MELISSA

I’ll never get drunk again!

I repeat to myself as I rush out of the room I woke up in. My head was blasted with aches and my legs wobbled from weakness.

“How intense was last night for me to wake up so weak?!”

The only one who could answer my questions was asleep in the room I left him in with some bills to pay for his service.

My teeth grit hard against each other, my eyes narrowing from pain that pierces through my skin. I still wonder how I had lost myself to the man yesterday as I do not get pushed by my desire but then, when I remember the face of the man lying next to me after I woke up this morning, I can't even blame myself anymore because I know even i would have fallen while sober talk more of while I was drunk and heartbroken.

Sighing, I hopped into the taxi that appeared in front of me and relaxed after giving him my address.

***

Two days after my one-night stand at the bar, I finally made the decision to meet with my boyfriend or should I say—Ex-Boyfriend?

After sighing at my helpless situation, I took my phone and called back the number that had never stopped calling for the past two days.

Hearing it get picked up after a few rings, I didn't bother to give him a chance to say a word.

“Meet me at the usual tea house we go to in two hours!” Like he’s just a little pest who doesn't deserve to say a word, I hung up the phone, not caring if he had anything to say or if he agreed to the meeting.

All I want is to cut off this silly relationship!

Two hours passed and now I stand in front of the familiar tea house where I had considered our secret love base. A place we had started and not surprisingly a place where our breakup will be happening.

I let out a sharp breath, raised my head, and with a proud smile, I walked inside with elegance and indifference.

Now in the private room, I sit with my back straight while staring at the man in front of me with sharp but indifferent eyes.

“Mellisa… I—”

I raise my hand to stop him from saying more, “Don’t!”

My eyes looked at him and my lips curled up in a sarcastic smile.

“Oh! I know what you’re about to say.” I let out a chuckle after my words, before continuing,

“Was this a mistake? I’m not gay? Or the usual “it's not what you think”?” My eyes snapped open and sparked with rage.

“Do you take me for a fool?! You used me, said sweet words to me, made me believe you loved me but it was all just to cover up your sexuality, right?!”

My eyes which now had tears in them stared at him hard. I want an honest response from him. I’m tired of hearing him defend his lies and it just makes me more disgusted!

Mark narrowed his eyes deeply, his stare almost made me jump out of my feet to slap him hard on his face. His stare was condensing, humiliating like I am nothing.

“So? What if you’re right? Do you even have the right to complain, Melisa?!”

I sat stunned as I looked at him like I had never known him. His face had a chilly and mocking smile on it and it chilled my heart and made me confused.

“Wh-What do you mean?” My voice sounded shaky no matter how much I wished it had not.

His sneers rang out in the private room which caused my brows to furrow in confusion.

Without saying more, he pulled out a document from the bag beside him, then pushed it to me while I sat and looked at him without taking the document.

“You don't even want to check what this is all about?”

I raised an eyebrow, and with curiosity, my hand stretched out to pick it up and go through it, then..

“What's the meaning of all this, Mark?!”

My hands threw the book away, my eyes sharp as I glared at him angrily, my finger pointing at the document that landed back on the table.

“What do you mean by that contract? You’ll stop your support for my mother’s medical treatment if I don't agree to marry you? Tell me why I should marry you when you don't love me? Isn't this unfair to both your partner and me? How could you be so selfish?!”

My voice became louder the more I talked and the anger in my voice got more intensified.

I wonder how I had been deceived by him for almost two years. I had always thought of him as a gentleman and an angel sent to me when I was in my most helpless state.

He had reached out to me, saved my only family, and even if she was on life support, he had continued to pay to keep her alive but it seems he has been planning for this day.

My body began shaking as i dare not think deep into his schemes, i dare not ask him or confirm if my thought are true as i fear i would collapse after hearing the truth but its also seems he is ready to shade all pretense as Mark had stood up without a care, walk toward me still holding the document, then raised my chin with it.

“Yes, it's just as you thought, my dear Melissa. I’m a businessman, only investing in things that bring me profit, and saving your mother… is my investment, and I'm not ready to lose that investment! So.. you have two options, which are..”

I watch him raise an eyebrow, open the document and stretch a pen to me, “Sign it, and all you need to do is be my obedient wife while i continue paying for your mother’s treatment, or you can reject my offer, and pay back all the money i had spent on your sick mother and..” he raised his phone like is about to call someone which put some fear inside my heart as i could somehow guess what his next words are.

“... I’ll call the hospital to pull off the life support!”

My heart beat fastened, my feet wobbled as I swayed, and I only managed to stabilize myself by holding the table.

I can't! I can't lose my mother, she is everything to me, she is the only one I have left in this world, she is—

“Okay! I’ll sign it!”

I find myself shouting the words like my life depended on it. I gulped, opened my eyes, and looked at him with a shallow smile, "I'll sign it, as long as you promise to keep my mother safe.” I repeat.

His smile bloomed like a smile I was used to– that same gentleman’s smile but now looking at the smile gives me chills.

“You don't need to worry. I wouldn't need to do all this if you had listened to me in the first place. Now, sign it!”

Taking a deep breath, I tightened the pen in my hands and bent to sign my name on the contract but—

“Bang!”

The sound of the door being banged open echoed in the room, shocking me into jumping up. My body turned swiftly to see who had barged in but my eyes widened in shock instead.

“It's him! What the hell is he doing here?!”