Fire on Fire

18. Nothing is more important than freedom

"If you think that's my only copy ..."

"Of course, it isn't." Emma rolled her eyes. "Like I said, not the point." She opened the contract to the page she needed, pointing at the bottom of it. "White ink is kind of a childish move," she scoffed, "Alexander didn't see it because he didn't even know to look for it. Marriage," she spat, "you plan to set him up, force him to marry you. And for how long?"

"If you've read the clause, then you know." Nancy shrugged, admiring her nails.

"I don't even want to try to understand your motives, Nancy." Emma spat, slamming the papers onto the desk. "But you cannot trap him like that."

"He signed the contract, he is bound to it."

"You made him sign under false promises. As far as he knows, in 13 months he'll be free, which is far from true. You basically own him for life."

"Well, I wouldn't say life." Nancy laughed wryly. "Just long enough to get what I want."

Emma clenched her jaw. "Which is?"

"None of your business."

"On the contrary," Emma spat, "Alexander's life is my concern. More than it is yours."

"Awww, so you two are a thing now?" Nancy mocked. "How cute. A murderer and a whore, really nice couple."

"Still better than the fake romance you put up for 2 years." Emma shrugged. "Now, what do you want?" She asked sternly. "What would make you rip that stupid agreement?"

"Why would I give up on our deal?"

"Because you cannot force someone to marry you!" Emma yelled, slamming her hands onto the desk as she lost patience. "You cannot chain someone to you, ruin their lives, just to get your way."

"You forget one thing," Nancy scoffed, "the life he has, I gave it to him." She bypassed the desk to get right in front of Emma. "I pulled him out of the shithole he'd sunk in. I gave him a second chance. I made sure that not a single word of his past came out. If Alexander Adams has a second life, it's only because of me." She clenched her jaw. "So, you see, I don't have to force him, because he owes me."

"And for how long? Is the rest of his life enough to repay you? Or maybe he needs another one or two just to be even with you?" Emma scoffed, taking a step closer to her ex-friend. "You cannot buy someone's love, Nancy. You cannot force him to love you, or even think that if he stays long enough, eventually he will come to feel for you what you, evidently, feel for him."

The young lawyer let out a loud coarse laugh, taking a step back. "You think I'm in love with him?" She guffawed. "You people seriously need to stop watching Hallmark movies. Life's not all about love, Emma. There are way more important things than love."

"Nothing is more important than freedom." Emma stated. "Nothing, no goal, no milestone is worth taking someone's freedom."

"Like I said, he had a choice. He chose to sign the contract, he is bound to it."

"He didn't know it would be for life!"

"Which it isn't," Nancy scoffed, "it's just ... a bit longer than he expected."

Emma furrowed her brows, stopping to think for a moment. She would keep him prisoner until she got what she wanted, Nancy had said. What could she possibly want more than marriage? Then, she realized. "A baby." Emma thought out loud. "You ... you're not going to free him until he gives you a baby."

Nancy remained mostly impassive, letting out only a light smirk. She went to lean against her desk, and remained staring at Emma for a long moment, without letting transpire a single emotion. Then, she pressed a button on the intercom. "Holly?" She called her assistant.

"Yes, Ms. Dorsey?" The girl answered promptly.

"Tell security I'm ready now."

"Yes, Ms. Dorsey."

A moment later, two buff men came in, and approached Emma, who wasn't surprised. She'd seen them standing right outside, they'd been called right after she'd been announced. Either Nancy wanted to be sure nothing physical happened, or she just wanted to make a show. Probably the latter, Emma thought.

"I don't need to be escorted out." She shrugged off their hands when the guards tried to grab her. "You think about what I said." Emma told Nancy. "You know where to find me." Having said that, she left.

She knew that getting Nancy to comply wouldn't be easy, but at least now she knew what the woman really wanted from Alexander.

Emma didn't even want to try to understand her motives. Why would anyone trap someone in a marriage and into having a kid? Was Nancy's grandmother's plan that detailed?

However, that wasn't important. What mattered the most was doing anything in her power to free Alexander from his trap. She was certain that only one thing would convince Nancy to let him go. She hoped it wouldn't get that far, but if it did, she would give anything for him.