The Royal Contract

It was the most convenient place she could find under their circumstances, where they would have the chance to talk without too much interruption or someone eavesdropping on their conversation.

“So, you have five minutes to explain yourself,” Amelia said as she turned the engine off, looking at her watch before scanning the place for other people nearby.

She could see a single woman carrying two paper bags in her hands as she struggled to place them inside the backseat of her car. Another older woman, pushing a trolley of groceries, passed their car, probably going towards the end of the line.

“Thanks. I hope that is all I need to convince you that I am truly sorry for leaving you in your room that morning. I was stupid and a fool for thinking that one night with you was all I needed to forget you.” Evan had no plan to cover his ass and come up with more lies.

If he wished for a future with Amelia, he had to come clean and hope she would forgive him. He believed it had always been what he had wanted since he met her. He was just too afraid to admit it to himself.

He thought that by accepting Amelia as the only woman in his life. He would be ending his future. But he now believed that it was the other way around. If only he could win her back, he would build his entire life around her.

.....

“What made you change your mind? After all, that was how you see all women. Right? Just an object.” She answered him with a tinge of anger in her tone. “As I remembered, you describe us as a piece of clothing that you can easily discard and replace.”

She did not wish to lose her temper, but thinking about that morning reminded her of how he had disregarded her feelings. He hurt her, and a sorry could not easily change what happened or mend her broken heart.

It had nothing to do with losing her virginity but more on the fact that she gave her heart to him and then realized it did not mean anything. Besides, it was just icing on the cake. What he did next was worse?

Her mind reminded her of one morning when she received a package sent to the apartment addressed to her. It had no return address or the sender’s name, but she was curious to know what was inside. S.o, she opened it.

“What is that?” She remembered Angela asked as she returned to the kitchen to finish their breakfast.

As she sat down on her chair, she pulled the contents of the envelope out until she saw a note on top of another smaller envelope. She was both skeptical and interested to know the rest of the content.

LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT YOUR SO-CALLED BOYFRIEND DOES WHEN YOU ARE NOT AROUND. I DON’T LIKE SEEING YOU GET HURT. The note said in big, bold letters.

She might already have a clue who might have sent the package. “Tony!” He did not need to write his name on the bottom to know who would have a grudge against Evan.

Tony had made it clear during the party that he was interested in her. But when she told him that Evan was her boyfriend, he had this look that said he was not yet through with her.

Even if she did not use Evan, she had no plans to go with that man. She did not trust him and would never will. She always saw him with those lascivious stares that had always given her the creep.

Now, she was afraid he was stalking her, learning that Tony had discovered where she was staying. How else could he have sent this package to her?

“That seemed creepy.” Eida stood at her back, eavesdropping on her note. “Who send that? And what is inside that envelope?” She continued as her friend sat beside her.

“I think it is Tony. I saw him the other night at the party.” Amelia explained to them but did not go through the full details of the story, hoping that Eida would just let it go.

“Why would he send you that? And who is your boyfriend?” Her friend had this smile telling her she did not like it when she kept secrets.

Amelia never liked to keep anything from her, but after what happened, she was ashamed to tell them about that night and her short-lived relationship with him.

Anyway, what could he have sent her? It was also her question as she stared at the parcel in her hand. From the feel of it on her fingers, she would say it might be a bunch of papers or something.

“You have a boyfriend.” This time, Angela also butted in. Of course, she had heard what Eida said. Now, she was curious to know if they were talking about her grandson.

She could only hope because she knew they were perfect for each other. But, if that was the case, she also wondered why Amelia had not mentioned any of it to them.

She already suspected that they had seen each other at the party. Could it be possible that Amelia was talking about another guy? She certainly hoped not because she truly wished for her grandson to end up with this wonderful lady.

“Not exactly. It was a long story.” She reasoned, but it seemed the two were up for a storytelling time as they both sat comfortably before her.

“You can’t expect a pregnant woman to sit and wait. Do you? Come on, spill...” Eida had not given birth yet back then.

To make the story short, she told them the first version, that part where she used Evan to pretend as her boyfriend in front of Tony. “Evan even bid for me from the auction so Tony would buy the act and leave me alone.”

It was just an act.