Arranged: Bound By Contract (girlxintersex)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23
Stella POV

I drew the blankets up to my abdomen and rested my back against the headboard.Mateo was sitting peacefully next me, her glasses on and a stapled piece ofpaper glued to her head. She was fiddling with a pen in the wrinkles of herfingers.

I'd rather have her naked, muscles slightly visible, in bed reading overpaperwork than in her workplace. While in office, she was excessivelydemanding. Too tight. It's very bothersome.

I sprawled across her, and she leaned back against the headboard. I quietlyapologized as I reached for my phone.

When I switched it on, I noticed the low battery percentage. I probably won'tremember to charge it. I just had no use for my phone.

It even felt slightly odd in my hand, and when I entered the four-digitpassword, the apps was a little too bright for my liking.

There were several missed calls from all six of my friends. The messaging groupwas full with worry about me and where I had gone.

When I found out I was getting married. I didn't tell them notthat it was a secret or something humiliating; I simply didn't wantthem to put notions in my brain, particularly when they saw the jerk I wasgoing to dedicate my life to. But if I had paid attention to their genuineworries, they would have deserved to see a glimpse of my crazy existence.

Me: hey. Miss me
Me: I'm married
Me: to a complete jerk
Me: Mateo Allard
Me: You know her


There was no other way to accentuate the fact that I was married. I had tosimply slam it on the table. However, it appeared like everyone was busy beingoutside. It was Friday night.

Something in my stomach unnerved me and tightened it up to my chest. Iscratched at it, hoping to get rid of it, but the feeling persisted. My mindcouldn't help but go to what I'd be doing tonight instead of being in bed andmarried. I cast a tearful look at Mateo. I reached out and smacked her arm. Hersluggish reply irritated me. She gently looked up at me.

I pinched my eyes to keep the tears at away.

The frustration feels like a truckload of bricks has been released on my body.She didn't say anything and focused her gaze back on the page.

I turned my attention to the phone. I went through the notifications andpunched on my mother's missed calls. As I ring her phone, I get out of bed.

"Where're you going?"

"Downstairs," I snapped, like a tortoise.

"All right, bring a glass of water with two ice cubes in it when you comeback up."

"Get it for yourself!" I sobbed. "I hate you!" I raised myvoice. "I fuck-"

"Stelly Bear!" My mother spoke on the phone. I grinned when Iheard the nickname. She hasn't called me that since I was eighteen, so shemust have missed me.

However, this made me want to cry even more. Why did I feel this way all of thesudden? This feeling. And I was doing my best to contain it, but I couldn't.

I stepped out of the room.

"Hi there, mom." I attempted, but failed, to sound pleasant. Feelinglike my feet wouldn't make it down the steps, I leaned against the wall. I gotnine years of this.

"Are you sucking and smiling?"

"No, Mom!" I gritted through my lungs. I was not sucking or smiling.I groaned, peeling my exhausted body away from the wall, and teetered down thesteps. All of the lights were turned off, yet I was able to navigate throughthe darkness and into the living room.

"Stella,"


Her voice turns from concerned to serious. I rest my exhausted body on thesofa. "You need to—."

"Yes, Mom. Suck and smile. You don't need to nail it in my skull; I knowwhat to do."

"Then why do you sound like a crying baby?"

"I miss home. I miss my life. Can I not?" My fingertips brushed awaythe obstinate tears streaming down my face. "Can I not, Mom?" Isniffled sluggishly.

She gave out an exasperated groan. This made me feel guilty. "Yes, youcan," she says, seeming doubtful. I assumed this wasn't what she had inmind. Me being a whiner.

"Let's talk about it,"

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, speak."

"I miss my friends, going to the casino, and chatting with strange men,but they never get me into their beds. I just...I miss doing 25-year-old stuff,mom."

She exhaled again.

"You need to understand that a small sacrifice may lead to a better life,Stella."

"This is a little sacrifice. Ten years isn't a littlesacrifice?" I argued silently.

"Does she abuse you?"

"No, she— "

"It's all good. Dry your tears and be a decent wife. Be the wife to allwives."

I exhale, depressingly. This was not helpful at all. I hoped she cared about mywell-being. Just a tiny bit.


"We'll come by this Sunday. How does it sound? We will be able to discussit more. Maybe I can give you some further guidance."

"You don't understand. There is no maid here. I am the maid. So I don't getto relax by the pool, sip wine, and read lifestyle magazines, mom." Iwasn't even sure how deep the pool was. I've just gone in the backyard tofinish planting the flowers.

"That's not too horrible."

"Easy to say since you're not on this side of life. Floria will bebringing your coffee in the morning when you wake up tomorrow."


"You'll adopted," she replied, completely dismissing mycomplaints. I had no idea why I phoned her if I wasn't going to feel well.

"See you on Sunday," I snapped.

"Stelly bear, avoid acting like that." Her voice softened, and I wasovercome with remorse for yelling at her. Just wonderful.

"When your father and I come, we'll just bring the paperwork for her tosign over a few liquids to the business."

"Yeah,"

I could feel my eyes filling with burning tears. However, everything coiled uparound my eyes.

"I need to go."

"Where?" My voice croaked.


"The Casino had been rented out for a party. I'll add that since Mateo gotus in line with a couple more investors, business has been booming?"

A sob escaped my throat.


"What about next week, I take you out of the house?"

"You promise?" I sounded shattered. I wasn't used to staying in thehouse and looking at the walls. I guess homesickness has finally hit me, and itaches more than anything else I've ever experienced.

"Promise. However, you must understand that marriage could be monotonousat times. Not every Friday night will be like a Friday night."

"Hmm,"

"I love you; remember to smile and suck. Suck and smile."

When she gets off the phone.
I peered out into the darkness. I wrapped myself in darkness and let my tearsto flow freely. I couldn't stop sobbing, especially after seeing everyone elsepartying while I was stuck at home with a jerk.