The Heiress' Revenge-Chapter 128 Sign It

Sarah’s POV

The front door was already open. Melinda stood there, her kind face worried.

"Sarah dear," she said softly. "Come in, he’s waiting for you."

"Where is he?" I asked, but my voice came out small.

"He said to meet him in his study, but can you stop by the garden? Ryan is out there, and he’s been asking about you."

My heart dinged in surprise... Ryan? Asking for me?

That’s new.

"Is he okay?" I asked.

Melinda’s face got sad. "He’s... coping. He doesn’t understand what happened, though; he just knows you’re not here anymore."

I nodded and walked through the house to the back door, heading to the garden.

I met him sitting on his usual bench, alone as usual, staring at the flowers while his little legs dangled off the bench.

I walked toward him slowly. "Ryan?"

He moved, and for a second I could swear I saw him smile before he looked away.

I sat down on the bench next to him, leaving a little space between us. "Hey buddy.... Heard you’ve been looking for me."

Slowly, he turned his head, his face twisting into more sadness. "You left me, just like my mummy, just like the others."

The words hit me like a slap. "What? Ryan no. I’m not—"

"You left." "You left, and you didn’t come back, Melinda said you had to go.... You left as everyone leaves."

"Ryan, listen to me, please —"

"No!" He shouted, his eyes were wet now. "I don’t like you... just go away."

He got up and ran through m the door, into the house.

I sat there, frozen, my heart felt like someone had grabbed it and squeezed.

Hard.

He thought I had left him.

The poor boy was so used to people coming and leaving.

Maybe I should consider staying because of him... but Marcus, hell no!

A sob caught in my throat.

"You’re here."

The voice came from behind me.

I spun around, facing Marcus, who stood there at the edge of the garden. He was in a dark suit, perfectly pressed, his face was unreadable, but his eyes burned through me.

"Study," he said. "Now."

He didn’t wait for an answer and just turned and walked back inside.

I wiped my eyes quickly and followed him.

Marcus was already behind his desk, sitting in his big leather chair. He didn’t offer me a seat but rather just pointed at the chair across from him.

"Sit."

I sat.

My hands were in my lap, clenched together so tight my knuckles were white.

He pushed a thick paper across the desk toward me.

"Read it," he said with his voice flat. No emotion. "And then sign."

I looked at the papers, then back at him. "I haven’t agreed to anything yet."

"You will." He leaned back in his chair. "Read."

I pulled the contract toward me and began reading... the last time I read something through a contract was five years ago.

The terms.

Section 4: Public Presentation

Ms. Knight agrees to present herself publicly as Mrs. Marcus Specter at all times, and this includes but is not limited to: social events, business functions, family gatherings, media appearances, and any other situation where she may be identified as connected to Mr. Knight.

Ms. Knight agrees to behave in a manner befitting the wife of a prominent businessman. This includes appropriate dress, speech, and conduct at all times. Any behavior deemed embarrassing or damaging to the Specter will result in consequences.

Section 5: Private Conduct

In private, Ms. Knight will continue her duties as nanny to Ryan Specter. She will follow all rules and schedules established for Ryan’s care without exception.

Ms. Knight will reside in the Specters’ mansion. She will have her own bedroom but will share a bed with Mr. Specter when required for appearances (such as when household staff is present or when overnight guests are in the residence).

Section 7: Personal Conduct

Ms. Knight agrees not to engage in any romantic or sexual relationships with any person other than Mr. Specter during the term of this agreement.

Ms. Knight agrees not to discuss the terms of this agreement with anyone, including family, friends, or media, without express written permission from Mr. Specter.

Ms. Knight agrees to make no public statements about Mr. Specter, his family, his business, or his personal life without prior approval.

Section 12: Termination

This agreement may be terminated by Mr. Specter after a year.

I stared at the pages with my hands shaking.

"This is insane," I whispered.

"It’s a contract," Marcus said calmly. "Standard for arrangements like this."

"Standard?" I looked up at him. "This says I have to share a bed with you when people are around. This says you can fire me anytime for any reason, but I can never leave. This says I have to act like your wife in public but be the nanny in private.... This says I have no rights at all!"

"You have rights," he said. "The rights spelled out in that document are nothing more, nothing less."

I stood up, causing the chair to scrape against the floor. "I can’t do this. I can’t be in a fake relationship with someone like you. I can’t live in this house pretending to be your wife while you treat me like dirt. I can’t—"

"Sit down."

His voice was quiet, but it cut through my words like a knife, forcing me to look at him, his eye cold, hard, and deadly.

"I said sit down, Sarah."

I didn’t sit, but I didn’t leave either. I just stood there frozen.

He stood up slowly and walked around the desk. Stopped right in front of me, and he was so tall I had to look up to see his face.

"Let me explain something to you," he said quietly. "You brought this upon yourself by breaking my rules in the first place."

I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up a hand.

"I’m not finished....Because of you, my life is chaos. So yes, this contract is one-sided. Yes, it favors me.... Yes, you have a few rights. That’s the point."

He leaned closer, his face inches from mine.

"You owe me, Sarah, and you will pay me back with a year of your life, that’s the deal. Take it or leave it."

I stared at him as my eyes were burned with tears I refused to let fall.

"And if I leave it?" I whispered.

He smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile.

"Then you walk out that door as a dead woman."

My heart dropped.

Just who is Marcus Specter?

He stepped back. "So go ahead...Leave and see how far you get."

I stood there shaking with every part of me wanting to run, scream, and fight.

"I hate you," I whispered. The words came out before I could stop them.

Marcus’s expression didn’t change. "Good for you."

He walked back around his desk and sat down. He pulled out a pen and placed it on top of the contract.

"Sign it, Sarah, then go find Melinda. She’ll show you to your room... contract starts tonight."

I looked at the pen, the contract, and the man who was about to own me for a year.

My hand reached out. It was shaking as I picked up the pen.

"This doesn’t mean I accept this," I said quietly. "This doesn’t mean I forgive you or like you or want any of this. I’m doing this for Ryan because he deserves someone who won’t leave."

Marcus nodded slowly. "Sign."

I signed my name on the last page, and it felt heavy.

The ink felt permanent.

When I finished, I pushed the contract back toward him, and he picked it up, checked the signature, and nodded.

"Welcome to the family, Mrs. Specter," he said.

I turned and walked to the door. My hand was on the handle when he spoke again.

"Sarah."

I stopped but didn’t turn around.

"Tell Stephanie she picked a fight with the wrong person."

I didn’t answer, but just opened the door and walked out.

And maybe he was right because what kind of person signs away a year of their life to a man as despicable?

A desperate one.

A broken one.

One with no other choice.

One year.

I could survive a year.

I hoped.