CHAPTER 6: THE AGREEMENT

CHAPTER 6: THE AGREEMENT

As Alyssa got out of the bathroom to get dressed, she slowly stepped forward while tipping a toe, making sure she could not interrupt her sleeping husband.

She noticed no one seemed to move in the bed, so she approached carefully to make sure he was no longer there, and yes, the bed was empty. Alyssa thought he had already come down, so she quickly grabbed some clothes and put them on before he came back and might have seen him naked.

Finished dressing up, she glanced first in the mirror, fixing her clothes and hair. Then she approached the door of their room to go out downstairs to fulfill the request of her husband’s brother. She was already out of the room and carefully stepped down the stairs to go to the kitchen.

While Alyssa was already in the kitchen, she saw Ethan. He was sitting in the chair in front of the table, with a variety of food ready. As if he was the husband who gladly prepared food for his beloved wife.

As she imagined those things, she felt happy inside. She could not hide the joy she felt and smiled at him.

Ethan saw her. She was already there, standing. He stood up from his seat and approached Alyssa delightedly, knowing that she came at his request.

“Come, have a seat,” he grabbed her hand as he offered her one seat in the dining.

She quickly sat down in the vacant chair he offered to her, then grabbed the table napkin to put it into her lap. As Alyssa observed the food he served for her, she felt like they were on a date.

Alyssa can tell that he was an excellent cook, and even the presentation was stunning. She even wishes that someday her husband might prepare it for her, but she knows that would be impossible! She can see in his eyes how he hated her so much, and she can’t do anything about it.

As she remembered that night, she felt in deep sorrow again. She did not realize that sorrow gradually marked her face as if it was written on purpose to give a hint. When Ethan suddenly noticed it and asked her with concern. “Are you okay?”

Ethan’s voice was so consoling that she almost took her chance to tell him the truth until someone had come and cleared his throat, “Ahem, ahem...,”

Alyssa and Ethan both turned around when her eyes widened at what he saw. Her husband was in front of her with glaring eyes while looking at her with his arms crossed. Watching the expression on her husband’s face scares her.

She was suddenly nervous again as if she had committed a hideous crime. She clenched her hands that were on her lap out of fear. Ethan noticed she seemed terrified. He moves his right hand under the table and holds her. Alyssa felt the warmth of his hands, and it made her feel relieved.

“Brother, come here, join us,” Ethan released his hand holding hers, and stood up. Then he approached his brother and put his hand on his broad shoulder.

“How was your night?” he asked his brother with a smile.

Leonard was still looking at his wife with bitterness as he answered his brother. “There is nothing special at all.”

Then he approached his wife, grabbed her hand, and said, “Let’s talk in the bedroom.”

Alyssa hadn’t even spoken yet, but he pulled her to her seat and took her upstairs. Alyssa could see in the eyes of Ethan the suddenness of what his brother had done, but he couldn’t do anything.

Her husband hurried upstairs as he held her hand so tightly that she was almost writhing in pain as she said, “Ouch, can you please loosen your grip on my hands? I’m hurting,” she looked at him, almost about to cry.

“Sorry,” he said, loosening his grip on her hand. “Come follow me,” he added.

To ease his anger at her, she just followed him with no question. Then they both entered their room, and when they were already in the room, he took a brown envelope from his drawer. While Alyssa was standing still, waiting for whatever he had to say. He opened the envelope and took out its content. Then he handed her the documents and said, “Here, get this and sign.”

Alyssa had no clue at all about what he wanted her to sign, but she felt it would do her nothing good. “What is it for?” she asked.

“You read it so that you will know.”

Alyssa stretched out an arm to grasp the documents and read them. The words written in the document shocked her! Alyssa suddenly grows cold. She didn’t know how to react. Whether she would cry or lose because of the anger she felt.

He wanted her to sign a contract agreeing to annul their marriage after one year. Then, it will be null and void in exchange for all the favors as promised to his contract. Alyssa thought that now it’s pretty clear her husband thought she was only after their wealth.

As she continued reading what was on it, she could not stop her tears from shedding. She trembles with anger! She said to her mind that if only her husband knew she had never been in a relationship before and that he was her first love. But it’s for the better that he will not realize it because it will not matter anyway of whatever she may tell him, for his mind and heart were close to her explanation.

Alyssa quickly took a ball pen from her luggage and signed the contract as she said to him, “Here I sign it already, and by the way, you don’t need to bribe me with money and wealth to sign this document of yours! I’m easy to talk with, and one more thing. Please put it into mind that not everything in this world you can buy with your money!”

Then she took the documents that promised favor to her. In exchange for her consent to annul their marriage, and tore it in front of her husband!