A contract for two: An Ashwood's bride

At the center of the Remington's living room sat Talon Ashwood, calm, composed and utterly in control.

Across him sat Scarlet Remington, pen poised above the contract, while she read it with excitement in her eyes. Her glamorous ruby red dress clung to her like a second skin, her nails manicured to match. Her parents, the Remington's, Mr Alfred and his wife Dolores sat beside her with wide smiles. Their eyes, proud and eager.

This was it, the deal that would tie the Remington's to the Ashwood's. Both their families and stocks.

Two lawyers sat on each side representing the families and overseeing the documents. Talon tugged on his straight black tie impatiently. This contract was a mere formality, this marriage, a necessity.

His father had made that much clear, if he scored himself a wife before the stroke of midnight, then he would get the one thing he needed.

Scarlet twirled the pen gracefully between her fingers, a smirk on her face as her signature on the paper began to dry.

"I am done with my part" she announced, handing the pen over to Talon.

His gloved hand reached for the pen, and in the process his wrist bumped against the stack of papers on the table. A single sheet slipped, fluttering to the floor.

He followed the paper's descent, but when his gaze lifted again, it didn't return to Scarlet or the lawyer trying to pick the paper up.

It landed elsewhere.

Hanging on the wall above where the paper landed, was a portrait. Vintage-like and within a square frame.

His brows furrowed slightly and his dark eyes roamed over the unfamiliar face in the portrait.

His voice when he asked was calm, neutral, direct.

"Who is that?" He asked.

Scarlet gripped the table nervously, exchanging a glance with her mother who shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

"My other daughter," Mr Alfred responded before any words could be exchanged.

"You have another daughter?" Talon asked, the surprise obvious in his tone. He had done business with them for years and yet he didn't know. And besides, Scarlet's identity to the public was that of an only child.

Mrs Dolores cleared her throat, her fingers straightening the silk of her dress.

"Yes, Scarlet's twin sister. But she prefers not to be involved in social or official affairs. She is.....different"

Talon didn't look away from the portrait. His gaze was assessing and unreadable. Without hesitation, he spoke.

"Call her down"

Scarlet blinked caught off guard, Mr Alfred shifted forward in his seat.

"I assure you that she-"

"Call. Her. Down"

He wasn't asking them for their permission to request for her presence. And they understood.

A wave of tense silence filled the room and then, Mrs Dolores snapped her finger at a housemaid who hurried up the polished staircase, her steps quick and urgent.

Scarlet huffed, her fingers tightening around the pen in annoyance.

Before she could start muttering complaints, soft footsteps echoed from the hallway above.

Halo Remington.

She hesitated at the top of the stairs when she realized that her parents were not alone. She was clothed in a plain oversized white dress, dark hair pulled back in an unruly manner by a stained yellow scrunchie. She radiated nothing like the polished aura of her sister.

She looked like she didn't even belong in this house.

Talon met her empty gaze and slightly widened doe eyes. Something unspoken passed between them and she bowed her head to avoid holding eye contact longer than necessary.

She descended slowly, her fingers trailing along the banister. When she reached the bottom, Mr Alfred, her father, gave her a quick glance before turning back to Talon.

She didn't miss the unease in her father's eyes though.

"Well then, you requested for Halo and here she is. Anything else Mr Ashwood?"

Talon dug his fingers under the stack of papers and pulled out a fresh unsigned contract. He removed a pen from the breast pocket of his suit and penned his signature down on the paper. In quick work, he stood up from his position and approached Halo who stepped backwards with caution.

With a stretch of his arm, he extended the contract and pen in front of her.

"Sign it"

The words landed like a grenade in the living room, leading to the abrupt standing up of Mr Alfred, Mrs Dolores, and a shocked Scarlet. No, Talon couldn't be serious.

"Huh?" Halo whispered, barely understanding the situation at hand. Sign it, what exactly was he telling her to...

She focused her gaze and read the paper in his hands. It was an agreement, a contract for a business proposal involving marriage. In return for a mega investment, the continuation of their business line and a five percent increase of the shares the Remington's already had in Talon's business chains, Scarlet would agree to be legally married off to the man before her. Binding the two families together and putting the Remington's on a higher scale map than they already were.

Halo understood that much, but what she didn't understand now was why the decision now rested in her hands and not Scarlet's.

"Why are you asking me to sign it?" she asked. In the background he could hear the confused murmurs of her parents and that of Scarlet. Even the lawyers were taken aback.

Too bad. He had already made up his mind. He knew who his bride was going to be and if she didn't sign those papers. Then everything he put in line to give the Remington's would be gone, and he was sure that they wouldn't want that.

His lips curved into a tight line as he turned around to address them.

"I put it to you that if she doesn't sign it, the deal is off". With one direct glance at Mr Alfred he continued. "I am sure you know what that would mean to your family's reputation. And finances"

Halo bit the inner flesh of cheeks making her dimples pop out.

