Chapter 5 The Wicked Contract

THIRD PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW

Sera stirred awake, the cool air of the room pricking her skin. She pushed herself up, voice slipping out in surprise before she could stop it.

"Shit-why is it so dark... oh." She pressed a hand to her forehead, a bitter smile touching her lips. "Right. I'm blind."

She was about to speak again when a soft laugh rang out-warm, but just mischievous enough to make her grimace.

"W-Who are you? Where am I? And what happened to the man who-"

"Calm down, my dear. Don't you recognize my voice?" The woman cut in, her laughter fading to gentle warmth.

Sera furrowed her brow, confusion knotting in her chest. How can I recognize her if I can't see her face?

"I-I'm sorry. I can't see you, so I don't know who you are." She spoke politely, her fingers twisting in the sheets.

"Oh... of course. That was thoughtless of me."

Sera focused on her surroundings, picking up faint movements to her left. A moment later, warm hands wrapped around hers-firm but gentle. She tried to pull away instinctively.

"W-What are you-"

"My dear... I owe you more than I can ever repay." The woman squeezed her hands, her palms rough with age but steady. "If not for you, I'd be dead by now."

The words hit Sera like a jolt of lightning, and recognition flooded her mind. Her eyes widened behind closed lids, even though she could see nothing.

"You're the woman who was kidnapped! The grandmother!" She gasped, and the older woman chuckled softly.

Sera's expression shifted from confusion to bright relief, her own hands tightening around the grandmother's.

"Are you okay? How's your wound? Is it healed?" She fired off questions one after another, and a tender smile spread across the older woman's face.

She really is an angel, the grandmother thought. Even after everything she'd been through, her first concern was for someone else.

The grandmother glanced toward the doorway, where her grandson leaned against the frame-legs crossed, arms folded over his chest, his expression as cold as ice as he watched them. She mouthed "Told you so" at him, but he just pulled out his vape and took a slow hit, his gaze never leaving Sera.

"Grandma? Why aren't you answering? Are you alright?"

The grandmother turned back to Sera, giving her hands another squeeze.

"I'm perfectly fine-all thanks to you." She reached up to cup Sera's cheek, her touch gentle. "And because of me, you lost one of the most precious gifts a person can have."

Sera shook her head vigorously, her voice earnest. "No! That's not true! I chose to help you-you did nothing wrong."

A wide, genuine smile spread across Sera's face, even if she couldn't see the grandmother's reaction.

"I'm really okay, I promise. The doctors said my sight will come back eventually-"

"Even so, I know how hard this must be." The grandmother's voice grew somber. "When will it return? How long will you have to live like this?"

Sera fell silent. The question hit too close to home-she had no answer.

"I-I should go home. If you want to pay me with money... please don't. It would be a waste. Everything's so expensive now-even a piece of candy costs more than it should." She spoke seriously, her mind clear of any greed. She'd helped the woman out of kindness, not for reward-she didn't even know if the grandmother was rich or poor.

The grandmother was about to respond when her grandson stepped forward, his voice sharp as glass.

"Go home? Have you already forgotten your family sold you to that governor?"

Sera froze, her body going rigid. The memory came crashing back-why she was here, how her own parents had traded her for cash.

She bit her lip, dropping her head. Words failed her, her thoughts spinning into chaos.

"And you bought me from them... so aren't you planning to do the same thing? Like you said in the car?" She whispered, fear creeping back into her voice. It felt like nothing had changed-she'd just traded one captor for another, a stranger who'd paid for her like she was property.

Before she could spiral further, the grandmother pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her close. "Don't be scared, Seraphina. We will never hurt you or let you suffer here."

"H-Huh?" Sera pulled back slightly, bewildered. How does she know my full name?

The grandmother stroked her back, her voice soft as silk. "You have nothing to worry about. My grandson and I will take care of every single one of your troubles. Until your sight returns, he'll look after you-make your life easier in any way he can."

