CHASING HIS CONTRACT WIFE

SOPHIA'S POV

"You did what?"

My voice trembled as I stared at the man I called my father. The walls of his office seemed to close in as he refused to look up at me.

"It was a bad business deal. I had no idea it would lead us here. I didn't know it was a scam, " he said, bending his head.

If I had not known him better, I would have believed he was genuinely remorseful, this had been the drill for the longest time.

"Dad, you gambled away a business the whole family has been depending on. This is not even the first time you're doing this. How could you continue even after we almost lost everything the last time?" I said, trying to control my voice out of respect.

"It wasn't supposed to end like this, it seemed a fair deal, the benefits were mouth-watering –"

"I can't believe you would do this, you even used my shop as collateral, you know how things have been for me, you still want to take everything from me?" I asked, tears rolling down my cheeks.

I had woken up that morning with the intention of resuming work, a little fashion-designing house I had been running since I turned 18, it wasn't doing too well, but it was enough to sort our bills every time my dad gambled and landed us in trouble.

I got to work, and the place was locked; my things were thrown outside, with security officials not letting me go in. I had fought, but my efforts were futile, and they had insisted I go talk to my father.

"Who do we owe this time? How do you come out of this mess?" I asked, my voice crossing the line I had set for it.

"Don't talk to Father like that." My sister Henna shouted from the corner she had been standing the whole time.

I turned to face her, my insides boiling with suppressed anger threatening to burst out, "What did you say?"

"Come on, Sophia, it was just one bad mistake, it's not like those things are not supposed to happen in businesses, it's called risk, and it's unavoidable, don't be a brat." She said and walked off to stand close to my father, who had his head buried between his hands.

I bent my head in frustration, biting my lips to fight back tears "I must be the only sane person in this house, Henna at your age, I was already paying for the family's bills, I was working more than expected to make sure we didn't lack, what have you done with your life so far if not constantly causing trouble?"

She rolled her eyes and flipped her hair.

"I don't know how you guys don't understand that I'm tired, my business is falling, and I haven't taken time to create a good life for myself because I've been sacrificing everything to make this family stable. The only business we have had been gambled away, how did it even get up to that extent, Dad?"

"If it's not gambling, then a police case or some fight over jewelry, can I please catch a break?" I yelled, my chest rising and falling in anger.

"I'm sorry, Sophia, I honestly didn't mean for things to turn out like this. It was a good game, and I was close to winning. I just kept putting everything down, and I unfortunately ended up losing everything." He said and started hitting his chest.

"Just like that?"

"They were going to arrest me till he came, he helped me out and I had to put the business down, he said he'll give me everything back if I can grant him a favour, I had no choice."

"He? Who? And what has that even got to do with my shop being locked up?" I asked, walking closer to his table.

"I'm sorry, Baby." He said, his voice trembling.

I sank to my knees. He had gotten me that shop on my 16th birthday when we still had things to our name; it was the only way I could assist the family, and he just gave that away too. I was immediately reminded of the knot I felt in my stomach when I realized my helplessness, I felt sick.

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.

"So I can't get my shop or the company back if we don't do as "he" says?" I asked.

"Yes, he has everything, and I'm indebted to him. It was the last option, the other guys wouldn't listen, he seemed like a decent rich man, so I agreed, I signed everything to him."

I scoffed.

"Who is he and what does he want?"

"Bran Garner"

I staggered backwards, my breath rising again.

"Which one?" I asked, not believing my ears.

"There's only one Bran Garner Sis, the Multimillionaire." She said and rolled her eyes.

I knew that, I knew him too, but how? Why? I couldn't believe what was happening, it was like the universe was throwing me into the same hole that I had fought hard and long to escape from.

Not this name again, not him again.

"Is there nothing else we can do? Do we have to go through him?" I asked, trying desperately to find a little hope in the situation.

"No, I signed everything to him, we're indebted to him, he was the safest option, and we have to do as he says." He said, avoiding my eyes again.

"We? How convenient," I said.

My head was already running in different directions, This wasn't the kind of situation I wanted myself in; it was like having your life placed in the hands of the devil.

"Just think of something else, is there nothing we can do, no other solution?" I asked, and I was already livid.

"I had no choice, Sophia, neither do you." He said, finally looking up at me, his eyes filled with something I couldn't name, something more than desperation.

"What do you mean?" I asked, walking up to him, there was something in the air that made my eyes water and my heart sink.

His voice came in a whisper, almost inaudible, "You have to marry Bran, Sophia."

The room spun, and the floor felt unsteady beneath me.

