A Battle Within.

Andrew walked into his room without a word, his expression cold, leaving Annabella standing alone in the living room. The sound of his footsteps faded down the hallway, and she heard the soft click of his bedroom door closing behind him. 

The expensive villa, with its marble floors, high ceilings, and expensive furniture suddenly felt like a prison. Annabella's eyes looked around the room, taking in the nature of her surroundings.. She felt like an outsider in this world of wealth and luxury—a world she had never wanted to be a part of.

She sat down on the edge of the soft leather sofa, her hands trembling slightly as she gripped the cushions beneath her.. What am I doing here? she thought. How did my life come to this? She asked herself.

Anna had never imagined that her life would take such a turn. A contract marriage—something she had never dreamed of. She was raised with values, with the belief that love and relationships should be built on trust, care, and genuine connection. But now, here she was, married to a man who saw her as nothing more than a sex toy to him. 

 'Should I give him what he wants? 'The thought ran in her mind, over and over again. The idea of giving her virginity to Andrew was terrifying. She had seen the way he looked at her, his cold eyes. He was used to getting what he wanted, and she knew that, in his mind, she was just another possession , that he could own. 

 Annabella closed her eyes and let out a slow sigh. She couldn't deny the attraction she felt for him. Despite his distant demeanor, there was something about Andrew that drew her into him. His power, his confidence, the way he carried himself with such authority—it was terrifying . But that was not enough to justify giving in to his desires and sexual urges? ' Was that enough to sell her body for the money she so desperately needed?'.

 Her thoughts drifted to her mother, lying in a hospital bed, weak and fragile. Annabella could still hear the beeping of the oxygens that kept her alive, could still see the tubes and wires that surrounded her layed form. The doctors had said she didn't have much time left. Without the surgery, her mother wouldn't survive.

I did this for her. I agreed to this for her. Annabella reminded herself. She had entered into this contract marriage because it was the only way to save her mother's life. But now that she was here, faced with the reality of what Andrew expected from her, she felt frustrated. 

 'If I give him what he wants, I'll be betraying myself. But if I don't… She shook her head, trying to push the thought away. There was no easy answer to that.'

The sound of a door openened pulled her from her hateful thoughts. She turned her head gently, hearing Andrew's footsteps approaching her. Her heart skipped a beat as he walked back into the room, his expression unreadable. He stood in front of her, his tall and handsome structure. 

 "Why are you still sitting here?" he asked, his voice cold and demanding.

 . "I… I didn't know what you wanted me to do." She answered. 

Andrew narrowed his eyes slowly, studying her for a moment before speaking again. "You know what I want, Annabella. I made it very clear when we signed the contract."

 She looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

 "I'm not… I'm not ready for that," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Andrew's jaw tightened, and for a moment, she thought he might shout at her. But instead, he took a deep breath and turned away, walking toward the large windows that showed the beautiful gardens outside. He stood there for a moment, his back to her, hands clenched into fists at his sides.

 "I'm not asking you to fall in love with me," he said quietly. "I'm asking you to fulfill your end of the deal, make me feel satisfied '.

 ' Is that all I am to him? A part of the deal? A body to be used and disposed when he was done using me?.

 "I need time," she said softly. "Please, just give me a little more time".

Andrew didn't respond. He stood there in silence, staring outside the window, his expression was unknown. After what felt like a year, he finally spoke again.

 "You have until the end of the week."

 She didn't know how she was going to make it through the next few days, knowing what was expected of her. But she didn't have a choice. Her mother's life depended on it.

Andrew left the room without another word, leaving Annabella alone with her thoughts once again. 

 "What am I supposed to do? she thought. How am I supposed to make this decision? I haven't even done it before. How will i cope? All this question played inside her."

The house was quiet as she sat there, lost in her thoughts.

Anna thought back to the first time she met Andrew. He had seemed so cold, so distant, but there had been a moment—a brief, fleeting moment—when she had seen something else in him. She had seen it in his eyes, just for a second, but it was enough to make her wonder if there was more to him than the ruthless businessman he appeared to be."

 "Maybe… maybe he's not as heartless as he seems, she thought. But even as the thought crossed her mind, she quickly pushed it away. She couldn't afford to think like that. She couldn't afford to let herself believe that there was something good about him. Not when he was asking her to sacrifice everything for him."

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone vibrating on the table next to her. She picked it up and saw a message from her sister, Isabella."

 "How's it going, sis? Still playing the dutiful wife?"

Annabella sighed, her fingers over the screen. She didn't know how to respond. She didn't want to lie to her sister, but she also didn't want to admit how frustrated she felt. She typed a quick response.

 "It's fine. I'm managing." She typed back.

She put the phone down and leaned back against the sofa, closing her .She didn't know how much longer she could keep up the game.