The Royal Contract

She was finally looking outside of her window, flying to a destination she had no clue about. It was supposed to be another surprise. But she was too tired to bother finding out where it would be.

She turned her head on her other side to find Alex immobile and eyes closed. It would seem that he was more exhausted than she was. She could tell that he was already somewhere in dreamland.

She grabbed the drink he was drinking and placed it on the side along with hers. Then, she made herself more comfortable in her seat before turning to him.

"What are you hiding this time?" She whispered near his face as she kept her eyes focused on his.

She had detected earlier that he was distracted. It was a subtle sign that others might not notice as he continued to entertain the crowd and be as charming as ever, but she could tell. 

Her instinct was rarely wrong when she sensed his slight worry. When she asked him about it, he shrugged it as wedding jitters. However, she still could not shove her intuition aside.

"I love you," Dani softly uttered, dropping her head on his shoulders before darkness claimed her. Just like her husband, she was barely holding on to consciousness when they boarded the plane.

She succumbed to her exhausted body and mind, allowing the humming of the engine turbines to lull her to sleep. The view outside was long forgotten as a new scene played in her mind.

"Dani, wake up." A man's voice was forcing its way into her brain.

The timber of his tone sounded very familiar as she recognized the man. She would probably remember that voice as long as she lived, bringing a shiver in her skin.

She could not understand why he would be waking her up. She was on her way to her honeymoon, a long way away from him. She was with her husband as far as she could remember.

"Hey, honey. We are here." He continued to speak, using that sweet tone she always loved when he was wooing or charming her. "Open your eyes. I want to show you where you will rule as my queen."

She suddenly felt the chill go through her body upon hearing his words. Then, she felt his lips touch hers as he tried to coerce her to respond. 

Instead of feeling the excitement of the honeymoon phase, she felt the opposite, disgusted to feel his vile mouth on her lips. As she opened her eyes, she was shocked to see the man she despised sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Nick, what are you doing here?" She quickly bolted upright and slid away from him on the other side of the bed. "What are you up to now?" 

She was confused. As far as she could remember, she was on the plane with Alex, on their way to their honeymoon. Why did she end up in her bed with Nick? 

But it was not even her bed, she realized when she looked around the unfamiliar space as she avoided him. Then, she remembered his words. He referred to her as his queen.

"We are going to get married, and I am going to be your husband," Nick announced as he stood from the bed. "This place will be your castle. Together, we will rule the business empire that your father will leave to us."

He waved his hand to the massive room containing some of the things she had packed for the trip. She wondered how she winded up here and where Alex was.

She kept telling herself that nothing about this made sense. She was probably in a dream. She tried to squeeze her brain for more information, but she came up empty.

Soon after, she remembered seeing Nick on their way out of the ballroom. He even congratulated them on their marriage and wished them well before he proceeded on his way with a woman in his arms.

"I think nothing about this is real. I am just dreaming." She insisted, not wanting to believe anything that came out of his mouth.

He was a liar, a despicable man that she would never marry. Not in a million years, and even if he was the last man in this world. She believed he was lying to her now, and she would find the truth eventually when she woke up from this nightmare.

Then, she noticed that she was not wearing her clothes anymore underneath the sheets. Instead, she wore a flimsy nightdress she was planning to wear for Alex on their first night. 

"Think what you want, but it will not change anything." He moved to the window. After a while, he smiled as if he was gazing at something amusing. "By the way, I love the gown. I can't wait to rip it off your body."

He did not bother to look at her. But the terror he inflicted by his offensive words and malicious smile was more than enough to immobilize her. 

She wanted to run, but her legs felt like it was made of lead. Maybe it was just numbed due to the uncomfortable position. But whatever it was, she was feeling the sensation coming back again on her muscles.

"Damn you. I am not letting you touch me again." She shouted. With all her willpower, she stood up and bolted for the door.

She had to escape this place. It was not her home but a prison where he would lock her up, a hell on earth. She was getting out of here and looked for her husband somehow.

"I will not try to escape if you still wish to see Alex again. Alive." He added the last part with a certain flair, wanting the impact to be more compelling. 

He smiled when he saw her stop from opening the door. Her hands were on the doorknob, but she did not continue turning the knob. 

Instead, she pulled her hands back and stood her ground as she faced him once again. She could not run when there was a possibility that he had Alex in his possession. 

But it did not mean that she was admitting defeat. She would find a way to make him pay.. If he hurt Alex, she would guarantee that prison and a life sentence would not be enough punishment for his crime.