just for a bloody contract | Roman Godfrey au

ch. 6 • dinner plans

I retreated to my room, studied, and fell asleep without dinner. I was getting tired of Roman. I was getting tired of his yelling. I decided I was going to avoid his at all costs, just ignore his existence.

The following few weeks went the same way. I went to school, volunteered to stay late and work on labs, did most of my studying in the college library, came home to go straight to Shelley's room to greet her and spend time with her, asked Comway to bring my food to my room, and went to sleep. The tactic worked. I had only sensed Roman's presence once when he was laughing with Shelley in the dining room and I walked past it to go to the kitchen.

That was until one Thursday night three months into our "marriage". Roman apparently asked that I should join him and Shelley for dinner. Comway called me, and I had no option but to say yes.

I came to the dinner table. Roman already began eating. Shelley, however, waited patiently for me. What a sweetheart.

I didn't bother to look at Roman. Instead, I smiled at Shelley and started to enjoy my meal.

"You need to drop by the tower tomorrow. Details later," he randomly mentioned in the middle of our uneventful dinner.

"I have a test," I told him.

"Then straight afterwards. Don't go fooling off with anyone. What time do you think you'll be done? "

"Um, by noon?" I calculated.

"Alright, that works, " Roman said. "Come into the study after dinner."

He then spent the rest of dinner talking to Shelley. I played with my food. I sighed, ate a couple more bites, then headed to the study to wait for Roman. And he came in, much to my dismay.

"It won't take very long. Just come over to my office at noon and pretend to be in love with me. That's all I had to say. I didn't want to talk about it in front of Shelley," Roman explained.

I nodded. What else was I supposed to do.

"Also," Roman added, "are you by any chance nearing your period soon?"

I furrowed my brows and looked at him, half offended, half confused. "No..." I answered, very unsure of why he would need to know that information.

"Well when you do, be sure to stay away from me. Don't ask questions. I'm going to bed," he said even before I could talk and left me alone in the study.

Part of me boiled in anger. What was wrong with periods? Ugh, men like this make girls feel like victims and captives. I wanted to send him a tampon so he faints from just seeing it. What was he, 12?

"I'd stay away from you as much as I can either way," I yelled in the empty room. I pushed away my thoughts. No use wasting them on him. I had better things to do with my brain, like study for that immune system test tomorrow. 

__

The test went well, I think. After that, I drove myself to the White Tower, professionally known as the Godfrey Institute. I was excited to go in. I wanted to work at the hospital here after I was done. Right now, though, I was only a wife meant for reassuring the investors that Roman had mended his ways. aka my part of the contract. 

I went to the reception and asked where I would find Roman. The receptionist told me to go to the 23rd floor and check in either Roman's office or the conference room. If he wasn't there, he was probably with Dr. Pryce.

Dr. Pryce was who Daniel told me about. I hoped he would like me. I went to the 23rd floor and did not find Roman. I however did spot a man of eastern Asian descent with short black hair. He was wearing a suit and was walking rather fast towards the elevator at the same time I was.

"Excuse me, Sir. Do you know where Mr. Godfrey is? I am his wife." I told the man.

The man paused, looked at me, and smiled. It was not a warm smile, rather one that hid something. He extended his hand towards me. "Dr. Johann Pryce, director of research at the institute. Pleasure to meet you, Ms.?"

"Liana," I said as I shook his hand. So this was Pryce.

"After you," Pryce said as he took me to some other floor I hadn't paid much attention to. It was noon. I was on time and Roman was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he forgot? I was debating whether I should leave but that's when Dr. Pryce told me he was going to see Roman too.

Something told me I shouldn't be here. Roman did tell me to stay in his office. But it was Dr. Pryce. He didn't even know me to do anything. Pryce and I reached a small door, almost the color of the wall. It was so different from all the other oak or mahogany doors I saw on the way here.

"He's in there," assured Pryce, as if he read my mind. As much as I hated Roman, he was the only person I knew here, so knowing he would be with me gave me a sense of relief.

Opening that door was probably one of the dumbest decisions I had ever made, even more than marrying Roman.

As soon as I opened the door, a cold blast of air hit my face and I closed my eyes to shield them. A stench made its way up my nose. I opened my eyes and saw the most horrible thing ever.