The Marriage Contract (a one night stand)

"Annabelle, are you done yet?" Laura yelled at me from the sitting room. She was watching a movie in the sitting room and screaming at the top of her lungs when it got to a very interesting scene.

"Coming. I just need to fix this and that" I yelled back from the bedroom.

"And please, can you try reducing your screams or you'll bring down this house" I yelled, teasing her.

I heard her chuckle loudly.

"Just finish up and come over here, let me check you out" she said.

"Alright ma'am" I replied and gave her a salute and mocking bow even though she couldn't see me.

I stared at myself in the mirror. I was putting on a red sexy gown with a white heels. I let my long silky brown hair fall loosely on my shoulders, making me beautiful to an extent. I wasn't what the society would consider pretty, but I wasn't that ugly either.

I just hoped this red gown would work wonders on my fiance, since I'm trying to woo him back. He's been avoiding me these days and I was really glad when he invited me to come over to a hotel. He sent the address to my phone. Maybe he finally wants to see me.

I took one last glance at the mirror, the red lipstick I applied on my plumply lips was attractive. My face looks more presentable with the makeup I wore. I wasn't used to applying makeup but I'll do everything to get my man's attention back. I wore my white heels, picked up my white purse on the bed and walked out of the room.

When I got to the sitting, Laura was staring at me with an amused look on her face.

"What's that look for?" I questioned her.

She smirked at me.

"Nothing. You look good. I didn't know you could apply makeup" she mocked.

"Oh shut up, I'm better than you who doesn't even know what a mascara is" I replied, rolling my eyes.

"I don't need makeup. I'm naturally beautiful" she said and quickly added "so are you" when she saw the slight frown on my face.

"So tell me, what do you think? Do I look good?" I asked eagerly, twirling around so she could get a good look at me.

"Yeah, you look good. You caught me off guard. I'm sure Daniel wouldn't be expecting what he's gonna see soon" she praised me.

"Oh come on" I said, laughing.

"I'm nervous Laura" I blurted out.

"Oh come on, spare me that. It's not your first time seeing him. Daniel is your fiance for Christ sake! He's not a monster so why are you feeling nervous" she scolded me.

"I haven't seen him for long. He's been avoiding me. I can't help but feel nervous now that we are about to see each other again" I confessed.

Laura placed her arms around my shoulders.

"Just be calm. Nothing wrong will happen. Now, go get your man! Go go go!!!!" She cheered on. I laughed out loud.

"Silly" I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Alright. I'll get going now. I'll see you later" I told her.

"I'm expecting good news when you're back" she said.

"Okay ma'am" I replied and made a mocking bow.

"Bye" I waved at her as I left the house. She waved back at me too.

I got to where I parked my car, ignited it and drove out of the compound.

I stared at the address of the hotel Daniel had sent to me. The hotel was one of the biggest and recommended places in the city.

I looked out of the window as I drove past people and shops. After thirty minutes of driving, I finally arrived at the hotel. I parked my car and did a little bit of touching up to my face while staring at the rear mirror.

"I am beautiful" I whispered to myself. This was something I always say to boost my self esteem. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car with my white purse. I closed the car door after it and made my way to the reception area. The compound was filled with different cars of different brands as I walked by.

"Hello" I said when I got to the reception center.

"Hi, welcome. How may I help you?" The receptionist asked.

"I have an appointment with one Mr Daniel Maxwell in room 211" I explained.

"Alright, let me confirm. What's your name please? The receptionist asked.

"Annabelle. Annabelle Peters" I replied.

She picked up the office phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, a young lady named Annabelle Peters said she has an appointment with you" she said into the phone. "Ok" was the last thing she said before she dropped the call.

"You can go in. The room is on the second floor by the left hand side" she described.

"Alright, thanks a lot" I replied and walked away.

***

"Who was that? My phone rang right?" Daniel asked, coming out of the bathroom. He was draped in the hotel white towel on his waist. They had just finished having sex so he went to take a shower.

"Annabelle," Sandra replied briefly.

"What about her?" He asked, drying his curly wet hair with the towel. His broad and sexy chest were visible to Sandra's eyes. She sized him up and down with her eyes and licked her lips unconsciously.

"She's on her way here" she replied.

"What!!" Daniel exclaimed, shocked by the information Sandra just passed out.

"How did she know we're here?" He asked.

"I texted her the address of the hotel with your phone while you're having your shower in the bathroom" she replied.

"Sandra, why the hell did you do that?" He blurted out.

Sandra sat up angrily on the bed. She had been laying on the bed since.

"Daniel, don't you think it's time for us to let Annabelle know the truth. We'll be getting married soon, we've already spoken to our parents and they've agreed. Annabelle is the only one in the dark, I want to bring her out in the open. She needs to know the truth" she said angrily.

