Chapter 2 – The Marriage Contract

• I stood by the office door for a long time. Serena did not move. She just sat behind her desk, waiting. My mind was racing. I thought about the cold nights on the train station bench. I thought about how hard it was to find a job. If I walked out, I would have nothing. If I stayed, I would have to sell myself to my worst enemy.
• 'Why me?' I asked, my voice shaking. 'You can buy anyone. There are thousands of people who would marry you for money. Why choose the girl you hated?'
• Serena looked down at her desk for a second before looking back at me. 'Because I know you, Mia. I know you need the money, which means you will follow the contract. Other people might try to stay married to me to get more money later. You hate me, so I know you will leave exactly when the year is over. It is safer for my business.'
• Her explanation made sense in a cold, logical way. She wanted someone who wouldn't try to stick around. It was all about her company and her wealth.
• I walked back to the desk and picked up the paper. The words were simple. It stated that Mia Brooks and Serena Hart would marry. It stated that Mia would receive fifty thousand dollars immediately upon signing, and the remaining nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars at the end of the year. It also stated that we would live together, attend public events together, but maintain completely separate private lives.
• 'No romantic contact,' I read aloud. 'No interference in each other's personal business.'
• 'Yes,' Serena said. 'It is purely a performance for the board of directors and the media. My grandmother wanted to see me settled. This satisfies the legal requirement.'
• Fifty thousand dollars right now meant I could buy food, clothes, and help my sister. It meant I wouldn't have to worry about surviving tomorrow. I looked at Serena. She looked elegant and distant. She did not look like she was laughing at me. She looked serious.
• 'If you break any part of this contract, or if you treat me like you did in school, I will walk away,' I warned her.
• 'I understand,' Serena said. 'The past was the past. This is business. Do we have a deal?'
• I took a deep breath. My hands were still shaking, but I picked up the pen on the desk. I signed my name at the bottom of the page. It felt like I was signing my life away, but I had no choice.
• Serena took the contract back and opened her drawer. She pulled out a check that was already written. She handed it to me. It was for fifty thousand dollars. 'Go to the bank and deposit this,' she said. 'Then go to your storage unit and collect your things.'
• 'When do we start?' I asked, holding the check tightly.
• Serena stood up and picked up her coat. 'Right now. My driver is waiting downstairs. We are going to the city hall to register our marriage, and then you are moving into my penthouse.'