A contract with the mafia lord

Isla." Scarlett yelled, her purse making contact with the floor.

Scrabbling to the other side of the bed, Isla, wearing a frightened look, began to put on her clothes hurriedly, mouthing, "It's not what you think."

"Even you Xavier." Scarlett mumbled, her eyes stinging with tears as she watched both of them putting on their clothes hurriedly.

"I can explain." Xavier said, trying to hold her hands but instead, she slapped him off, grabbed her purse and then banged the door shut on his face.

Grasping her purse with both hands, she began to walk through the hallway slowly, since her vision was blinded with tears. It was the thought of Xavier coming after her that made her start running through the hallway of Coutin Hotel, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Heels clinking against the tiled floor, she continued her hurried movement, trying to forget the scene she had greeted with on her arrival some minutes ago.

Xavier, her boyfriend, birthday is today and so she and her best friend, Isla, had decided to throw a surprise party for him only for her to walk in on both of them, legs intertwined on bed.

"I will never forgive you, Isla." She said, gritting her teeth as she fists pumped the air. "Not even you, Xavier." She yelled this time around, using the back of her palm to wipe her face.

Not minding the attention she was getting from the people walking past, she continued her drama until she got to the entrance of the hotel.

"After everything we've done together, she still had the guts to go behind my back... I regret ever knowing her." She snapped and, still seething with anger, she pushed her hair behind her ears and then began to stomp towards the road.

Overwhelmed with anger, she didn't look out for incoming vehicles before she stepped into the road and almost immediately, a car which was on a mild speed swept her off the ground. The next second, she was sprawled on the floor, blood seeping from her bruises.

"Dammit." The driver yelled, banging the steering wheel in frustration.

"Is anything the issue?" Damien asked with his rich baritone. He was occupying the passenger's seat of the car with his legs crossed while he scrolled through his iPad.

"Sir...sir..." the driver couldn't find his tongue to speak, fear surging through his veins as he stared at Scarlett, who was sprawled on the road unconscious.

"I asked a question." Damien said impatiently, his fingers still dancing on his iPad.

"I hit someone. It wasn't my fault... she was..." Still running his mouth like a broken tap, Damien pushed the door open and then stepped out.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't do that on purpose." The driver rapped, joining him.

Ignoring him, Damien took a few strides until he got to where Scarlett laid. After examining the scratch on his car, he checked her pulse.

"She isn't dead." He announced, and the driver let out a sigh of relief, wiping the beads of perspiration from his forehead.

Measuring six feet, two inches tall, Damien rose with his hands tucked in his pockets. His height and physique made him command attention anywhere he went, coupled with the intimidating aura which he possessed.

Thirty-year-old Damien Steel was the current leader of the Moretti family, a notorious and one of the most powerful gangs that controlled the region.

Living up to the standard of the former leaders, he was brutal, cold, and heartless. Apart from his right-hand man, Armani, no one had the courage to speak to him, even if they tried, they ended up stammering.

His dark blue eyes, which were always cold, were hooded and capable of piercing through the soul of the person he was staring at.

"Open the car." He commanded, whisking his hair aside.

"Yes... sir." His driver replied and the next minute, the door was opened. Crouching, he scoped an unconscious Scarlett with his broad arm and with a smirk playing on his lips, he muttered, "As light as a feather. No wonder she slumped with just a hit."

After setting her on the seat, he strapped her in place with the seatbelt and then flexed his muscles which were adorned with different tattoos before making himself comfortable on the spot next to her.

"The nearest hospital." He said, picking up his iPad.

"Yes sir." Came the response and immediately the car was back to life.

While the doctor and the nurse attended to Scarlett, Damien was occupying the chair which had been provided for him with his hand across his chest, boiling with anger despite his calm demeanor.

The accident did nothing but to disrupt his plans, and he was going to make sure he got back what he had lost.

"Sir." The doctor called, but before Damien could give him his attention, his phone began to ring in his pocket. Slipping the device out of his pocket, he stepped out of the ward to receive the call.

"Just make sure everything goes as planned. In case there is a glitch, inform me immediately." Damien replied to Armani's ten minutes long report and then hung up.

On his return, the doctor who had been waiting patiently for him said, "Sir... she is perfectly okay. We have checked her vitals... as for her unconscious state, it was caused by the shock. Hopefully, she will be conscious in the next few hours." He said.