"Calm down Sandra. I understand everything you've said, but don't you think of how she'll feel. She's your sister!" He replied.

"I don't care," Sandra replied harshly.

"What? Do you feel guilty now? You shouldn't have fallen for me if you're going to feel guilty later" she lashed out angrily.

"Just stop it Sandra. You seduced me, remember?" He said, coming to sit beside her on the bed. She moved away from him, folding her arms and ready for whatever is going to happen next.

"But you fell for me. You told me how much you like me more than my sister. How attractive you find me. You told me I was prettier and more beautiful than my ugly sister. What? Don't you love me anymore?" Sandra asked.

"I do. Don't misunderstand me, I really do love you" Daniel replied.

"So what's stopping you from telling Annabelle the truth? What's stopping you from telling her we've been together for six months and are about to get married soon?" Sandra questioned him.

"I don't feel this is the right time. I'll just ask her not to come" he said and picked up his phone.

A knock on the door interrupted them.

"No need. She's here already" Sandra said and grinned wickedly.

ANNABELLE

I knocked on the door for the second time when I got no response the first time.

"Come in" I heard a female voice say. And why does this voice sound so familiar?

Wait! Did I really hear a female's voice?? In Daniel's hotel room?

Out of curiosity, I pushed open the door and went in. Unconsciously, I froze at a spot when I saw my sister and my fiance on the same bed! Daniel was tying a towel around his waist, leaving his chest bare, while my sister was putting on a very transparent singlet so that I could see her whole breasts and nipples from it.

"What's...what's...happening here?" I stammered.

I watched as they exchanged glances with each other.

"Daniel??" I called.

"Sandra?" I called, staring at both of them in turns.

I felt my heart clenched so tight that I couldn't breathe properly. There's suddenly a sharp, hot and painful burn deep down inside me. I shook my head so many times, strongly refusing to believe whatever was going on in my head.

"Well, well well, Sis, meet my boyfriend and fiance, Daniel," Sandra said aloud.

Her words sounded like bombs in my ears.

"Your...your...what??" I stuttered foolishly. I could barely move my legs, afraid that if I take an inch, I'll collapse to the ground.

"My fiance is your fiance?" I asked. She gave out a short loud laugh.

"So you mean Daniel is the guy you've been talking about since? The fiance you told us you're getting married to soon?" I questioned her.

"Exactly!" She blurted out and flicked her finger excitedly.

"I'm so glad you're able to catch up so fast, dear sis" she drawled with a mocking tone.

"No, no," I said, shaking my head at her. I won't believe anything she says until Daniel confirms it.

"Daniel, is this true?" I asked.

"Oh God, please let this be a lie!" I prayed silently. My heart began palpitating hard as I feared his response.

I heard him sigh and ruffle his hair with his fingers. He looks confused, frustrated, and guilty.

"Look, Annabelle, I can explain..." he was saying but I interrupted him.

"Explain what?" I retorted. I forced myself to move closer to him. My legs wobbled under me, my vision was clouded with unshed tears threatening to fall any moment from now. He stood up from the bed when he saw me approaching him. Sandra stood up too and stood beside him.

"What do you want to explain Daniel?" I asked.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you earlier on but I didn't know how to do it. I didn't want to hurt your feelings" he explained.

"Oh wow!" I blurted out sarcastically. My heart was filled with pain and anguish. It just got broken into so many pieces.

My fiance and my own sister having an affair?

"You didn't want to hurt my feelings? And you invited me over here while you both are together, almost half naked?" I asked.

"I sent the address. I was the one that invited you over here. Daniel was wasting so much time to tell you the truth, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I've lost my patience" Sandra chipped in.

"Sandra, you're my own sister, my blood. What did I ever do to you to make you betray me like this?" I cried out.

"I don't care if you're my sister or not. Why do all the good things go to you and not me? Just look at me, I'm beautiful, smart, attractive and you're just a ugly duckling with an unattractive shape but yet you get the good things in the world. Why you and not me??" She screamed.

"Ouch" I exclaimed and held my chest in pain. Sandra's words stabbed me hard in the chest. A tear dropped down my cheeks. Another followed.

"Daniel, how could you? After everything I've done for you? My God, we've been dating for three years now. How could you cheat on me with my sister?? How could you? How could you?!!!" I screamed loudly.

"I'm sorry Annabelle, but I love Sandra" he replied.

"Love?" I asked and scoffed.

"Love you say? You love her because she's beautiful while I'm ugly, you love her because she's smarter than I am? I thought you loved me the way I am. You professed and confessed your love to me. You told me I was the perfect one for you and now you're just going to dump me and be with my sister?" I spat out in pain.

