jordan leaned close to me and whispered softly into my ears.

"You should take a good look at this place, and wave a lot of you must." He said. "You won't be seeing America again for a long long time. Take in as much as you can, to last you for that long."

I flipped around to look at him, and he grinned down at me with evil in his eyes.

I was scared. I immediately regretted everything so far. I felt like bolting.