The Gala
Anne's point of view
It was probably the manner he said it or the way he looked at me as he spoke, but I wanted to punch his face so hard.
Who was he to tell me who my friends were and weren't?
"You can't dictate who my friends are," I protested.
He narrowed his eyes at me, those piercing blue eyes that seem to bore into my soul, lacking warmth or empathy.
"I can, and I will."
I wasn't intimidated at all and I held his gaze. "You can't."
His voice sent shivers down my spine.
"You're under my protection now."
Protection? I scoffed. More like captivity.
"You will not attend the party.."
"Why?" I almost yelled and he stood up, walking over to me with his arms crossed against his chest.
My heart thudded wildly in my chest as he approached me. I feared that he was going to do something scary to me.
He stopped just in front of me and peered into my face as he spoke.
"You have to come with me to the gala or you pay me 70 million dollars and we break up this little arrangement we have."
I just stared at him blankly. 70 million? My mouth hung open but no words came out. Because of my parents, and because of the situation they have pushed me into.
At my blank look, he seemed to get even angrier and he walked over to the table, took some papers and threw them at me.
"You'd better read that," he sat down, adjusting his tie as though he hadn't just dropped a bombshell.
I glanced at the paper and felt my heart drop. It was a contract, the one my parents had signed.
Mr. Miller was a cold and wicked man. The contract was all in his favour. I couldn't talk about it with anyone at all and I had to do everything he said. I will have to pay him seventy million dollars, otherwise.
I have to call my parents! There was no way I could continue this.
A hint of satisfaction flickered in his eyes as he saw how distressed I looked.
"Good choice."
He returned to his papers and without looking up at me, he continued. "Be ready for the gala at 7 PM.
I nodded.
As I left his study, I felt trapped. The contract had also stipulated that I give him a child in just a year. I shuddered at the thought.
It was just my second day with him and I wanted to just run into a ditch.
Rebecca's party was my only connection to normalcy and now, it is gone.
Mrs. Smith greeted me with a warm smile as I got downstairs. She was always smiling whenever I saw her and seemed to be one of the most normal people in the mansion. "Let's get you ready, dear."
She walked me to my room and kept speaking about how the dress was made by a famous designer and how it was Mr. Miller's family's colour.
His words about meeting the rest of his family kept ringing in my head and I wondered if they were as twisted as him or there would be one I could talk to, to take me out of here.
"Give me a minute," I said to her, just as we were about to go into my room.
She nodded and smiled at me again. "I'll be back in ten minutes."
"Mother! You're such a greedy person!" I yelled into the phone as soon as she picked up.
"Anne, what's wrong?"
She sounded concerned and I scoffed. As if! "Mum, you pushed me into this!" Tears were already stinging the corners of my eyes.
"Nonsense! You will understand all of this someday that it's for your own benefit as well!"
I scoffed. My benefit or hers?
"You ruined my life, ma!"
She cackled from the other end of the line. "I don't expect you to understand now, but You'll understand in time."
"You…"
There was a beep sound, informing me that the call had ended. I gasped in disbelief. She had ended the call. I shook my head. My mother was the most evil person I had ever come across.
I wept for a while and then there was a knock on the door. I wiped my eyes quickly, realising that it was Mrs. Smith.
I opened the door to see her with a gown and like always, a smile was etched on her face.
The dress she presented was stunning. It was a laced , floor length Aline dress skirt that overlapped the peach coloured tulle with a layer of pale, burnished gold. The boatneck had a little beadwork that was adorable and the back of the dress was cut into a deep V that stopped just at the small of my back.
It was elegant and I didn't need to be told that it was made by a famous designer.
"Let's get you dressed up," she said and I smiled.
My long black hair was swept up in a mix of messy braids pinned together in a low bun.
"Here," she presented a mirror to me as soon as she was done.
I glanced at myself in the mirror and gasped.
"Like what you see?" She smirked and it took all the strength in me not to scream. I didn't know I could look this good.
My cheeks were flushed and my eyelids were dusted with a pale, pinkish gold shade. My lashes were accentuated with a dark brown mascara, my lips dabbed with a light pink lipstick.
"You look so beautiful!" She gushed and I grinned.
There was a knock on the door and Mrs. Smith blushed. "That must be Mr. Miller. He's so impatient!"
My heart slammed hard against my chest as I glanced at myself. I convinced myself again that I wasn't doing this for him.
I heard the door creak open and I glanced up to see him striding towards me.
His eyes roved over me and there was an unrecognisable expression on his face.
Approval?
Or possession?
He held out his hand for me. "Let's go," he said huskily and a deep breath expelled from my lips as I took his hands.