Sophia's POV

"You expect me to marry you?" I asked, storming into his office furious, his secretary following behind me.

After the conversation with my Dad, he made me angrier when he said I had no other option, I was going to take that.

There he was, my nemesis, the face I had been avoiding for the longest time.

Bran Garner.

"Sophia, we meet again, it's a pleasure." He said, his face stoic, he signalled his secretary to leave.

I ran all the way to his office, my anger seething. I didn't know what I was going to do when I got here, but I knew I wouldn't leave till he took back his deal.

"There's nothing good about this meeting, Bran. What was that rubbish you did with my father? How could you go so low?" I asked, my body shaking with rage.

He looked at me without saying anything, his expression bored.

"He told you? I didn't expect it to be this fast." He said and continued rubbing his chin.

"Huh?" I asked, not believing he would keep my father in a position to become desperate.

He sat upright and folded his hands on his table. "Your old man has serious gambling issues, and I was there in time to save him. Is that the thank you I get? You don't understand these things, I'm not running a charity organization." He asked, amused.

His laughter, his mannerisms, his voice and the way he looked at me like I was a kid in the whole situation angered me, years later, and he still didn't consider me mature enough.

"Is that the reason why you think you can buy or put me up for sale? Well, sorry, I'm not interested in whatever deal you have with my father. I'm saying no, you can get someone else."

He stood up and walked up to me. "I'm not buying you, Sophia, you don't seem to understand the gravity of what your father did, you're the only person who can help him out, don't be a brat." He said, rubbing my chin.

I shifted away from him; he was still the devil the last time I checked, and he had no right touching me or holding my face so softly that I found it hard to breathe.

"No, I can't, I won't, and I find it really disgusting that you would want to take advantage of a desperate man to fulfill your selfish desires. I'll take you to court and we'll take back everything the legal way," I said and turned to leave.

"Do you even have the money to get a lawyer? Your business has been shut down, and your dad has nothing; he's not owing only me, can you do this alone?" He said and scoffed.

I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him. "What did you just say?" I asked in confusion.

"Your father owes too many people; they'll eventually come for him, and you're on the verge of losing your house too in a week. I'm willing to settle everything if you just agree to the deal. How am I the bad guy?" He said and sat down on his seat.

What? We were losing our house, too? How am I hearing this for the first time and from him? Why did my dad keep this away from me?

"See, Pookie, you have to think this over and really fast because if I take my hands off everything, you guys would not just be penniless but homeless."

I held the side of my dress tighter, trying to stop myself from screaming, today had been a lot, a whole lot and I just realized I was in deeper shit than I thought.

He stood up and came in front of me, my face was already covered with tears, it was embarrassing, he was the last person I expected to see me in this condition, I held the dress tighter, not wanting to look up at me.

He sighed and, like a huge tree falling, he went down on one knee, staring into my eyes and my surprised face.

"Sophia, I know this is not the kind of situation anyone wants to be in and I'm really sorry it has to get to this, we both know our past and you have every right to hate me, but this is for the both of us, I need it as much as you do."

Like everything had happened in my head, the kneeling part wasn't part of the script; he stood up and adjusted his suit while moving back to his seat.

"You need this as much as I do." He said again while bringing out a paper from under his table. "You're not signing your life over to me, it would be over, faster than you think, your father's property will be protected, and I'll also get my own side of the bargain." He said and shifted the paper towards me.

I looked at it, but the writing wasn't clear, I didn't know what it was about, and I didn't care. "You can't use my family's misfortune for your selfish desires. I'm not interested, get your lawyers ready; we'll do this the proper way."

He scoffed.

"Don't you understand, you have nothing, nothing to your name and with every ticking of the clock, you and your family are losing more. Why do you want to be difficult?" He barked at me, the gentleman replaced by the devil I once knew.

I could see the rage in his eyes, I knew how far he could go to get what he wanted. Was I really ready to face him in a brawl, if need be?

I thought of my father and how he looked when he told me he lost everything, that was the look of a man who was defeated, who had lost everything and was too embarrassed to admit to his daughter who would have obviously done better, the look of a desperate man who would go all length to save all he had.

"In just a year, you'll get your freedom back. Sophia, marry me and save your family's reputation or stand the chance of losing everything." He said.

I stood there watching him, the same man I hated and wished death on for most of my adult life.

I was my father's daughter still.

"I'll marry you."

Sophia's POV

"Here comes the bride."

I heard the announcer say, and almost immediately, the large door to the hall flew open, revealing guests and cameras flashing at me. I swallowed my saliva to calm my nerves.