Nodding, he reclaimed his seat and this time around, he had his gaze fixed on Scarlett who was sleeping peacefully.

About three hours later, Scarlett's eyes fluttered open. It took a while to adjust to her current surroundings before she managed to sit up.

"Who are you?" She asked, immediately her eyes fell on that of Damien, who was staring back at her.

"You finally woke up after wasting four hours of my time." He said, taking a swift glance at his watch.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, with a look of confusion, but instead of responding, Damien snapped his finger and immediately the door creaked open and one of his men stepped in.

"The document." He said and after a curt bow, he left the ward.

Still wearing a confused look, Scarlett asked, "Are you the driver that hit me?" When he didn't respond after a while, she hit her palms together.

"At first sight, I knew you were the one."

"You're making a noise." He said coldly, receiving the envelope. After flipping through the document, he threw it on the bed.

"You scratched my car, so you're..." he was still speaking when she interrupted.

"Are you being real here? You literally ran over me with your car, spoiled my skin..." she said, pointing at the bruise on her neck. "Even if you didn't practice hit-and-run, telling me I scratched your car is the least thing you have to say." She snapped, pushing her hair behind her ear.

Impressed with her rant, Damien just shook his head, his gaze still fixed on her.

"Are you done?" He asked. Not waiting for her response, he pointed at the envelope, "If you are done, go through it."

Rolling her eyes to the back of her head, she leaned towards the envelope and then pulled it to herself and then pulled out the document it contained.

"What?" She yelled a few minutes later, alternating her glance from the document to Damien.

Scarlett shut her eyes tightly, only to snap them open moments later. Clutching the document as if her life depended on it, she asked, "What the hell is this?"

"You must be literate. Even if you dropped out at the basic class, you were taught how to read, write and understand." He said, his gaze fixed on the screen of his phone.

Armani was giving him updates about the shipment he had gone to receive from the port. Since he was unable to make it to the port himself, Armani was going to join him when he was done to give a comprehensive report.

"That's not the point here, mister. I asked what the hell is this? A marriage contract out of the blue? Are you even thinking?" She yelled, grabbing the edge of the bed rail.

The mumble in the ward from his men was enough to make her shut her mouth, but instead, it fueled her anger.

"I asked a question, are you thinking? I bet you aren't." She snapped. Hitting her palms, she said,

"For the record, you are the offender here. Running over me with your car... at least to maintain your dignity by not being a hit-and-run driver, you brought me here." She scoffed, pushing her hair from her face.

Scarlett continued to express her displeasure on top of her voice while Damien flipped through some files that had been brought to him. He had shut his ears totally to her words as he gave his current duty his maximum attention.

"Are you even listening to me?" She yelled, when he wouldn't even say a word to her. Thinking he would respond, she sealed her lips, her gaze burning against his skin.

If only I can snatch those papers and shred all of them into pieces - she said in her head, visualizing how she was going to go about it.

Grabbing her head because of the dull ache she was feeling, she reclined on the pillow, her eyes slightly closed.

When Damien didn't react, she assumed her former position and this time around with a firm voice said, "I'm not signing this, regardless of what you do or intend to do. In fact, I'm going to shred it." She threatened.

"Even if you attempt it, it wouldn't make a difference." He paused and after engaging her in an eye contest for a few minutes said, "You've been speaking for over twenty minutes now, whereas if you have decided to sign the paper, it wouldn't even take you up to a split second."

"I'm not signing anything." She snapped.

"Then you have to pay for the damage you made on my car." He said calmly, signaling to one of his men, who immediately walked up to him with his iPad.

"Show her." He said and immediately, he placed his iPad before Scarlett, whose mouth dropped open involuntarily.

"For... my life isn't even worth this, how can I foot the bill?" She mumbled, alternating her gaze from the iPad to Damien, who was running his finger on the outline of his jaw.

"Say something, I can't afford 3.6 million." She said, This time around, her voice was breaking. "Moreover, it was just a scratch. I should be the one requesting for money since I was the one who was hurt, the car is merely an object." She added, rolling her eyes.

"An object you can't afford." He retorted, causing Scarlett to recoil on the bed. Her gaze fixed on him.

