DARK SECRETS

26. Setting the Contract in Motion

Erick had no plans to delay his contract with Yasmine, so he set it in motion days after his conversation with her in the garden. He planned out the contract himself, and he also informed her to make hers as well. 

Yasmine immediately got to work writing hers out. She wrote it in school, and even made research on her own. She knew this was crucial, so she was going to put her mind in making the contract spotless. She was on her own during a lunch break at school when her friend and former roommate, Tracy come over to meet her. She found her writing furiously and poked her head to see what she was writing. 

''Hey, what are you so busy writing?'' she asked, and Yasmine immediately closed the book. 

''Uh, nothing,'' she protested immediately. Tracy stared at her suspiciously. ''Okay, with that tone I know something's up. Come on, spill it,'' Tracy urged. 

''I'm serious, its nothing much,'' she lied again. 

''You have a secret crush you're writing to? Hmm, Yas?'' Tracy said, raising her brows simultaneously while giving a playful look and Yasmine laughed. 

''What? There's no crush anywhere, cut it out,'' she said. 

'' I'm sure you're just lying to me to keep me off your back. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me,'' she said and winked, making Yasmine laugh. 

'' If you must know, I was only writing in my diary, nothing more, nothing less,'' she said. 

''Wow, a diary? You still keep one of those?'' Tracy asked as she sighed. ''I don't think I can remember the last time I had one of those.''

''It's just for reference,'' Yasmine said. ''I just figured that I would love to keep one now,'' she said, smiling. 

''Oh,'' Tracy said. '' Good luck with that. By the way, have you found a place worth staying now?'' she asked. ''I could ask my uncle to do me a favor,'' she offered but Yasmine declined immediately. 

''No, it's fine'' she said and smiled. ''I'll manage. So far, I've been staying at the hospital with my mother, and they were kind enough to let me stay there. When she's better, I'll find a place to stay with her.''

She couldn't tell Tracy the real truth. How could she tell her that she was staying in the house of a man she doesn't know, a billionaire for that matter, and she was about to sign a contract with him to live in his house for a whole freaking year?

Tracy might just take her for a slut. So far, she was already deemed one, based on the fact that she was a stripper at some club. Her identity as the Hidden Beauty has always been the one protecting her.

Speaking of which, she had to add that down to her contract list. She immediately scribbled it down in her note. 

''Wow, you're really taking this diary stuff very seriously,'' Tracy chuckled. Yasmine smiled. 

''Yeah, speaking of which, how's your mom?'' Tracy asked. 

''Yeah, she's fine, she's already recovering.  It might take some time but she's out of danger now.''

''That's a relief. By the way, how were you able to find the money for her treatment?'' Tracy suddenly asked. ''The last time you told me about it, you said the fees were high. How were you able to manage alone?''

Yasmine's heart skipped a beat. How was she going to answer that question?

''Uh, I was able to contact a distant relative of my mom, so I was able to get some help from them,'' Yasmine said, smiling. 

''Oh, that's great, thank goodness,'' Tracy said and Yasmine sighed in relief. She was thankful she was able to think of something to say on a spot. 

It was a narrow escape. 

Immediately after her lectures she got back to the mansion and immediately went to her room after greeting everyone she saw. She had to finish the contract before the end of the day. She only hoped Erick would have finished his as well.    

                                    ******************************************

'' I'm done with the contract,'' Yasmine said to Erick over the phone. ''Are you done with yours?'' 

''Yeah. We'll review it and set it in motion once I get home,'' Erick answered while driving.

''Okay, I'll wait up,'' Yasmine said and immediately hanged up. Erick scoffed. She didn't even want to be on the phone with him for longer. Well, there's nothing she could do about that now. they were already in this contract together. 

Yasmine sat beside the window at her bedside and waited. She wanted to just start with the living with him for one year thing and get over it. And she couldn't do that by avoiding him. Nothing was going to change. The only thing to do was just sign up the contract and move on. She just hoped whatever he had in that contract was something she could follow. 

Suddenly she noticed the rear lights of a car coming into the compound. 

Erick. 

Yasmine immediately stood up and headed downstairs to meet him. 

She watched him highlight from his car through the window and walked into the house.

“Good evening,” she said quietly when she was sure he could see her.

“Good evening,” he said, looking up at her. She held out her right hand where she was holding the contract, looking at him.

“Here's mine,”she said. “I'm done with it. Let me know once you're done reading it.”

Erick looked at the file in her hand and back at her. Yasmine became very uncomfortable with his stare.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Come with me,” he ordered and immediately started walking up the stairs. Yasmine was very puzzled, but she decided to follow him. After getting to the lobby, she realized that she wasn't on her own south side of the house. He was talking to her somewhere else, somewhere that looked very different.

“Where are you taking me?” She immediately asked. “I've never been to this side of the house before.”

“You're talking like I'm about to kidnap you,” Erick chucked. “This is my house, and it's my own side of this house. Besides, you're living here officially, so I think it would be better if you knew some certain parts of this house, such as my room,” he said and stood in front of a door and turned the knob before opening it.

“Come in,” he urged her.

Yasmine was taken aback. She stood puzzled, her mind completely blank for a moment.

“I'm not going to hurt you, if that's what you're thinking,” he said with a wry smile on his lips. “At least, not yet.”

“What?” Yasmine's ears perked up.

Erick, obviously satisfied seeing her a bit terrified, gently took her hand and pulled her along with him into the room.

“Why are we in your room?” Yasmine asked as she looked around the spacious and well furnished master's bedroom. The king sized bed caught her eyes and she envied it. It was well laid like no one slept in it in the first place.

The advantage of having enough maids in a pretty mansion.

“Sit here,” he said, pulling her to the largest sofa in the room and Yasmine had no choice but to sit.

“Can I ask why we're in your bedroom, Mr Dunn?” She asked again.
“Well, because you accosted me with a file without even giving me a chance to settle down or eat. Seems like you want to get it sorted out right away. Plus, I need to change to comfortable clothes.”

Yasmine immediately gasped.

Did he want to change in front of her?

“No, I'll come back tomorrow.” She said and immediately stood up from the bed, and immediately headed towards the door.  But as she got to the door knob, she heard it lock. Thinking she heard wrong, she tugged at the door knob but it didn't bulge.

“Don't bother tugging at it.” She heard Erick's voice from behind. “It won't open. It automatically locks after 30 seconds.”

Yasmine's eyes immediately widened.

She was stuck in his room?!