"What more? You both are getting married soon? What about me?" I said. I allowed the tears to flow free. I was hurting bitterly.

"There's no you now. Daniel is mine now. I love him and I must have him" Sandra swore.

"I'm happy with Sandra," Daniel said.

I didn't even know when I knelt before him, crying bitterly. I held him tight on his leg.

"No, Daniel please, you can't do this to me. I still love you. You can't leave me" I pleaded earnestly, throwing away every atom of pride in me.

"I'll do anything you want, anything at all. Don't just leave me please. You're my everything, I love you so much. You can't do this to me Daniel, please I'm begging you" I begged shamelessly.

He struggled to free his legs from my strong hold but I held on tighter.

"Have some shame Anna" Sandra spat out.

"What the hell do you think you're doing kneeling on the floor and begging a man? Do you think he'll come back to you after that? You must be a joker then" she lashed out angrily at me and started pulling Daniel away from me.

"I'm sorry Annabelle. I'm really sorry" Daniel kept muttering. He finally freed himself from me.

"You need to leave now, Anna," he said.

"No, no, please" I cried out.

"You heard him right. Leave now, leave!" Sandra shouted.

"Didn't you hear me? Or do you want me to call the security to come throw you out?" She threatened when she saw that I wasn't moving an inch.

"Just leave Anna. I don't want things to worsen. I'm a public figure and I don't want anything tarnishing my image" he said.

"Get a hold of yourself and leave" Sandra said and walked to the door. She opened the door wide and ordered me to leave.

"Out, get out! Leave!" She ordered.

I forced myself to get up from the floor. I gave Daniel one last look, he looked away avoiding my eyes. Weakly, I walked to the door and walked out of the room.

Sandra slammed the door hard behind me. I ran straight to my car, crying bitterly and not minding whoever was watching me. While in my car, I let everything out. The pain, anguish, sorrow, hurt. My heart has just been shattered into pieces by the one I love the most. I was crying and screaming loudly in my car.

****

After I was done crying out my heart, I ignited my car and started driving towards the direction of my parents home. My phone rang again and it was Laura. She's been calling me repeatedly. I'm sure she's calling to hear the good news. The tears wouldn't stop falling as I drove past people and shops.

Oh well, I really do have news for her that she'd be so surprised but that will wait later. I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone right now. She called again and I angrily switched my phone off.

I need to see my parents and ask them to caution Sandra and sort things out between us. They've always supported Sandra, I just pray they support me this time around.

I got to my parents house. The gatekeeper opened the gate and I drove in. I drove straight to the car garage and parked my car. I came down from the car and locked the door.

"Welcome young madam. It's been a while" Alex, the gatekeeper, greeted.

I waved him off. The makeup on my face was ruined because of my tears. My long brown hair fell on my eyes, blurring my vision but I didn't care to take care of that.

I walked straight to the main door and knocked on the door. As usual, it was Grace, our housekeeper that came to open the door.

"Good afternoon ma'am Annabelle" she greeted me.

"Is mom and dad in?" I asked. My voice was shaky and unstable. Grace took a good look at my face.

"Are you okay ma'am?" She asked, her voice etched with concern.

"I asked a question, Grace," I replied harshly.

"They're in the sitting room," she replied.

Without saying another word to her, I stomped off to the sitting room. There, my parents were sitting on a couch watching a TV show.

"Mom, Dad," I called.

They turned to face me.

"Good gracious!" Mom exclaimed when she saw me.

"Why do you look this horrible? What happened to you?" She asked, not even standing up to give me a welcome hug or anything. If it were to be Sandra, she'd have embraced her tightly already.

Sometimes, I wonder if they're really my parents but I don't have any proof to prove them otherwise. So I guess they're my parents after all.

"Annabelle, it's been a while. What brings you here?" Dad asked. I had left home for a long time when I couldn't stand the favoritism again. Living in this house and watching my parents worship the very ground that Sandra steps on just because she's extremely beautiful was painful and heartbreaking. I moved out of the house to live with my best friend, Laura.

"We need to talk. Me, you, mom, Sandra and Daniel" I replied.

"Sandra isn't at home now," mom replied.

"Of course, I know that!" I muttered and rolled my eyes.

"Put a call to her and ask her to come right now" I instructed. They both look confused.

"What's going on Annabelle?" Dad asked.

"I'll let you know when everyone is here" I replied.

"Okay" mom replied and dialed Sandra's number.

"Ask her to come with Daniel" I chipped in when mom was talking to Sandra on the phone.

***

"Why did your mom ask us to come over to the house?" Daniel asked, when Sandra informed him of what her mom said.

"I guess Annabelle is over there right now" Sandra replied.

