Gabriella, who had spent the entire day confined to her room, received the message from Mary with trepidation. She made her way to Christopher's study, her footsteps slow and hesitant. As she entered, she lowered her head slightly, avoiding direct eye contact with him.
"You asked to see me," Gabriella spoke, her voice laced with a mix of fear and respect.
Christopher handed her a document without a word, his gaze fixed on her. Gabriella accepted it, her hands trembling as she opened the file. She read through the words, her eyes widening, and her breath catching in her throat. It was a marriage contract.
"Sir, I don't understand," she stammered, her voice barely audible. "It's a marriage contract between us."
Christopher maintained his composure, his piercing gaze locked on Gabriella. "Yes, it is," he replied, his voice firm. "Between you and me."
Gabriella's mind raced, trying to process the implications of what was being asked of her. She had known about her father's debt, but to be thrust into this situation was beyond her comprehension.
"But sir," she managed to utter, her voice quivering with genuine confusion. "I don't understand. Why me?"
Christopher leaned forward, his expression stern. "Your father owes me a substantial sum of money," he explained, his voice laced with controlled frustration. "This marriage contract is the best way to pay his debt. We both know he can't pay back 2.5 million."
The weight of her father's actions hung heavy in the room, suffocating Gabriella. She had always tried to shield her family from the consequences of her father's reckless behavior, but now it seemed there was no escape.
Tears welled up in Gabriella's eyes as she found the courage to speak her truth. "But sir," she pleaded, her voice trembling with vulnerability. "I don't love you. I don't even know you."
Christopher leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with an air of determination. "Love has nothing to do with it," he stated bluntly. "This is a business arrangement, nothing more. And if you want to help your family, you'll sign that contract."
Gabriella's heart sank, torn between her loyalty to her family and her own desires for a life of love and happiness. She looked down at the contract, her hands shaking uncontrollably.
In that moment, Gabriella realized the gravity of her situation. She knew she had no choice. If she didn't sign, her family would face ruin. But if she did, she would be forced into a loveless marriage, sacrificing her own happiness for the sake of her family's survival.
Her mind filled with a mix of anger, fear, and a deep sense of betrayal. How could her own father have put her in this position? And how could Christopher, a man she barely knew, be so cold and calculating?
But as Gabriella gazed at the inked lines on the contract, her resolve hardened. She couldn't let her family suffer the consequences of her father's actions. She would do whatever it took to protect them, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness.
With trembling hands, Gabriella picked up the pen and brought it to the paper. She signed her name, sealing her fate and binding herself to a man she neither loved nor trusted. As the ink dried, a heavy silence enveloped the room, suffocating any hope that might have remained.