just for a bloody contract | Roman Godfrey au

ch. 5 • shee-it

A few weeks passed. Letha had asked me to come over to Peter's house to meet him. House as in trailer, but it was cozy inside. It felt like home, as messy as it was. Unlike the empty, cold mansion I had to stay in. I'd take the trailer over that any day. 

"Peter makes good tea," Letha said. "He also bakes delicious cookies." 

"I never would've guessed," I laughed and bit into one of the cookies Peter had served. "Mmm, these actually are good. Where'd you learn to do that?" I asked.

"Not telling," Peter said. "The chef has his secrets." 

"I have a question," I told Peter, changing my tone to a little more serious. "Why doesn't Roman approve of your relationship? Is it because of your financial status because if it is I can figh-"

"No, no," Peter said. He took Letha's hands into his. "It's not that. He just loves her too much. He doesn't think anyone would treat her right. That I would hurt her."

"Well he needs to understand not everyone is a stuck-up brat like him. Genuinely nice people exist too," I furrowed my eyebrows. 

"Liana- he isn't that bad," Letha said. 

I crossed my arms. "Letha, to you, no one at all is bad. You keep seeing people's good sides and maybe Roman is sweet with you, but you probably can sense how he is around me."

"I can't believe he actually signed that contract," Peter said. "No offense to you. But I would never put Roman and marriage into the same sentence. Give him time." I couldn't believe Peter was defending Roman when Roman just insulted his relationship with Letha. 

"Aunt Olivia's doing, probably," Letha looked at Peter. 

"Shee-it, that woman," Peter shook his head. "Anyway, leave that. We're here for you anytime you need it. Really."

"Thanks guys. Without you both and Shelley, I would probably collapse the first week of knowing him." I hugged both Shelley and Peter and decided I should get going. 

I started up my car and began to drive when midway, it stopped. I groaned in frustration and slapped the steering wheel. Why now. I closed my eyes in order to think. Should I call Roman? No, he's probably busy with work, and if I called him, he'd probably take me to his beloved study and yell at me. I didn't need that. 

Daniel. I remembered his classes were finished by now, and he could probably help. Roman wasn't home anyway. I called him. Conveniently, he was on the same route, so he easily could pick me up. While I waited, I called a tow truck to get my car to a mechanic. 

"Whaddya know," Daniel said when I got in his car. "Never thought you'd finally let me drive you home." 

"Roman's busy. Thank you so much," I said.

"Not a problem. Not a problem at all," he smiled. Daniel drove me to the mansion and got out when I did. 

I gave him a hug. "Thank you again for your help."

"I got the memo the first time, Liana. See you tomorrow," Daniel laughed.

Just when he turned around to go to his seat of the car, Roman came out of nowhere and grabbed Daniel's collar. Shee-it. 

"How dare you touch my wife?" Roman shouted and gritted his teeth. 

"Roman, stop!" I yelled back. "Please stop. Let him go. We can talk about this later," I told him, trying to keep my calm but miserably failing. I was getting mad.

Roman let go of Daniel's collar and stormed inside. I cant believe he listened.

"I'm so, so sorry. I really am. I shouldn't have asked you. I'm sorry," I apologized. 

"Hey, it wasn't your fault. It's not on you to say sorry," Daniel said as he straightened his shirt.

"He can, he can just be a bit moody sometimes. Probably a bad day at work. I'll talk to him. But Daniel, just don't come here again for your own sake, okay?" I look at him apologetically. I lied, but it made more sense than the truth now. 

He seemed to understand. Of course I knew he would. He was mature, unlike the baby I was supposed to go talk to right now. As soon as I entered the mansion doors and closed them, I heard glass shattering in the study. Ah, the study. The keeper of all my sorrows.

I knew what was coming. But I didn't do anything wrong at all this time, so I went in and closed the door behind me.

There was glass shattered everywhere. They were probably paper holders. And one was a vase.

"Did you kiss your little boyfriend goodbye?" Roman still gritted his teeth and started throwing the items on his desk on the floor.

"Roman, stop," I said in a stern but soft voice. "Roman, I said stop!" louder.

"Oh why's that? You go around sleeping with men from your school. Is that what I'm sponsoring? I'm paying you to mock me?"

"Roman, please. He's a friend. Unlike you, not everyone has cruel intentions in their hearts. Some people are genuinely nice. They genuinely care without thought of gain. But you'll never understand that," I started breathing heavily. I felt suffocated around him.

"I'm not a prostitute. I'm not a gold-digger. But you really can't think anyone could be remotely good. But I'm here to tell you not everyone is as cruel, vain, and horrible like you." I sighed and turned to leave.

"Oh and also, you don't have to fight about me. I'm not a thing. I'm a person."

"You can't talk to me like that!" Roman shouted. He slammed his hand on the desk. The glass cracked. I got startled but stood my ground.

"You can't talk to me like that," I replied. I opened the door and stomped off. I was scared, but wasn't at fault. Me staying strong should show him I really had nothing to hide. 

I went to Shelley's room instead of my own. I didn't want to face him alone again. Roman drained all my energy. It was getting too tiring. The sweet girl was painting. How nice would it be to just be in your own little world while your brother raised hell downstairs.

"Hey, Shell. What are you up to?" I asked.

"Liana, you're back early." Shelley stopped painting to give me a hug. I needed that hug.