Few minutes flew by before she found her tongue to speak.

"Sir, please, let's settle this another way. I can't sign this contract, it's going to make me lose purpose and focus for life. I have great dreams and I don't want it to die... sir, please, let's do this another way." She rapped, her eyes already brimming with tears.

"Can you sign the contract already? It's getting to six hours around, and immediately it is complete, I wouldn't spare you, I will do whatever I intend to do without your opinion." He said.

Gulping, Scarlett began to run her fingers against her neck as she stared at him, different thoughts spiraling through her mind at the same time.

It was at this point that the ward door creaked open and Armani stepped in.

Immediately he locked eyes with Scarlett, she snapped her face aside. Just like Damien, he looked good. Knowing fully well that she was going to drool over him shamelessly, she had to take her eyes off him.

"Everything is inside the flash drive." Armani said, connecting the device to his laptop.

While the two talked business, Scarlett was busy thinking of how to avert the contract. It was either she signed it or paid a whopping sum of 3.6 million she had no idea on how to get.

Should I call Isla? No way, that betrayal wouldn't even think of helping me. - she said in her head, racking her brain at the same time in hopes of coming up with something tangible.

Or maybe I should take a loan from the bank, but I don't have a collateral to tender. They won't help me - she thought.

Muttering incoherent words to herself, she began twirling her hair between her fingers, her gaze fixed on the bed rail.

"You have just ten minutes left." Damien said, breaking through her thoughts.

"I already told you I can't sign the contract. You are a stranger, I don't know you nor do you. Please, let's settle this amicably and we will go our separate ways." She rapped, avoiding their gazes.

"Since you are bent on not signing the contract, feel free to call your family and friends to help you foot the bill." Armani said, his hands tucked in his pocket.

"If I have someone to help me, you shouldn't be the one suggesting that to me." She scoffed.

"Then go ahead and sign the contract." He said, accompanying it with a shrug. Glaring angrily at him, she tried to contain her anger, but couldn't. Her chest kept rising and falling in quick succession.

"Five minutes left." Damien cut in, his gaze fixed on his wristwatch.

"You can count all you want, there is nothing you can do to change my mind. Absolutely nothing." She said stubbornly.

Immediately it was the elapsed of ten minutes, Damien rose and with a firm voice said, "Take her with me. We are going to sign the marriage registry right away."

"Yes sir." Armani replied, signaling one of the men to assist him. Despite Scarlett struggling, they lifted her off the bed as if she were a piece of paper.

Thrashing about, she tried to wriggle herself from their grip, but couldn't. "If anything, think about the fact that we are strangers. We don't know ourselves." She yelled, inching towards him, but Armani pulled her backwards.

"You have six months to learn about me."

"I don't want to. I'm definitely going to call the cops, I swear, that will be the end of you." She yelled.

"Shut up." Damien said, casting her a quick glance.

"Fuck you." She yelled in return, trying to kick him but instead, her foot made contact with the wall. Not minding the pains she felt, she continued thrashing around, trying to gain freedom.

With Armani by his side, Damien made his way out of the hospital and then got into his car. From the rear mirror, he watched as his men pulled a struggling Scarlett into the car that was behind the one he was occupying and with a smirk, he said, "Let's see how long you can put up the act."

"Sir, can I turn on the engine?" Aramni asked, he had taken over from the driver who was handling the steering wheel of the other car.

"Go ahead." Came his response. It wasn't up to a minute that the engine roared into life and after scattering dust in the air, the car was sent into motion.

Scarlett, thinking she could bypass the hefty guards, continued struggling but it was all to no avail. In fact, her struggles came to an end when she became sandwiched between two of the men.

Bemoaning her fate, she began to tug her hair, not minding the pains she was feeling and at the same time, biting her lips in frustration.

Yelling was the only viable option but after a second thought, she pinned her lips tightly, suppressing her scream.

"If you can help now, I swear, I'm going to help you in the future." She said, breaking the silence in the moving car which was directly behind the one Damien was occupying.

No one said a word to her as they all maintained their stoic expression. Knowing fully well that she wouldn't be able to escape on her own, she reclined on her seat with a slight frown thinking of enticing words to say to them so she could buy her freedom.

Snapping her head in the direction of the man on her right hand side, she said, "Sir, you heard me..."

