I was Sold to My Dead Brother's Best Friend

The Contract

They all just kept watching me as I continued to crack up laughing because I knew I had gone insane by this point and the men in white were going to come take me away to a padded room very soon. My brother sat down and looked at a really expensive looking phone I had never seen before as I was still choking up small giggles.

"Max, is this for real?" That halted my laughing; my father’s serious voice always scared me.

"Yes, he is willing to pay even more if it will help with your futures and Benny's." He looked over to him and smiled. "It will also compensate you for the distress of my disappearance.” He tried to hand me the pack of papers, this time I was able to take it from him.

“As well as for Annie’s." My parents just nodded their head in agreement.

"For me? What is that supposed to mean “for Annie’s”?" I said in a mocking tone.

"Well Annie, if you will read the contract that the prince has drafted up it will explain everything." My parents were whispering quietly.

"I don't want to read any contract. I want you to tell me what that last statement meant." Shock was melting into anger. I tossed the folder onto the coffee table that sat in front of me. My brother shot me a disappointed look.

"Annie, the prince is my boss as well as my friend. He became infatuated with you quickly after I left," he said as if him leaving wasn’t a big deal. He broke my little eight year old heart and all this time I and my parents were thinking that he was dead or kidnapped. And he left of his own volition. His own free will.

"How could you say that as if you don't even care? Do you even know how much you hurt me when you just left me like I was nothing to you." He looked at me and said nothing until he pulled out his phone and messed with it.

"Annie, this is not the time to speak about your anger with me."

"No, I think it is a great time to speak about it." I stood up to make my point clear. I reached for my phone that was going off in my pocket.

It was a text from Joel. A giant grin stretched across my face, he was going to be here soon. I looked up from my phone to see they all were looking at me, with confused expressions. I put the phone away and turned to my parents to tell them about what had happened at Joel's earlier. Max stood as if he was going to say something, but I cut him off by walking closer to my parents.

"Mom, dad, before I came home I was at Joel's house and there something really important I have to tell you before he gets here." My father stood up fast.

"You better not be pregnant, I’ll kill that pest." My father was a very tall, well-built man and it kind of frightened me after he said this.

"Dad, no! I'm not pregnant, geez I thought you all had a little more faith in me."

            "Sorry sweetie, that’s just usually how that conversation starts." He sat back down next to my mother.

"Like I was going to say, I was over there before I came home to see our…company," I sent a glare in Max’s direction who was messing with his phone again. “but Joel has asked me to marry him." I showed them the ring on my hand. "And I said yes."

"No!" My father’s voice boomed throughout the house.

I was in shock, looking at both my parents as I felt the intense gaze of my brother that was behind me. I was so confused. I didn't know he felt this way about Joel. But he still had no right to tell me what I could and couldn’t do with my life. I was eighteen, an adult, and I could make my own decisions about my life. My hands curled into fists and I felt like I wanted to hit my own father.

"I agree, father." I turned to see my brother that had come closer to the conversation.

            "What?" I yelled.

"Annie, you heard your father, he said no." I looked back to him feeling confused and hurt.

"But-but-" I couldn't even think as my heart felt pained all the while I could feel drops of tears running down my face.

"Annie, if you would stop interrupting and listen to your brother and the prince’s proposal you would agree with us in our decision to not let you marry Joel,” my father said while giving me a stern look.

"No, you can't tell me what to do, I'm an adult and I am going to marry Joel whether you like it or not." I was so angry I pushed past my brother and started making my way to the stairs, but he grabbed my arm and stopped me from leaving.

"Annie, you might be an adult, but under this roof you do as we say understand?" My father was standing next to my mother; both giving me looks that told me to do as he said.

"No, let go of me. I'm leaving and I won't be under your roof for much longer. Joel will be here soon and his parents love me." I tried to pull me arm free, but Max’s grasp was like an iron clamp.

"Young lady you are not going anywhere with Joel, your mother and I have decided to sign the contract.” Not being able to marry Joel was the only thought that crossed my mind.

"Wait, what does that contract say? I thought I was only to give retribution for Max's disappearance.”

"Annie, the contract is for both you and-"

            "What, I'm not the one that went missing?" I interrupted.

Max responded, "No you haven't, but you will technically tonight when the prince comes for you." He looked at his fancy watch. “Which will be very soon.”

"I'm not going anywhere with this prince of yours," I sneered and slammed my foot down on his which made his grip loosen. I managed to get my arm loose and run up the stairs.