"Rules and Reactions"
I froze the moment I realized the contract wasn't just words on paper.
It controlled more than my time. More than my actions. More than my choices. It was already controlling me.
"You need to understand," Dominic said quietly, standing close enough that I could feel the heat from his body. "The rules don't stop at the office. They extend everywhere. Public appearances, behavior, attitude… everything."
I swallowed hard, my stomach twisting. "You mean… I have to act like… like this in front of everyone?"
"Yes," he said calmly. "Not just act. Believe it. Sell it. Every glance. Every word. Every movement. People notice. They always notice. And in our world… appearances are everything."
I shook my head, panic rising. "I… I can't. I'm not… I'm not good at this. I"
"You can," he interrupted, voice low and steady. "You just don't know it yet. You're more adaptable than you think. But hesitation isn't allowed."
"I… I'm scared," I admitted, trembling. "I… what if I mess it up? What if they see through me? What if"
"They won't," he said, cutting me off. "Not if you follow the rules. And you will. Because you have no other choice."
"I hate that I have no choice!" I snapped, fists clenching. "I hate this! I hate you! I hate myself!"
Dominic didn't flinch. He just watched, calm, and patient. "Good. That anger… it will keep you alive. Focus on it. Channel it. Don't let it destroy you."
I flinched at his words. They sounded reasonable, almost comforting, and yet… They made me furious. "You make it sound so easy!"
"It's not easy," he said softly. "It's survival. And survival is never easy."
I glared at him. "I didn't sign up to survive. I signed up to save my father!"
"And you did," he said quietly. "But survival comes first. Then you save him. Then… you save yourself."
I pressed my palms to my face. "I don't even know who I am anymore. This… this contract… it's changing me before it even begins."
"Good," he said simply. "Change is necessary. Adaptation is mandatory. And mistakes… mistakes are punishable. By life. By circumstance. By me."
I swallowed hard, shaking. "I… I just… can't think straight."
"Then don't," he said softly. "Listen. Learn. Obey. That's all you need for now."
I felt my chest tighten. "Obey. You sound like… like a dictator."
"I'm a businessman," he said flatly. "Not a dictator. But the result is the same. Follow the rules. Or we fail."
I wanted to scream. To run. To throw the contract in the trash and disappear. But I couldn't. Because my father… and the two million dollars… and the life I had no right to save.
I nodded slowly. "Okay," I whispered. "I… I'll try."
Dominic's eyes softened ever so slightly. "That's all anyone can do. Try. And sometimes… trying is enough."
Before I could process his words, he straightened and spoke again. "Your first public appearance is tonight. A charity gala. You'll be by my side. Pretend to be my fiancée. Speak to the right people. Smile. Act natural."
I froze. "Tonight? You… you mean now? Soon?"
"Yes," he said calmly. "We have no time. This is part of the plan. You need to learn fast. Your reactions… your instincts… everything matters."
I swallowed hard. "I… I can't do this. I… I've never… I don't know how to"
"You will," he said firmly. "And I'll help you. Step by step. But hesitation… hesitation is deadly."
I shook my head violently. "Deadly? You mean… my life, his life, everything… depends on me acting… pretending?"
"Yes," he said quietly. "Every moment. Every word. Every gesture. One mistake, and it could ruin everything. You understand?"
"I understand," I whispered, though my voice trembled. "I… I think I understand."
He stepped closer, his hand brushing against my back as he guided me toward the door. I stiffened, my heart racing. The contact sent heat crawling down my spine, and I hated myself for reacting. I didn't want this. I didn't want him. And yet… my body betrayed me.
"Relax," he said softly. "Control your reactions. People notice tension. People notice fear. People notice desire… even if you don't intend it."
I swallowed hard, shaking. "I… I don't want… I can't… I"
"Focus," he interrupted. "Now is not the time for denial. Now is the time for survival."
We entered the hall. The lights were bright. Cameras were set. I froze. My throat tightened. My hands shook.
"Relax," Dominic whispered. "Smile. They're watching."
I forced a smile, sharp and brittle. Every instinct in me screamed to run. To scream. To collapse. But I stayed. I smiled.
And the moment his hand rested lightly on my back… I felt something I hated. Something dangerous. My body responded. Heat. Awareness. Desire. Panic. Shame.
I hated myself for it. Hated him. I Hated Myself. And yet… I couldn't stop it.
"Keep moving," he murmured softly. "Act normal. Look confident. Speak clearly. Smile."
I nodded, teeth gritted, heart racing. "I… I can do this. I have to."
"You have to," he said quietly. "Or everything… everything we've worked for… fails."
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe. Step by step. Word by word. Gesture by gesture. I followed him through the crowd, pretending, smiling, laughing lightly at things I didn't understand. Feeling things I didn't want to feel.
And all the while… cameras followed. Flashbulbs. Eyes. Everyone is watching. Measuring. Judging.
I realized, at that moment… The contract was more than rules on paper. It was a cage. And I was already inside it.
And yet… I couldn't stop. I wouldn't stop. Because the alternative was my father's death. And I couldn't live with that.
Dominic leaned close as we approached the main table. His voice low, almost a whisper: "Smile. They're watching."
I froze. My heart skipped. My stomach twisted. My mind screamed. And in that moment, I realized… This wasn't just a contract. This was war. And I had no idea how to fight.
Dominic's whispered command echoed in my ears: "Smile. They're watching." And I realized… The moment I let myself react, I was already lost in the game.