The Contract
The Levinsons left the Sinclair estate after finalising everything about the wedding. The wedding was going to take place in two days. They were going to register for the wedding tomorrow and then have a private wedding ceremony in the church. Throughout the planning, Amaia discovered a shocking truth. Even though they had sent out all the wedding invitations, there was no mention of the wedding or bride-groom. They sent a plain invitation with instructions on the dress code. The idea was obviously Alyssa's, as she was afraid that if people found out about the wedding, then there might be a possibility of the news leaking and reaching the paparazzi and media.
After hearing that, Amaia couldn't help but wonder if Alyssa was planning to run away for a while or if it was a sudden decision. Whatever it was, she didn't expect it to happen. Alyssa was her parents' perfect daughter, their ultimate pride. Whatever she would do would make them proud. She, on the other hand, was nothing but a shadow.
A shadow that was invisible in her parents' eyes. Her efforts, her achievements, her success—everything would turn pale in comparison with her sisters. She has never been appreciated since her childhood. Her parents kept comparing her to her older sister, making her slowly dislike her. They were only three years apart. Their parents didn't even realize how their continuous comparison made them drift apart as siblings and as families. It's not like they really cared about being a family. For her father, Edward Sinclair, only money, power, and fame mattered. He would put them above everything, even his family. For her mother, being the perfect wife for Edward Sinclair and taking care of Alyssa was everything. She would put everything into these two things. There was no extra place for Amaia Sinclair. At first, they really tried to make her like Alyssa, trying to push her to get better grades, learn to play instruments, learn new languages, and do whatever it took to make her the perfect daughter. However, once they found out she was diagnosed with dyslexia, they finally gave up. It is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in inaccurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Growing up, she faced difficulties in focusing, memorizing, spelling, and summarizing. She was slower than kids around her age, while her sister was extremely smart and an overachiever. Growing up, their personalities also changed drastically. Alyssa became calmer yet extroverted, while she became outgoing and yet ambiverted, which her parents didn't like as they thought she was an introverted kid.
A sudden knock on the bedroom door made Amaia snap back to reality. She didn't even realize how long she had been standing in front of the mirror, holding the white dress that was supposed to be Alyssa's wedding dress. Half an hour ago, her mother sent the dress to her room through one of the maids for her to try it on. Even though she and Alyssa had completely different types of bodies and heights, her mother somehow believed she would still fit in the dress. Just holding the dress in her body, Amaia knew it wouldn't fit her. Even though Elyssa was the older child, Amaia was taller than her by two inches. Alyssa was five feet, four inches, while Amaia was five feet, six. Even their taste in fashion was north and south. The wedding dress was too modest and plain for Amaia's liking.
But how could she complain about wearing her wedding dress when she's marrying the man she was supposed to marry but left behind?
"Amaia?" Her mother's loud, impatient voice reached her ears, making her instantly put the dress on the bed before running towards the door to open it.
"What took you so long?" As soon as she opened the door, her mother narrowed her gaze at her.
"I was changing, Mom." Amaia lied while taking a step back, letting her mother enter the room.
"Alright, get ready and wear something nice. Adriann wants to take you out to buy the wedding rings. He sent his driver to pick you up." She informed me nonchalantly while walking towards her closet. Amaia's eyes widened in surprise after hearing her mother's words.
"Wear this and remember, don't do anything stupid. Your father's already upset because of Alyssa. So be careful until the wedding. Everything has to go perfectly." Her mother warned coldly while handing her a baby pink dress she just picked from her wardrobe. Amaia mentally grimaced at the sight of the dress, as she didn't like this colour at all. However, she could only swallow her displeasure while nodding at her mother with a smile like the perfect daughter she desperately wanted to be.
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"What is this?" Amaia questioned herself as she stared at the papers on her hands. She tried to open it and read it; however, it wasn't possible for her to read such small words in this situation. The papers looked like some kind of prenuptial contract.
"Can't you read?" Adriann's sarcastic words reached her ears, making her look up to meet his eyes. The pair of grey eyes she was deeply fond of were staring down at her coldly. His over-fixed foot and three-inch frame towered over her as he observed her. His warm brown hair was perfectly swept over his head, giving the perfect view of his forehead. Amaia's eyes couldn't help but slightly scan his handsome frame. He was undoubtedly the most attractive man she had laid her eyes on. The six-year age gap didn't stop her from falling madly in love with him. She fell in love with him even before he was her sister's fiance. She laid her eyes on him first, yet her sister was the one who got to have him. However, not anymore. Now he was going to be her husband, not Alyssa's. The thought made her suddenly feel all giddy and excited, like a teenager. She bit her lips slightly before clearing her throat to speak.
"Can you explain?" She asked softly while closing the papers. He didn't know about her dyslexia, and there was no way she was going to tell him about it. What if he mocked her? Besides, she didn't expect to be suddenly brought into his office instead of going to the jewellery store to buy their wedding rings. Adriann's assistant brought her here, saying he was going to discuss some important things with her.
"Prenuptial Contract. We will be married for three years until your father retires from his position. Now read it and sign it." He responded coldly before ordering her to sign it. Amaia let out a frown when she heard him.
"What do you mean? Why do we need a prenup?" She asked in confusion, making Adriann let out a dry chuckle.
"Are you dumb?" He scoffed while his eyes shot a sharp glare in her direction. Ouch! That hurt.
"Can you not talk to me like that? I'm going to be your wife in a day." Amaia mustered all of her courage before speaking. She didn't like the hostile look on his face or the cold attitude he was giving her. It was something new. He never behaved like this with her before. Even though they didn't interact much when he was engaged to her sister, he still behaved politely and gently on the few occasions they met.
"Wife?" Adriann said it with mockery before bursting into humourless chuckles. Amaia stared at him with nervousness as a sudden, ominous feeling rose inside the pit of her stomach.
"You will never be my wife, Amaia. You are just a substitute for your sister. A goddamn replacement I never asked for," he said harshly as his grey eyes glared at her furiously. Those words pierced her heart like a sharp knife, cutting her into pieces.
"Is that all you think of me? A substitute?" She asked, swallowing the bitterness. She already knew the answer to her question, yet she wanted to hear it from his mouth. A few drops of warm tears slowly escaped her eyes before she could stop them.
"Of course, once the contract is over, I don't want to do anything with you or your family." He answered coldly, without any remorse. The tiny amount of hope she had in her heart vanished as soon as those words left his mouth. Right there at the moment, she knew Adriann Levinson, the man she had loved all her life, would never love her back. She would always be a substitute in his life, a goddamn replacement he was forced to accept in his life.