"Why?" He asked foolishly.

"To report of course!" She replied harshly, irritated by his question.

"And we're going there?" He asked.

"Oh God! Can this boy stop asking foolish questions" she muttered inwardly and rolled her eyes.

"Of course. We need to finish what we started and tell everything to my parents" Sandra replied.

Daniel just keeps getting on her nerves with his foolish questions. She doesn't love Daniel. She just wanted to use him and take him away from her sister. She saw the love he had for her and got jealous. Sandra made the move to seduce him when the popular rich guy she was dating secretly ended things with her, saying he couldn't put up with her character. She's been with different guys and they always left. She wouldn't die single.

Thank God she didn't announce their relationship yet, else Annabelle would have had a good laugh when things finally ended. She wondered why someone with an ugly face would be her sister, Anna creeps her out!

"Are they going to take things easy with me?" Daniel asked again.

"There you go with your numerous questions again" Sandra blurted out, unable to keep the irritation in anymore.

"You told me you're going to stand and fight for our love when the need arises. Here, it's time to prove what you said. We're going to see my parents and we'll explain everything to them" she said with a note of finality.

"Okay" he replied. "Let's dress up then and get going" he said.

"Good," Sandra muttered. He's so easy to order around. Geez! She hate guys like that but oh well, it's to her own advantage.

***

We heard the blaring of car horns thirty minutes later. I guess they're here.

There was a knock on the door and Grace ran to open the door. Daniel and Sandra walked in and came straight to the sitting room.

"Dad, mom" Sandra called loudly.

"My darling daughter" mom exclaimed, standing up to hug her.

"I missed you," she said.

"But it hasn't been long since I left you," Sandra replied, smiling sweetly.

"Hey, Mr. Handsome" she said to dad. He winked at her and she chuckled.

"Welcome Daniel" mom and dad said.

"Why did you call us here?" Sandra asked, sitting on a couch. Daniel sat beside her.

"Annabelle said she wants to say something important" Mom announced.

"She should go on then" Sandra replied.

"We're waiting, Anna," Dad urged me.

"Dad, mom, Daniel and Sandra are having an affair" I blurted out. They both turned to look at Sandra and Daniel with surprise on their faces.

"Point of correction, Anna. It's not an affair. We're legally dating. Daniel is my fiance, I'm engaged and we're getting married soon" Sandra spat out.

"Sandra, is Daniel your fiance you've been talking about? The one you refused to introduce to us because you're always saying it's not time yet?" Mom asked. Sandra nodded her head.

"Can you imagine mom? Sandra went after my own fiance. How could my sister do this to me?" I said.

"It's not my fault Daniel chose me over you. There was an agreement that Daniel would marry someone from this family because of the merger in our business. To him, I'm a better option than you. He's getting married to one of the daughters of the Peters, there's no breach of agreement, so there's nothing wrong there" Sandra said.

"Sandra is right. Daniel has the right to make a choice between the both girls" Dad said.

I was shocked, surprised, stupefied, speechless, anything to describe what I was feeling right now.

"Daniel, you've been with Anna for a while now and now you're with Sandra? Why did you do that?" Mom asked.

"I lost feelings for Anna. I'm in love with Sandra now. So I want to be with her and not Anna" he replied.

I suddenly felt choked, I couldn't breath, I felt I could die any moment from now. Even in my parents' presence, Daniel still said the same rubbish he said earlier on in the hotel room.

"What would happen to me now?" I implored, blinking my eyes continuously to fight back the tears. I won't let them have the satisfaction of seeing me cry again, especially my parents.

"I'm the older one for crying out loud. Wasn't it the agreement that he'd get married to the older one? Wasn't it why I got introduced to him three years ago?" I asked.

"It's not our fault Daniel changed his mind, Anna" mom replied.

"He's free to choose from the both of you" dad chipped in.

I stood up forcefully.

"You both are unbelievable" I retorted angrily.

"Henceforth, I don't know any of you. I hate you all" I lashed out angrily.

"Daniel and Sandra, for all the pain, heartbreak, anguish and sorrow you caused me, I wish you both suffer the same thing you caused me. You'll never have peace of mind" I swore and started walking away.

"Annabelle" mom called, trying to stop me.

"Let her go, mom," Sandra blurted out.

I walked out of the room, went straight to the car garage, ignited my car and drove out of the compound. I drove some inches away from home, parked my car and let all my tears flow freely. My red sexy gown was soaked with my tears already.

So much for being sexy!

I felt drained and empty after I had finished crying. Where should I go right now? I can't afford to face Laura now. Where should I go?

Then suddenly, I remembered my favorite club. Yes, the club!!

I started my car and drove off to my favorite club. A club for the rich. A drink is really what I need right now.