"Are you sure you read it perfectly?"
The lawyer representing the Durand Corporation spoke with a trace of doubt, seated squarely in the bridal room, while guests outside hovered near the door, straining their ears to listen. Their presence was a silent chorus of judgment, their eyes wide with curiosity at the unexpected spectacle.
Haylen Theodore only straightened her back, and with her hands clasped neatly in her laps, she nodded.
At first glance, she looked like a delicate Cinderella in lace and satin, looking all elegant and fragile, a soft beauty.
Her face was all smiles. However, her eyes couldn't hide the absurdity of this moment.
From the instant her eyes landed on the lawyer who decided to deliberately enter the bridal room just to set tongues wagging, she already suspected he wasn't here to just talk about a mere contract, but was here specifically to perform for the audience.
"I have read every single line." Haylen replied calmly, "...But have you added what I asked for?"
"This contract was already made effectively with the agreement of both parties for a harmonious marriage!"
Attorney Alfred mutters while picking up the marriage agreement file. Staring at the file, his eyes glanced at Haylen then suddenly he began reciting the contents of the contracts in front of the fellow guests.
"Miss Haylen Theodore is unable to have children, so they will have a child through a surrogate mother or alternative means!"
"....." Haylen only clenched her hands, by the audacity of attorney Alfred, who spoke without giving a will to.
"Furthermore, in the event the surrogate and Mr. Durand wish to engage in intimacy, it shall be permitted without consequence or restriction. All parties acknowledge and consent to this clause."
Attorney Alfred spoke the last words loudly, his eyes glanced to the silent Haylen while his expression couldn't hide the satisfied smug on his face.
"The contract also stated that, in any case, both the surrogate mother and party involved, that is Basilio Durand, need intimacy; they can both satisfy one another with no need of consequences."
Even when Haylen already read over and over about the contract a month ago. Hearing loud and clear about it right now from attorney Alfred's mouth made her stomach twisted.
It was a written contract with not only the most absurd content but also a vulgar display of insincerity.
That which allows her husband to have children with other women or intimacy if any of the 'supposed parties' wanted. As if that wasn't insulting enough.
It was now exposed, word for word, in front of an audience.
"These are terms," Alfred finished, "are deemed necessary for a Theodor to marry into the Durand family."
Theodore and Durand.
Those two words were enough to justify everything in the prenuptial agreement.
The world was always for those of hierarchy, and thousands believed and followed that mentality without a doubt. Money, power, politics, and business all took over the ruling class. Durand Corporation was one of those holding innate power over every stronghold.
Haylen Theodor, who came from one of these circles, was a less wealthy family. Wealthy by blood, yes, but not powerful.
Not protected.
And to survive among the elites, Haylen had learned early: How to adapt. Be useful. Be still. Be smiling, and lastly, know where she belongs.
Even she hadn't expected that last rule to be broken. That was when her father, CEO Luther, set his goal to marry her to the Durands, with how he's a greedy man who can cross any limit, legal or illegal, to get what he wants; it wasn't awestruck and so shocking to her as it is to people outside the world not knowing how? Where? What transpired she's about to be the groom's wife.
Haylen knew with this contract agreement; this marriage was a cruel trick to Durand just like it was to her.
"What's the fuss about, just sign it!" Luther, who was seated close to Haylen, had staring at both attorney Alfred and Haylen's discussion for a while now. Impatiently chimed in, "It can't be helped you're barren, at least this the only deal you've to accept to marry CEO Basilio."
A dry laugh escaped her lips as Haylen inwardly repeated the bitter words, 'Only deal.'
Her father must be kidding her; he was now acting as if this was a hefty luxury wedding gift given to her for her benefit when he was the one and only who had already received a large sum of investment and benefited from this marriage.
"Many men have mistresses and lovers, so this is normal!"
Of course normal to a man who was no different.
Haylen raised her chin, clenching her lips and hands on her dress.
"Hand it over. I'll sign!"
She couldn't continue hearing the talks of nonsense coming from Luther's mouth. To her, it was better to end this and move on to the wedding vows.
"He can have as many mistresses as he sees fit. However, the child's right to be a mother should be only me!"
The on-lookers who were enjoying this show gasped in shock. Most of them must think she was out of her mind to accept such a blatant contract. Haylen, however, who had a thick skin, was not interested in the people now thinking she must be crazy, as she proudly declined, "I won't want for my child to grow up in an unstable house!"
A slow hushed fall over the room.
"Ahem!" Attorney Alfred coughed out, shifting a bit to sit comfortably as he glared at Haylen, seeming to mock her for the nonsense she just uttered, acting innocently pure. He seemed to have a thought as long as she wasn't present, the child would grow up healthy and stable.
However, in this situation where Haylen is branded as a woman who coveted what wasn't hers and her reputation is already tainted, she wouldn't mind making it a bit worse.
"Add those clauses too, Attorney Alfred!"
Haylen smiled with a brightened face, which to Attorney Alfred cringed to him Haylen was nothing but a pretentious woman. Yet, he couldn't decline the order given to him; after all, the one holding the string more to this pathetic circus of a wedding was Theodore's.
Standing up after tapping the clause on the pad so to print out the new contract agreement. Haylen who was clutching her trembling fingers holding on her dress, sighed, she knows better than anyone.
How dare she.
But this was one thing she took to herself; even if it meant to be with a man whose life was perfect in every way.
She has to have the child as hers, even if she needs to prove herself again and again as the perfect wife in and outside if she can be greedy with this to escape the shackles of her father together with both her mother and brother.
She would dare.