The Royal Contract

"Ouch!"

That hurt.

She let go of the fork in her hand as she looked at her finger. So far, it was just a scratch.

She was trying to unlock her door by tinkering on the doorknob.

At first, she tried the hairpin on her hair, inserting the small metallic pin into the keyhole. But she failed. She concluded it was easier to watch it done in the movies than doing it in real life.

"Please work." She desperately uttered as she tried inserting the fork again into the thin slit of the door, but the small opening was just too narrow for the silver cutlery to fit inside.

It was just no use.

She could not open the wooden blockage. She could not get out of there and escape through the door.

She dropped the fork back on her plate and slumped back on her chair, giving up on her current escape plan. But it did not mean that she had given up. She just had to find another way.

She knew she could not stay in that house for long. Not if she wanted to be free from his father and his plans.

"What now?" Haley asked herself as she allowed her eyes to wander around her old room. She had slept in this room countless times, but she had never attempted to escape it before.

She stood up, walked over to the window, and looked down on the lawn outside. She saw two guards who just passed by. Then, they were gone.

"What if..." She thought about it for a second. She even attempted to unlock it. And it easily cracked open.

But as she stared outside, she knew it was impossible. It was a long way down. And she would not attempt such a stunt due to her condition.

She would not place her baby in a dangerous situation. She had to think of another way as she turned away from her last alternative.

"I know you have no suggestions, but I need you to hang in there." She touched her belly as she spoke to her unborn child. "Ok."

She knew she had to get out of there as soon as possible. She could not let her father force her to marry that monster.

Suddenly, her heart drummed inside her chest as she recalled what her father had told her. It was as if coming back to this place was not bad enough. Her father insisted that she marry that man who had been working side by side with her father.

"No..." She muttered under her breath as she attempted to calm herself down. "Never."

She would never marry another man as long as she lived. Besides, she believed there might be the slightest chance that Gerald was alive. At least, that was what her gut was telling her.

She still wanted to see him and hear from him all these accusations they were throwing at him. She wanted to hear from his lips if those were true.

And then what?

She guessed she would cross that bridge when she got there. For now, all that she wanted to do was to see Gerald as he breathed and lived.

"Haley, I hope you are decent because I am coming inside, my darling." She heard the voice of her father after his initial knock.

But his father opened the door before she could answer, catching her standing near the window while she watched him enter her room.

"Hello, my darling. You always look so bright as the sunshine." Her father marched toward her, ready to hug her and give her the usual kiss.

However, she dodged away from him, not wanting his hands and lips on her skin. She did not even want to breathe the same air as him if she only had a choice.

"When are you going to let me go? I don't want to be here." Haley demanded, not wanting to stay in her father's domain a minute longer.

She moved toward the other side of the bed, as far away from her father. Then, her eyes glanced at the door, wondering if she could make a break for it.

However, she doubted she could outrun the men guarding this place.

If she would escape, nobody should know about it until she was long gone. That was the only way.

"That is easy." Her father shrugged his shoulder. "All you have to do is say yes." Alfred proudly smiled at her as if that was the best idea he had said to her.

But that was not what she wanted. She did not want to marry her father's associate. If her father claimed that Gerald was the devil, that man was worse.

"I already told you no. I am not marrying Michel, Michael, or whatever his name is." She insisted. "So, just let me go before I file an abduction case against you."

But her father only boastfully laughed at her threat before sitting comfortably on the chair near her window. He even crossed his legs as he leaned on the backrest while pulling an expensive tobacco out of his jacket.

"Please do not smoke that in front of me." She asked him when he was about to get his lighter. She did not want the secondhand smoke to affect her child's development.

"Oh! I am sorry if you insist." He put the cigarette back inside his pocket with a smirk on his lips. "I am easy to talk to remember. You can always ask me nicely. And I know I can always count on you."

She suddenly remembered that her father was a sweet talker. But that would not work on her anymore. She had learned her lesson.

"I am not the same naive and stupid girl you raised, Dad. I know better now." She told him as she watched him like a hawk, believing her father had something up his sleeves.

"You have always been an intelligent child. That is why I am so proud of you. But I hope you will be wise enough to think of what would be best for your baby." Her father crossed his arms across his chest as he stared at her.

"Why are you so interested in me and my baby? You already had everything you want. Just let us go. I promise you will never hear from us again. I will never tell a soul about you and your private life." Haley hoped her father would have a heart and just let them go.

But her hope faded as soon as she saw the devilish smile on his lips. His eyes twinkled as if he had something exciting to tell her.

"You see. I can't do that." Then, her father stood up and walked menacingly close to her. He only stopped when he was a meter away.

"I need you and your growing child." He continued, this time, his eyes focused on her swollen belly.

"Why? Why are you so interested in my child?" She did not believe for a second that her father wanted to be a grandfather to her baby.

She could tell her father had something else in mind for her child. And that was what got her more worried. She was afraid that her child might be in danger.

"Because..." Her father paused as he shifted his eyes back to hers. "That child is the heir to the throne." Her father uttered with excitement.

But it only confused her more rather than answered her questions. She had no idea what Alfred was blabbering about. "Heir to the throne?" What throne? Which Kingdom?

Her child was no prince or princess since she was not royalty, nor was the father of her child. Therefore, her father's words did not make sense at all.

"Let me explain it to you, my Princess." Her father said as he moved closer, trapping her into a corner.

"You see. Don was trying hard to become the new underground leader of the organization that Gerald's father had built.

Although some had already vowed loyalty to him, many were still unconvinced that he should take over." Alfred informed her.

"So, what does my child have to do with it?" She tried to encourage her father to tell her more so she would know more about his plans for her and her unborn child.

"If you agree to marry Michael Prescot, I will put him as Gerald's replacement. I will vote out Don as the new leader. Besides, Don is old like me. We need fresh blood, like Michael." Her father suggested his protegee.

"Because you want someone you can control. And you think Michael is the one." She heard that her father was supporting his campaign as the new Governor of their state.

"Yes, precisely." Her father nodded, acknowledging her deductions. "And many of our members like him more than they like Don. But still, many have reservations. Many are still loyal to Joaquin and his son, Gerald."

Alfred moved closer again, but this time, he only stopped when he was a foot away. Then, he extended his hand and touched her belly.

She swiped them away, not wanting him to touch her child, but he only laughed at her action.

"I think I know what you wanted." She said, finally realizing her father's plan. "You are going to use my child to earn the trust of the people still loyal to Gerald."

Her father finally walked away, giving her some space to breathe. But he neither confirmed nor denied her assumption. Not yet.

"You see if you marry Michael, then he adopts your child. That would unite the entire factions. That would solve all our problems." Her father said, looking quite satisfied with himself.

"What about Gerald?" She suddenly asked, wanting to know if he was indeed still alive. "What are you planning to do with him?"

"We believe he is still alive." Alfred casually told her as if it was not such a big deal. "But I promise you, it will not be for long."

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