The Royal Contract

"What are you saying?" Her brother's voice boomed inside her room. "Have you gone insane?" He angrily shouted at her.

She could see that her brother disapproved of her plan, but it was her life. She had the right to decide what she would do with it.

And at that moment, she believed she was doing the right thing for her and her baby. She could not keep living in fear. She could not hide forever.

"I don't want to hide under the witness protection program." She repeated since her brother did not seem to understand her wishes.

She could not pretend to be free when she knew that was just another cage that would stop her from being herself and prevent her from being with the people she loved, like her family and friends.

She did not want to live another minute of looking over her shoulders just because her father was looking for her.

She would face her father if she had to. She would fight him, if needed, to set herself free and give her child a future that he deserved.

"But Haley, you have to listen to reason. You will put yourself in harm's way if you return home." Jacky intervened in the conversation, probably hoping she could put sense in her head.

But she had already thought about this again and again in her head. She weighed her options, including the pros and cons of her decision. In the end, she only came up with one solution.

"That is the risk I will take because I can't let fear rule my life. My father will not ruin my child's future." Haley was determined to put an end to her suffering.

She could not give up everything that she had worked hard to achieve in her life. She could not just leave behind the memories and the people she loved.

She could not pretend she was safe somewhere else, away from them, because that was not true. Anywhere she went, she would always be looking over her shoulder.

And eventually, her father would find her just when she least expected it. Therefore, it would be better if she confronted him. At least, it would be on her terms.

"You are being stubborn." Marcus once again burst with frustration and annoyance. "Think of that baby in your womb."

He attempted to get into her head by using her child against her plans. But that would not work since she was only thinking about her child.

"Precisely..." Haley placed her hand down her belly. "I am thinking about him. I don't want him to think that he has no family."

She knew what happened to people who accepted the witness protection program. They lived their lives under a new name, a new life, away from the people they had known all their lives.

They could not contact or see their loved ones ever again. They said it was only temporary until the threat was gone. But most of the time, it became a permanent situation.

Unfortunately, there was no assurance that they would neutralize the threat eventually. Sadly, in the end, the freedom they sought became the prison they lived in.

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"Let me ask you this question. Would you want to be away from the people you love? Or would you risk it all to be with them?" She turned to her brother, challenging him to answer her.

She could see the conflict in his eyes, knowing how much his brother would do anything for the people he loved.

She remembered how he would fight for her, despite his hatred of their father. He would always be there in the most significant moments in her life.

"I think she had a point." Jacky finally agreed with her as she wrapped her arms around her for support.

She appreciated that her friend would try to understand her situation. But she also needed to convince her brother that this was the right thing to do.

Despite her resolve, she still believed she would need every help she could get from the only remaining family who cared about her. And she might also need her friends.

"Ok. If we try this your way, what are you thinking? What are your plans?" Finally, Marcus seemed more open to listening to her reasoning.

Truthfully, she had not thought about this through. She only knew what she wanted, but the details were still blurry.

"First, I know I have to get out of here, not right away, but eventually when I have everything planned." She thought maybe after she had given birth to her child.

But she knew she could not stay here forever. Or she could not run away from her world. Whatever her future held, she would face it.

"Ok." Marcus calmly answered this time, but she could still hear the doubt in his tone. "Will you let me help?"

She could guess that he had finally given up convincing her with the program but had shifted to another tactic.

But she was not that stubborn not to listen to him and if he had a better alternative. She had depended on him in many instances. She would not stop now.

"Of course, I know you always have the best intention, but I hope you will also consider my wishes." That was her only condition.

Her brother moved and looked outside her window. He looked like he was in deep thought. But, of course, she understood that he was busy trying to find her a solution.

One thing she admired about her brother was his ability to produce answers to problems. He did not give up easily just because there were obstacles.

On the contrary, they only made him more determined, taking them as a challenge he had to overcome.

"Then, let us think about this through." Her brother moved closer and pulled her into a hug. "Maybe it would be better if you lived with us once you are ready to go home."

The offer was a nice gesture, but she would probably only take it as her last resort. She knew if she lived with them, she would also be putting them in harm's way.

But then again, maybe it was a good idea. After all, Marcus was still her father's son. Despite their differences, she knew her father still considered Marcus part of his life.

"Can we cross that bridge when we get there?" She did not want to make any permanent decision since she was yet to map out her life.

She still had many things to reconsider. She still wanted to know more about Gerald's case. How much of the information she discovered was true?

Then, she still had to hear from Mike, who had been missing for a while. Where was he? Why was he not calling? Was he in trouble or something?

She could not help but worry since she considered Mike as one of her close friends. The thought that something had happened to him. Worse if he suffered the same fate as Gerald frightened her.

"Of course, we can always revisit that idea some other time. But for now, let us think what would be best for your baby." Jacky joined again in the conversation.

She appreciated that her sister-in-law never tried to meddle with her affair with her brother. Instead, she was supportive of her husband and her.

Jacky balanced herself between her and her brother, trying not to be biased with one opinion or the other. Instead, she made them see the reason that would eventually force them to realize they were fighting for a similar cause. They just both wanted to be happy.

Eventually, her brother and his wife left her to deal with her situation, giving her time to rethink her plans.

But as she sat on her desk again and looked at the computer screen, another file caught her eyes. She distinctively remembered not seeing that before.

"What did he want now?" She mumbled silently inside her head as she checked the date and the sender.

The new email came from her father again. It arrived just a few minutes ago, maybe while she was arguing with her brother.

She checked the email, but it had no title or body. However, there was a file attached to it. Once again, she wondered if that would be another of her father's cruel jokes.

Was it another way for him to lure her out? So far, he had succeeded in destroying her peace of mind. So, what else could he be sending her to rattle her to surrender?

"What else can you do to me?" She said aloud, unafraid to face her father again. Of course, she would never let him win.

However, she still felt disappointed and sad. She had loved her father all her life. And to think that she had lived all her life in a lie was heartbreaking.

Nevertheless, she would fight for her child. She would give her son or daughter a better future, even if she had to sacrifice her life.

"I will not let you destroy my child's life like you have destroyed mine." She swore, thinking of all her crushed dreams.

She always thought that her father would walk her down the aisle. There would be a time that she would watch her father cradle his grandchild in his arms.

But those dreams were dead now. They had finally turned into nightmares.

Then, she finally clicked the encrypted file and waited for it to open. There was no sense in not looking at it. She believed facing whatever was coming her way was better than avoiding them.

"What is this?" Her eyes widened as she stared at it.

Was it real? Could she believe what she was seeing? Or was it just another of her father's mind games?

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