The Billionaire's Torment

Chapter 4. The contract

Nora

I found Max pacing up and down on my porch, his anxiety showed through a deep frown and slitted eyes. I called him in. He remained standing.

 “ I will marry you.” I mumbled, my eyes on the floor. 

“Sorry what?.” I raised my voice,  almost shouted, “ l said l will marry you.” 

A big smile split his face, dammit he was a handsome beast.

 Granny got up, “ well kids, l will leave you to talk, l need to rest.”

Max went to her and shook her hand, “thank you Mrs Reidy, I will start the ball rolling, before the end of the week you will have your surgery.” Tears of gratitude filled my granny’s eyes. “ Thank you young Ratliff, you have no idea what you have done.” Max patted her back and steered her towards her room.

He came back and towered over me, “ let's go to the Ratliff Restaurants, we will talk there.” 

“ Why can't we talk here?.”

He eyed the sofa like it was a poisonous snake. 

“ Ok let's go, let me fetch my phone.” I informed my granny we were leaving.

As we approached the cars, a man opened the door, we got in. My word, such luxury, some individuals came to the world holding a silver spoon. We arrived at the restaurant and the same waiter who helped me yesterday shepherded us to a private booth, we took our seats.

Max handed me a menu, “ order anything you like.” 

Lord, the names of food on this thing.  I pushed the menu back, “ I will have whatever you are having.”

Max pinned me with an amused stare, “ok.” 

Our orders came and as we ate Max kickstarted the conversation. “ This is how our arrangement will work, we will be married for two years, in that two years, you will bear me a male child, if it's a girl, you will get pregnant until you give me a boy. Each year you will get 20 millions, when you leave l will double it.”

My appetite dwindled to zero. I pushed the plate away. “ You are kidding right? You mean if l keep delivering only girls, l might be tied to you for years?.”

“Correct.”

Max replied arrogantly. l stood up, the room suddenly felt stuffy. l needed air. He sprang to his feetas he realised l was leaving. l hurried to the door, a hand spun me around, my forehead hit his sturdy chest, a hand closed around my chin and jerked it upwards, the other encircled my waist. “ One of the things we have to correct is your attitude, you don't walk out in the middle of a conversation, it's rude. I wonder what kind of Dr you are going to be, you are mannerless.”

l slapped his hand,“ so why are you marrying me? Marry one of your well behaved socialites, leave me alone.”

I wrenched myself out of his arms and continued to head out. As my hand touched the door handle, he said,“ your grandmother looks like a good woman, it would be a pity to lose her because her grandaughter is a tantrum thrower.”

I spun around and glared at him,“ that's low, even for you.”

“ But it's the truth, we are talking, the next thing you throw a tantrum and walk out. Come back, let's finish this. l'm a busy man.” 

l trudged back to the table and sat down. How was this marriage going to work when l hated my husband to be? Max put his fisted hands on the table, his broad shoulders hunched. His dark eyes bore into mine, intimidating. “ Monday morning, meet me at the City Hall at ten o'clock. l don't trust you. so your grandmother’s surgery will take place after we get married, clear?.”

I nodded like a puppet, it sucked to be destitute, now l had to bow to Max like a low life. I hated it. The day l got the job, this marriage would see the last of me.