I held the wedding dress that had suddenly become tighter as I marched inside, focusing on the man who was soon to be announced as my husband.

Each painful step in the awfully tight shoe that would have been my perfect size any other day brought me closer to what would be my fate for the next year.

"Sophia, you look beautiful." My father said as he extended his arm for me to curl mine in, "he's not going to hurt you. I've started working on getting everything back. As soon as it clicks, you'll leave there."

I nodded.

That was the only thing I could do, I didn't know how to process everything. Some days back, I would have been in my little Shop, doing what I enjoyed doing, but here I am, walking to sign my freedom over to a man whose name once haunted me.

My father led me to where Bran stood, the guests were already on their feet clapping, and the lights from cameras had also increased; all this made me nervous.

He took my hands from my father and led me close to him, he took my father's hands in a handshake, the two men not a word to each other. I watched as my father walked away, embarrassed to look at Bran and even more ashamed to look at me.

"I thought you would change your mind, really glad you know what is important. Family above your Ego." He said, holding my hands tighter.

"Something you would never know." I retorted, ready to match his words.

"On this day, we witness the joining together in holy matrimony of our Son, Bran Garner and our daughter, Sophia Tyler. We are here to witness the solemnization of their beautiful love." The minister said, distracting us from the tension already growing between us.

Beautiful love? Seems he didn't get the memo, this was no love and beautiful was the wrong word to describe it, I was being sacrificed like a lost lamb, the only difference was that I consented to it and walked with my legs to the altar.

"If you continue with that face, no one would believe we're in love, they'll think I forced you down the altar."

I scoffed.

"And you think you look convincing? Please."

He smiled and held my hands tighter. I was already getting tired of how long everything was taking. This process used to be very short when I was just a guest sitting in the pews, but right now, it is taking forever.

"Time to exchange the wedding vows."

"Finally," I said, exhaling deeply, if we have gotten here, then there's a chance that the ceremony will soon end.

"Do you, Bran Garner, take Miss Sophia Tyler as your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness and in health, till death do you part." The priest asked, looking at Bran.

"Yes, I do." He replied, his eyes moving to me, holding nothing.

"Do you, Miss Sophia Tyler, take Master Bran Garner as your lawfully wedded husband? In sickness and in health, till death do you part?" He asked, turning to me.

I swallowed.

Could I do this? I was lying in front of God and everyone. My eyes started to water, I looked over to my Dad, who was sitting down there quietly like a kid who was being reprimanded; his friends were around him.

"I repeat, do you, Miss Sophia Tyler, take Master Bran Garner as your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

I heard him the first time, the words felt heavy in my mouth, my eyes were watering more, and I felt his hand around mine, it was something more than assurance, a threat, a warning or a promise? I couldn't say. I heard murmurs.

"I do." I blurted out with every ounce of strength in me.

"I hereby pronounce both of you, man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

I looked at him. This wasn't necessary; we could skip this part, but he was quick. The next second, his hand was already around my waist, and his lips covered mine.

I let the tears fall.

•

I walked into the changing room and sat on the only available chair, I was supposed to come here and change into the second outfit for the reception.

"You seem to be having a lot of fun for a wedding that is just on paper."

I looked up to see Henna standing cross-legged at the door.

"Please, I'm not in the mood," I said, wiping my eyes.

"Come on, you made a show when Dad talked about marrying him, that I believed you, but look at you, this is probably a dream come true." She said, walking towards me.

I have had enough.

"Do you think I like the fact that I'm being shipped off like some goods to another man's house? I'm giving up everything to make sure we come out of this unscarred, do you think it's convenient for me?" I asked, trying to hold back my anger and tears. I didn't want to destroy the makeup since I would be out again in no time.

"You're good at acting, you deserve an award. You throw stones and hide your hands, then come back to play the victim and make it look like you are making a huge sacrifice."

"What are you talking about, Henna?" I'm approaching her.

"I just want to see how Dad would react when he finds out you and Bran are more than strangers."

I froze.

"Shocked? Now tell me how you want him to react when he finds out you orchestrated everything with your sweetheart so you both can have this perfect wedding, you be–"

A knock interrupted her, and we both turned to look.

"Ma'am, it's time to change." The stylist assigned to me said as she stepped inside the room.

"I hope you have fun, though, I hope everything doesn't collapse when you think it's over." She said while leaving, but stopped at the door.

"I hope you know this one is bigger than you; you have more people to fight than you think." She added with a smirk.

I felt goosebumps on my skin.