ELENA'S POV
I wake up with a start. My head feels heavy.
A dull pain sits behind my eyes, like someone is knocking inside my skull. I groan softly and press my fingers to my forehead.
"Ugh…" My voice sounds weak and dry.
I blink slowly. The room is strange and definitely not my room.
The ceiling above me is white and a small golden chandelier hangs shining.
I frown. This is not my ceiling.
My small room has cracks on the wall and a noisy fan that shakes when it turns. But here…is quiet. What the heck is going on?
My heart beats faster. I sit up slowly while holding my head as if it would stop the headache that's threatening to blow my brain off.
The blanket slides down my body. At once, my breath stops. I am naked?
"What the…?!
A look of worry appears on my face. I furrow my brow trying to remember what happened last night. I grab the blanket quickly and pull it up to cover my chest. My hands shake as I look down at myself.
How the freaking lord did I end up here and with no clothes on?
"What the fuck did you do last night Elena?" I question myself. I look around the room.
The bed is huge, bigger than the one in my apartment. The sheets are white and soft like clouds. The floor is clean marble. A large glass window shows the city outside.
This place obviously looks expensive. Fear begins to crawl slowly up my spine.
"This… this can't be real," I mutter.
I throw the blanket around my body and jump off the bed. My legs feel weak as I walk across the room.
"Hello?" I called out. There is no answer.
I move toward the living area of the suite. There is a long gray sofa, a glass table, and a large television on the wall. No one is here.
I turn around quickly to go back to the room to pick up my clothes from wherever it was. Then I noticed a small white paper on the glass table.
I pick up the neatly folded paper shakily and open it. My eyes quickly dart across the words:
Dear Wifey,
You had a lot to drink last night but that's ok after all we are married now. I got your back. Get some rest. I'll send my men to come take you later.
—Your Loving Hubby, Adrian Russo.
The paper slips from my fingers as colour drains from my face.
"No… it can't be. No… no… no. There's got to be a mistake somewhere. Or maybe I'm still dreaming."
I pinch myself and yelped in pain.
My chest rises and falls quickly as I try to jog my memory to recall all that happened. Oh shit! I shut my eyes tightly. I vaguely remember signing a paper but I had no idea what it was. As much as I try to remember the rest of the incident, it failed.
"Damn, damn, damn!" I didn't know I hit the table so hard until I felt pain in my palm. The room spins around me and I tried to steady myself as I dragged myself to the bedside.
"Could it be the marriage contract I was signing? I didn't…" I shake my head quickly. "I didn't mean it." I feel a twist in the pit of my stomach.
Marriage. I signed a marriage contract with him? With Adrian Russo! My hands flew to my face as I opened my mouth in shock.
Who doesn't know Adrian Russo? Heat rushes to my face.
Oh God!
I pull the blanket tighter around my body. What did you do last night Elena?
I rush toward the bathroom and what I see almost scares me. My hair's all messy and the lipstick paint on my lip is gone. My eyes look tired and the dark circles around it glares at me. I turn on the shower quickly. The panic keeps growing even as the cold water hits my skin.
Fifteen minutes later, I find my clothes neatly folded on a chair in the bedroom and I wear them. I don't have time to think of anything. I just want to get out of here as soon as possible. I grab my bag and rush out.
"Nothing ever happened Elena" I recite the words to myself repeatedly as I step out the suite onto the elevator. The fresh air hits my nose but I do not bother to ponder on it. I just feel like I do not belong here.
The elevator door opens with a ding. I step inside and press the ground floor button. It feels like the ride is till eternity. When the doors finally open, I almost run out.
I didn't realize that I'd been holding my breath until I stepped out onto the streets. "Yes… yes… this is fine," I whisper to myself. "You might not know all that happened last night, Elena but anything you said or did was the influence of alcohol and drunk talk." I calm myself.
"Even though they want to take it to court, no judge would take that seriously." I start walking fast towards home.
***
I hear a bang on my door as I finally lay on the small couch in my apartment.
BANG!
My body jumps as the sound comes again, and harder this time. My heart races fast. I hope it's not those three men who have come as they've promised?
"Who… who is that?" I called out.
BANG. BANG.
I walk slowly to the door. I breathe in and out then turn the handle and open. Three men stand outside. These were not the same men of that day. These were tall sturdy built men, all wearing black suits. They had on, a serious expression that gives a warning to not be messed with.
"Miss Elena?" one of them asks calmly.
I swallow. "Yes…" The man gives a small polite nod.
"Our boss is waiting for you Madam." He bows.
I frown.
"My boss?"
"Yes."
"Who?" Could it be that those men have sold me off already and want me to go work under my new master? I panicked.
The man's eyes remain calm. "Mr. Adrian Russo."
"I… I'm not going anywhere," I say quickly, stepping back. "I think you made a mistake."
The second man reaches into his jacket and pulls out a folder and opens it then he turns it towards me. I died a thousand times.
It is the contract. My name is on it and my signature is also there, clearly written. I nibble on my lips.
"No…"
"Please come with us, Miss Rossi." The first man speaks again.
"I'm not going," I say, shaking my head. "I never agreed to this!"
The third man calmly slides a phone forward. He plays a video clip. On the screen is drunk me all smiles with a pen signing on a paper.
"Oh my God…"
The man closes the folder. "Our boss is waiting, Madam." He bows again.
I stare at the floor then I sigh.
"Fine… I'll go."