"Sign it", were the words that came out of Jude Maguire's mouth to Scarlett.
The words felt heavier than she had expected. Ten years of her life was about to be on hold to a man she barely knows but she is assured that she would be financially stable .
She had signed a lot of receipts and silent agreements from clients but not the one that has a lot of clauses that will be bound for ten years.
Well, she didn't fret as she saw luxury in front of her and as a girl that has been surviving by being an independent escort to high-value men that will just use her without huge compensation, she wasn't about to lose this lifetime opportunity.
Jude Maguire sat across from her with the other part of the contract. He had just come into the club hoping to meet a lady that would sign the contract and Scarlett Bellinghan looked like the perfect match .
"Have you read the terms?" he asked her as he looked at her with control and ownership like he already knew she would sign.
"Shouldn't I?" Scarlett replied as she looked at him and looked at the contract lying on the table between them.
Jude leaned back slightly "this isn't a traditional marriage, i hope you are aware?"
Scarlett was just looking at the figures she would be earning from the contract after she signed it. "i'm aware" she replied
He looked at her to emphasize what was already written in the contract "Ten years and you will maintain the role of a wife publicly. You will attend luxury events , meet business partners , represent the Maguire name and compose yourself accordingly".
Scarlett nodded once as she had already just finished going through the same lines in the contract.
"What about privately since everything you just mentioned are publicly" she said as she looked straight into his eyes while she grabbed her wine glass.
Jude was shocked to hear what she just asked. "Privately?" Did you go through the contract you are about to sign properly?" he asked as he pointed to the document in front of her.
Scarlett picked the document and turned to the next page as she felt embarrassed. "oh! I didn't know there was another page " she said as she smacked her lips.
Jude thinking he had made a mistake by picking her for the job, just looked away a bit and then "So, there is no emotional expectation whatsoever. Don't cross any boundaries that aren't written in the contract" he said with a level of disgust.
Scarlett took a deep breath and felt she wasn't even expecting to be emotionally attached to him as he wasn't someone she would be interested in, in the first place. "That works with me perfectly", she said with a huge smile on her face.
After a few minutes of going through the documents . "I have one condition before I sign this contract".
Jude wasn't shocked as he had been expecting her to say something about the contract since she had been reading it . "Go on" he said as he dropped his wine glass.
"Well, my personal life remains mine. I don't answer to you whatsoever except during public obligations" She said with so much authority and grace.
Jude didn't react. He just looked at her for a few minutes trying to figure out why she said those words.
"Are you negotiating now?" he asked
Scarlett looked at him with a bit of a stare ." I'm only protecting myself against you rich people"
She had learned this long ago that rich and wealthy men like Jude Maguire only like control and not the people that work for them . And the only way to work around men like that is to have your own identity and she wasn't going to let the opportunity slide.
Jude wanted to just get this over and out with . "i accept" he said as he pushed the other part of the contract towards her.
"Now, sign it" he said as he looked straight into her eyes.
Scarlett looked at the documents again. Ten years of being Mrs Maguire, the wife of Jude Maguire, CEO of Maguire Industries. Ten years of financial security. Ten years of wearing designer clothes, shoes, bags and eating good cuisine . Ten years of providing for her mother without wondering who she would escort to the hotel. Ten years without struggle.
Her fingers were tight around the pen as she thought of the life she would be leaving and the life she would be entering.
Without thinking any further, Scarlett signed.
She slid the document back to Jude when she was done signing.
Jude didn't reach for it immediately, he just looked at her and back at the signed contract.
"From this very moment your life changes", he said slowly with a faint smile on his face .
Scarlett didn't bulge as she replied to him. " I knew it would change before I signed it, so your words don't scare me", she said as she looked at him straight into his eyes.
Jude picked up the contract and stood up as he was about to leave before he turned around and said "my driver will take you to the mansion and your things will be arranged properly" he then walked towards the entrance.
Scarlett stood up immediately as she picked up her purse from the table and gulped the last drop of wine in her wine glass and looked around the club like she wanted to have a feel of the place for the last time.
She walked behind him towards the entrance . Her hand was on the door handle as she was about to open the car door, the driver came down and opened it for her while Jude was looking at the whole situation "Welcome to the Maguire family" he said with a smile and entered the car.
Scarlett didn't feel any warmth. She felt the statement was too transactional. She nodded slightly "Thank you" as she entered the car.
The drive to the mansion was very quiet.
The mansion was exactly what she imagined it to be. It was very massive. It didn't just hold wealth but it showed what wealth meant. It was layered with marbles, tall windows, and luxurious gardens around the buildings.
The gates flung open before the car even stopped.
Scarlett stepped out of the car with her heels and her black short dress.
A woman approached her immediately and you would know that she was already aware and prepared .
"Mrs Maguire", the woman greeted politely.
Scarlett stopped for a bit as the name hit her like a volcano that just erupted but she didn't react.
"Come with me to your room. It has been prepared . Mr Maguire's instructions have been very clear", the woman continued as she stepped forward leading the way.
The woman led Scarlett through a very long corridor and stopped in front of a door.
"This will be your room", she finally said as she opened the door.
Scarlett stepped inside the room. The room was large, elegant, luxurious and completely separate.
Her eyes moved across the room trying to embrace her new life as she set her eyes on a locked door.
"What's that?" she asked the woman as she stepped closer to the door.
Don't " the woman shouted.