Finances?.

Was her family going bankrupt?.

It was news to Talon that the Remington family, although wealthy and of high standards, had recently dipped themselves in a pothole full of muddy water. In summary, an uncalculated investment had plunged them into jeopardy.

Their funds were at the lowest it had ever been in decades and that was why Talon's marital offer was welcomed with open arms by the Remington's.

Mr Alfred's hands slightly shook, if Talon had already found out about it then it meant that little by little the news could leak and it wouldn't take long before a blazing headline carrying the near bankruptcy of the Remington family would be splashed all over news channels. He needed to salvage the situation.

"Scarlet....," he said turning to his golden child "I think you should let your sister sign"

"Dad!" Scarlet shouted, her fists..balled.

Mrs Dolores shook her head and moved towards her daughter's side, holding Scarlet's arm in order to calm her down.

"Mr Ashwood, you are making a mistake choosing my other daughter"

That statement made Halo wince and although she was already used to being kept out of the spotlight. This one stung, and Talon saw it. And so, he decided to fuel the fire. Something that could stoke the heat, something that would make Halo sign without question.

He chuckled, "And pray tell Mrs Remington, why is choosing her above Scarlet a mistake?"

Dolores gulped as her gaze met Halo's saddened eyes, a twinge of guilt flickered across her face but....but she had to explain this properly. Scarlet was the better choice for all of them.

"Apart from the fact that my daughter Scarlet has wanted you for years Mr Ashwood, it is quite obvious that she will be a great addition to you. She knows the reins of business, she is graceful and beautiful, she is strategic and she is a public figure with a high level of recognition. Marrying Scarlet benefits not just us, but you too"

That proud smirk returned to Scarlet's face, her blue eyes shining with victory.

"Yes Mr Ashwood, having me as your wife would be indeed a feat"

Talon smiled, a knowing, brief smile that fizzled out just as quickly as it showed. He turned to the dark haired girl, her chest heaving and her eyes glossed over. Not with tears, but disappointment, very bold disappointment.

He placed his palm on her shoulder, feeling her freeze under his touch. Her wide eyes looked up at him with uncertainty and her wet lips slightly quivered.

"I am curious about something. For what reason exactly would your family shield you away from the public eye this long and so well in such a way that not even I, realized that the Remington's had another daughter"

She remained quiet, fiddling with her fingers and glancing behind him to see the expressions on her family's faces.

"Speak. Keeping silent won't benefit any of us"

She pressed her lips together thinking of what to say, but her mind kept going to the obvious reason. The reason that kept echoing in her head each time she saw her sister shining in front of screens and important people. While she sat there, in the empty corner of her room.

"Because......because I'm not like Scarlet"

"Mmn....because you aren't shiny, outspoken, popular or beneficial to the family like she is?"

Halo nodded, keeping her head down. His gloved fingers glided under her chin and lifted it up, keeping her gaze locked on his enticing forest green eyes.

"Tell me, have they ever made an effort to integrate you into the family, into the limelight too or......or did they just get comfortable keeping you in the dark?" He bent forward keeping his nose just an inch away from the tips of hers and he whispered for her ears alone. "Marry me Halo, and it will be written in bold ink with the court and heavens as our witness that I will give you everything you desire. The limelight, the freedom, the recognition. And I promise you that you will be seen, noticed and respected"

It sounded like a witch's spell. Simple, sharp, inescapable. And for the first time in her life, Halo wasn't giving a shit. She threw a glance over his shoulder catching the furious nodding of her mother begging her to decline for Scarlet's sake. But screw Scarlet, this was her life, and this was her choice to make.

"I'll sign it"

A gasp was heard and an angry Scarlet stomped over to them. Talon stood in front of Halo, silently forbidding Scarlet from coming close.

"Halo you can't do this to me, I am your sister!" The doe eyed girl flinched and grabbed onto the contract tightly. Using Talon's body to shield her from her sister's rage.

"Mother?," She turned to Mrs Dolores who stood there beckoning helplessly at her husband Alfred who could do nothing but watch the scene unfold. Scarlet with watery eyes looked back at Halo who was hurriedly going through the contract.

The little misfit, maybe this had been her plan all along. If she didn't forget to remove her portrait from the wall then Scarlet would've been the one signing the marriage contract with Talon as planned, preparing to get married into a multi- billion dollar family like she had always wanted.

"Scarlet don't get angry, please" Halo pleaded even if she didn't need to. "I'd be doing all of us a favour. He doesn't want to get married to you and he chose......he chose me"

Talon hummed and took the now-signed contract from Halo with a satisfied expression on his face. He turned towards Mr Alfred and Dolores.

"She is right. At first I had actually wanted to get married to Scarlett. But then, after seeing the portrait on the wall I decided that she was who I wanted."

He reached backwards and wrapped his gloved hand around Halo's wrist. Pulling her along in a manner that an owner would do to his newly acquired pet.

