Chapter 4 Savior

Alice

I walked to the door, still trying to process the doctor's news. Then, my mind started racing with thoughts of what to do next. I couldn't shake the feeling that my life was going out of control.

As I entered the house, I noticed something was off. The door was unlocked, and Naomi was nowhere to be found. I remembered she was supposed to be at home since she had resigned from her job. I also noticed that her bags were missing.

At that moment, I felt uneasy. Where was she? And why had she left without saying anything?

I called out her name, but there was only silence. Something was definitely wrong.

I stood there, wondering if Naomi had traveled. She had gotten her visa last week, and it was possible she had left today. But without saying goodbye? It seemed so sudden, so unfair.

I felt a pang of disappointment and hurt. Why hadn't Naomi told me she was leaving?

But that was when I remembered I had a baby inside of me. "I'm sorry... I just can't keep you," I said, shaking my head as I stared at my flat stomach.

Feeling trapped and unsure, I made the difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy. I felt I had no other choice. Raising a child with no father figure, especially when my own life was a struggle, seemed unfair to the innocent child. I worried about the future, about the questions they would ask, and the truth I would have to tell them.

Just as I was lost in thought, there was a knock at the door. I stood up, rolling my eyes, "Finally!" I muttered, and called out Naomi's name, hoping it was her, then rushed to the door.

But when I opened it, I was shocked to see four hefty men standing there, holding sticks and guns. My heart skipped a beat as I froze in terror.

The men burst into the room, and I fell to my knees, begging and crying. "I don't have any money, please don't hurt me!"

One of the men, a towering giant with a bowed head, tattoos covering his body, and a menacing scowl, loomed over me. He pressed the barrel of his gun to my temple.

"Where is Naomi?" he growled. "Where the fuck is Naomi?"

I trembled, trying to explain. "She's not here... I think she left, but don't worry, she's on her way."

The man's expression darkened. "Naomi took a loan from us and ran away. Now you're going to pay for her debt."

"No!" I cried. "Naomi didn't run away. She'll return, I promise."

"Liar! Where are you hiding that bitch, huh?" he yelled, making me shiver.

"Please, I'm not hiding Naomi! I swear, I don't know where she is!"

But the man's anger only intensified. He cocked his gun, ready to fire. I screamed, holding my stomach.

"I'm pregnant! Please don't kill me!"

The man's laughter sent chills down my spine. "We don't fucking care about your pregnancy. We'll shoot your brains out if you don't tell us where Naomi is or pay us the money."

"Okay, how much is it?" I asked, tears running down my cheeks.

"Ten million dollars," the man sneered.

My heart sank. Where would I get that kind of money? I began to shake, my eyes scanning the room for an escape.

The gun pressed harder against my head, and I knew I had to think fast. "Please, let me call someone who can help me."

"Do you want to call the cops?" he growled, a frown on his face.

"No, He's the father of my child, and he's very rich. He'll pay you," I said.

The man raised an eyebrow but nodded. I went to grab my purse and rummaged through it, my trembling hands struggling to find Blackwood's complimentary card. After pressing down the number on my phone, I dialed the number, knowing it was a long shot. But what choice did I have?

As the call connected, I took a deep breath.

"Hello?"

"Yes, who am I speaking with?" the voice asked. It was Xavier's voice.

"It's me... the lady you met at the bar four weeks ago."

"You finally called?" he scoffed.

"Please, I need your help," I urged, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Did you call me because you need my help, or did you call me concerning the proposal?"

I felt a surge of frustration, my hand vibrating around the phone. "Okay, fine. What is the proposal about? Please be quick."

Xavier's tone was calm, collected. "We're supposed to talk face to face but since you sound desperate, no problem. So, I actually want a contractual wife. A wife who will marry me for a specific reason, under specific terms."

I responded quickly, without hesitation. "I accept. I'll be your wife."

Another silence.

"Are you hearing me? Please, I'll be your wife. I said I'll marry you! Now help me."

"What?"

I shouted. "I'm carrying your baby, I'm pregnant with your child! Please, come and save me before they kill us both!"

"Where are you right now?" His tone changed instantly.

I rattled off the house address, my voice shaking.

"I'll be right there within a few minutes," he promised.

After a few minutes, we heard the sound of an airplane in the background, the hum growing louder. The men outside exclaimed, "There's a helicopter landing!"

The helicopter landed, and Xavier emerged, flanked by two suited bodyguards. Each guard carried a briefcase.

Xavier finally entered inside, and his eyes scanned the room, his gaze locking onto the men holding me hostage. "What is happening here?" he demanded, his voice cold.

"Wow? So, your husband is the mighty Xavier?" One of the bulky men asked.

Another man explained, "Her friend owes us money, and we're going to make her pay."

"How much does she owe?" he asked, his expression icy.

The man named the amount – ten million dollars. Xavier nodded, and one of his bodyguards opened a briefcase, revealing stacks of cash.

Xavier told the men, "Each briefcase contains ten million dollars. Take it, it's all yours."

The men grabbed the briefcases and fled, and afterwards, the guards left after Xavier had ordered them, leaving him alone with me.

He bent down, his eyes locking onto my teary eyes.

"So, it seems you've actually accepted the contract," he said, his voice low.

I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper as I rubbed my stomach. "Yes. I'll marry you, Xavier."

Xavier stood up, stretching his hand towards me. I took it, and he lifted me up effortlessly. He guided me outside to the helicopter, helping me aboard.

The men who had been holding me hostage earlier followed, boarding their own helicopter.

The helicopter ride was quiet, the only sound was the whirring blades. But then, Xavier broke the silence, his eyes fixed on my stomach.

"About the baby... were you telling the truth? Do you really have a child there?" he asked, his voice low as he stared at my stomach.

I nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes, I think it's from the one-night stand. I found out that I'm four weeks pregnant."

Xavier's expression remained neutral. "Okay, then. Let's get the formalities out of the way. We can sign the contract now."

He opened a briefcase by the side, pulling out a contract. I couldn't help but laugh, surprised that he carried the document with him everywhere.

"Does this mean you badly wanted a bride?" I asked, amusement dancing in my voice. "By the way, why do you really want to get married?"

However, Xavier was quiet, and his face remained serious, so I just kept quiet, regretting why I'd even ask in the first place. He handed me the contract. I scanned the pages, my heart racing. This was it – I was committing to a marriage of convenience.

I signed the papers, my hand trembling slightly. Xavier took the contract, signing his name with a flourish.

As he handed the papers back to his briefcase, our eyes met. "So, I guess you're now my wife," he stated, his voice low.

I swallowed hard, my voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, I am."