"I still don't understand-"

"This is the only way I can thank you, Sera." The grandmother cut her off gently. "I won't give you money-you've made it clear you don't want that. Instead, I'm offering you a life that will help you build something better. And I need you to accept it-this is your only real choice."

Sera was speechless, staring into the darkness as her mind raced. Should I say yes? She wondered. But something felt off. Why would this man-this stranger-take care of her? What did he want in return?

Could he really mean what he said in the car? That I'm supposed to be his wife?

She bit down hard on her lip. The grandmother was right-her family had cast her aside, sold her like chattel. This offer might be her only chance at stability. But trusting strangers felt like walking off a cliff blindfolded.

"C-Can I think about it first?"

The question barely left her mouth before a loud CRASH echoed through the room-Lucian had slammed his fist on the side table.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Don't tell me you're actually thinking of going back to that worthless family of yours!" His voice boomed, raw anger lacing every word.

He couldn't make sense of his own frustration-watching her hesitate, knowing she might choose to return to people who'd used her so cruelly. She was so gentle, so kind... it made him want to shake some sense into her.

"Brat!" The grandmother snapped, her brow furrowed in disapproval.

But Lucian didn't care. He needed to break through her softness, make her see the truth.

"You're too damn nice. They've been using you all along, and you let them! Are you really that naive? Maybe losing your sight was the only way to open your eyes to how they treat you. For fuck's sake-how weak can you be-"

A pillow flew across the room and smacked him square in the face.

He stood frozen, staring at the empty air where Sera sat-shocked into silence. Did she just throw a pillow at me?

"Why are you shouting?! I'm not deaf! You're yelling like you have a microphone, while I'm trying to talk calmly!"

Both Lucian and his grandmother stared at her, stunned. Then the grandmother burst into peals of laughter.

"Oh my God-you're brilliant!" She cackled, wiping tears from her eyes.

Sera flushed, embarrassment warring with irritation. She'd thought the older woman would be angry-but instead, she sounded delighted.

"I-I'm sorry," Sera mumbled, fidgeting.

The grandmother quieted, looking at her with warmth in her eyes. She said nothing, but Lucian knew exactly what she wanted-don't tell her who we really are.

"Enough with this nonsense." Lucian waved a hand toward the door, where a man holding a thick folder stepped inside. He set the folder on the table and took a seat across from them.

Sera tensed, sensing the new presence. Who is this?

"Ms. Mortez, I'm Attorney Chavez." The man's voice was calm and professional. "First-do you truly intend to go back to your abusive family?"

Sera's breath hitched. An attorney? Why is there a lawyer here?

"I-I don't know."

The three of them exchanged glances. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," the attorney continued. "Are you really going to turn it down? Would you rather struggle while the family that cast you aside lives comfortably off the money they got for you?"

The question twisted in Sera's chest, her thoughts a tangled mess. She couldn't see, couldn't fully grasp what was happening around her-how many people were in the room, or if she was truly safe here.

She stayed silent, lost in thought, until the grandmother placed her hand over hers on the table. Sera felt the texture of paper beneath her fingertips-stiff, official.

"This is a contract," Lucian said, his voice low. "It outlines our promise to protect and support you, as repayment for what you did for my grandmother."

"A contract? Do we really need one?" Sera whispered, confusion clouding her mind.

"What for?"

The attorney cleared his throat and began to explain-all the terms, all the ways the Vitales would care for her while she lived under their roof. But what Sera didn't know was that the words on the page held a secret she never could have imagined.

This wasn't just about repayment. The contract bound her to be Lucian's contract wife-and whether she agreed or not, she was expected to give him an heir.

From the very start, fate had played with her-her blindness leaving her in the dark about everything around her. But even if she could see, she never would have guessed the truth: she wasn't just dealing with a wealthy businessman.

Lucian Vitale was a ruthless high-ranking member of the Bratva-the most powerful mafia organization in Russia.