"No hard feelings anywhere, this is purely business. A daughter from you to me and in exchange, an investment from me to you. You should even be grateful, because her signature on these papers mean that you get to keep your funds, our ties, and your family name"

He handed the documents to the lawyer he came with while the Remington's lawyer just stood there, in front of him sat the paper that had previously been signed by Scarlet, utterly meaningless.

Scarlet took another step forward, her composure finally cracking. "Halo," she snapped. "You don't even know what you're getting yourself into. You aren't fit for him"

"I know enough," Halo replied, her voice softer but firm. "And I know that he didn't want you."

Scarlet recoiled as though she had been slapped.

Dolores opened her mouth to speak, but Talon was already turning away, pulling Halo along with him as if dismissing the entire conversation. His movements were smooth, decisive, leaving no room for argument.

"The car," he said simply, and the lawyer he had come with immediately stepped forward, clearing the way.

As Talon led Halo outside, the cool evening air hit her skin, a stark contrast to the suffocating tension in the house. The mansion behind them, once an inescapable cage, was growing smaller with every step. She hadn't been outside in so long.

"W-wait Mr Ashwood. Won't I go back in to get my things or say something to my parents?"

"Say something to your parents, your goodbyes?" He scoffed "didn't look like they wanted to say theirs to you either. As for packing, judging by what you're putting on" he muttered. "I doubt they'd be anything to pack. If something important that can't be replaced needs to be gotten from here in the future, I'll send someone to come get it"

The sleek black car waited at the curb, it's tinted windows shielding the world inside. Talon released her wrist, opened the door, and gestured for her to get in.

Halo hesitated. She turned her head, glancing back towards the doorway where her mother and Scarlett stood, silent but visibly distressed. She had spent years seeking their approval, their validation. And yet, in this moment, watching them from the outside, she realized something.

She didn't need it anymore.

Without another word, she slid into the car. Talon followed, shutting the door behind him. The vehicle hummed to life, and within seconds, they were on the move. Heading to the court to get a quick court marriage done.

The silence between them stretched, the weight of everything settling in. Halo stared out the window, watching the Remington estate disappear in the distance.

"You don't look relieved," Talon observed, his voice breaking the quiet.

Halo turned to face him, her fingers curling against the fabric of her dress. "Should I be?"

Talon studied her for a moment before exhaling lightly. "That depends," he said. "On whether you see this as a fresh beginning or a roadblock."

She took a look at him. With time, she would get the answer to that question.

••••••••

The courtroom was smaller than she imagined, whenever she thought of courtrooms she had always imagined big wide rooms that seemed to have infinite walls as opposing sides jeered at each other. This was probably a more private courtroom.

The thin grey haired lawyer following behind them approached the judge and shook hands with him. Exchanging familiar pleasantries.

The judge sat behind a modest desk. A few clerks shuffled papers in the background, their low murmurs blending with the faint hum of the ceiling fan.

Talon stood beside her, standing tall. There was a bit of an awkward moment as she was alighting from the cab. She stared at him too long, basically gawking. She couldn't help it, she wasn't used to seeing lots of men around. Especially the ones that looked like him. Regal, confident, possessing otherworldly beauty in physique and facial structure.

His gloved hand rested loosely at his side, but there was no mistaking the authority in his presence. He barely acknowledged the handful of attendees, his attention fixed on his lawyer, and the judge who gulped on sighting him. The man looked gravely uncomfortable. Did they have bad blood or something? Why would he come here then?.

"Mr Ashwood" The lawyer greeted cautiously, and from the looks of it. Anxious.

"You don't look quite pleased to see me Mr Vikram, and unfortunately I can't ask why. I am not here for small talks"

"Then why are you here, a message from your father?"

"Seeing that I am not his messenger or lap dog. No. And if at all there was a message to be sent, it would have been sent through the usual medium. I am here for something else entirely"

"Right, my apologies Mr Ashwood. I didn't mean to insinuate that. I would love to know what you are here for so that I could immediately get it done"

Halo scrunched a brow. Was it proper for a high judge to be this submissive in front of a civilian?.

"I am here to turn this Remington, into an Ashwood"

She felt a hand on her head, lightly resting on her tousled hair for a moment. She could deduce just how long his fingers were.

He signalled the lawyer who handed the initial papers Halo and Talon had signed to Mr Vikram who scrutinized it. His eyes widened. Talon Ashwood was here to get married, and to this woman perched at his side, even at the mention of her being a Remington didn't stir up any familiar images. "Is she.......a distant relative of the Remington's?" He asked quietly.

"More like a hidden daughter," Talon murmured with a smirk. He felt Halo shift awkwardly at the comment and he retracted his fingers from her hair and held the small of her back instead. The lawyer hadn't heard what he had said so he still had questions on his mind, and answers which he wasn't entitled to get.

"Enough deviating from the matter at hand. Who she is or who she was doesn't matter. Who she will be after saying the words 'I Do', is what counts"