"Just shut up." He replied with a hoarse voice, sending the rest of her words back into her throat.

Though she was feeling sleepy, the fear and tension that was ravaging her body as she thought of what would become of her couldn't let her shut her eyes even for a second.

About half an hour later, the car pulled up in front of a large building, it was only then she raised her head which she had buried in her palm for a while now.

"Goodness, this is heaven on earth." She mumbled, running her eyes around the mansion that stood right in front of her.

Taking her eyes off the building momentarily, she began to gaze around the vicinity. The trees, flower beds, different sculptures and fountains were so attractive that she couldn't take her eyes off them for a while.

"If the exterior screams wealth and opulence, the interior will be something else." She said to herself, still admiring the building. It took her all that was within her not to start running her fingers against the smooth wall.

"Take her in." Armani said and within a second, her gaze was fixed on him.

"What am I doing here?" She managed to ask, her gaze fixed on his head since she was unable to stare back at him.

"You will find out in a bit." He replied and with that, strode into the mansion with his hands tucked into a pocket.

A few minutes later, Scarlett saw herself taking that same path Armani had taken with two men by her side and another at her back just in case she decided to run off.

Before she could start taking in the beauty the interior screamed, her eyes landed on that of two women who were occupying a couch in the living room.

"Take her upstairs." Damien said, swirling the glass of vodka he had been sipping from.

Where did he come from? - she wondered, staring back at him before the men started pulling her up the stairs.

The women seated continued staring at the little entourage making their way up stairs, they only took their eyes off them when they finally disappeared into the hallway.

"Son, what's going on here?" The older woman, Anne Steel, who turns out to be Damien's mom asked, her hands akimbo.

"My wife is being escorted to her room.." He replied then went ahead to take another sip from his glass.

"Wife?" The lady repeated after him before she burst into laughter. Damien on the other hand, re-filled his glass and then resumed swirling the content as he watched the little drama she was acting.

"You're joking right?" She asked after a while, smiling broadly.

"Why should I joke with such a delicate subject. The lady upstairs is my wife, no pun intended." He replied, wiping off the smile that was on her face.

After exchanging glances with the other lady seated who turns out to be Gracia Moore - the lady his mother had wanted him to marry, she returned her gaze to him.

"Stop toying with my emotions." She said, almost whispering.

"I'm too old for that." He replied and immediately, the neutral look Gracia was wearing changed into a deep frown.

When Anne told her of her decision to make her daughter in-law, she was all over the moon. She even went ahead to tell all her friends of her upcoming status but right now, it seems that wouldn't be the case anymore.

Clearing her throat, she propped up herself, her gaze fixed on Anne.

"Calm down, I will handle the situation." Anne said before returning her gaze to Damien.

"Son, I already found a girl who is worthy to be your wife. Trust me when I say she is the perfect match for you. Gracia Moore is the last daughter of Salvatore, you know how loyal he is..."

Waving her off, he brushed past her and then made his way to where Gracia sat. Feeling uncomfortable with his gaze, she buried her head and began fiddling with her fingers.

"Do I know you?" He asked.

"No sir." Gracia replied, a lump rising in her throat as her eyes burnt with tears.

Snapping his gaze back to his mother, he asked, "How do you expect me to marry a girl I don't know?"

"I know her so well. Like I said earlier, she is the perfect match for you. She had been groomed all her life..."

"I'm not interested. I already have a wife and getting a concubine is not a part of me." He said the last part with his gaze fixed on Gracia who was already at the point of tears. She was already imagining the mockery she was going to face in the hands of those she had bragged to.

"Your so-called wife must leave. It is either Gracia or no one else." Anne snapped, stamping her feet to drive home her point.

"You don't have the right to order me around anymore. That was a thing of the past." Damien replied and then gulped the remaining content of his glass in a go.

Tucking his hand in his pocket, he took one last look at Gracia and with his hands tucked in his pocket, he began to walk towards the stairs.

"Damien... come back here this instant. We haven't finished talking."

"I have important things to handle."

"I'm your mother and I have the right to tell you what to do. For the last time, come down here this instant." Anne yelled, the veins on her neck popping out in protest.

Damien stopped on his track, snapping his head in her direction and he said, "Get out."