Contracted emotions

age in public displays of affection and interaction that are consistent with a committed couple..." "...If Ariana decides to terminate the cont

till eager to distance himself from me. The thought of her life being turned upside-down or her future marred by our father's wrongdoings was unbearable. Everything had happened so quickly. I was still reeling from the shock. I'd gone out for a jog then I returned home to our house being raided. The absurdity of it all was still sinking in. I gazed around my dad's office, where movers were scattered, busily packing up his things. The large, wooden desk where my dad had spent countless hours working, was now bare and empty, its drawers pulled out and contents boxed up. The leather chair was wrapped in plastic, awaiting its fate. The built-in bookcase, once filled with books was now nearly empty, its shelves bare. The warm glow of the table lamp was gone, replaced by the harsh light of the movers' equipment. Shane hadn't even instructed them to pause; he said he'd tell them to stop only when I signed the contract. "It's not like we have a choice," My dad replied to Milly, who let out a disheartened sigh. I couldn't help but mutter under my breath, "Maybe you shouldn't have gambled away all his money." Stephanie's eyes flashed with anger as she snapped at me, "Maybe you should watch your mouth and remember why you're here today is because of him." She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, her bang rollers teetering on her forehead. I shot her a venomous glare before reining in my anger and focusing on the tablet again. "Dad, I'm scared," I whispered. My anger slowly gave way to hurt, and my chest ached with unshed tears. Shane was a stranger, and the thought of signing a MARRIAGE contract with him was daunting. My dad sat beside me, taking my hand in his. "Listen to me, Aria, he has been my business partner for a few years now and he's a very dangerous man," he warned, his voice low and serious. I felt a lump form in my throat as I asked, "Why would you borrow such a huge amount of money?" "I needed the money, and I made an investment that turned out to be a fraud. It got complicated, and I didn't know what to do." He explained I felt a surge of resentment toward my dad. Because of his mistakes, I was now being forced into a situation I didn't want. "What do I do?" I tried to act tough but my voice betrayed me My dad's voice was laced with something like concern. "Just do whatever he says, don't protest, and you'll be fine" I opened my mouth to respond, but my words trailed off as James walked in with Shane. The documents were clutched in James' hand, and my heart sank. Shane's gaze settled on me immediately, his eyes seeming to bore into my soul. I shifted uncomfortably, not liking the feeling one bit. The air in the room grew thick with tension as Shane's presence commanded attention. He had this controlling aura, that made everyone else want to shrink in his presence. My dad placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder as Shane walked towards us, his eyes never leaving mine, and took a seat opposite me. He intertwined his fingers, placing them on the table, his gaze piercing and unwavering like he was daring me to look away. James slid the contract across the table. Suddenly, all my doubts and fea