A Marriage Fit for a Sinner

‘One of the terms...he wants children.’

Her sister sighed. ‘So he backed out when you told him?’

‘No, he doesn’t know.’

‘But... I’m confused,’ Sophie replied.

‘I tried to tell him but he wouldn’t listen.’

‘You tried. Isn’t that enough?’

Eva ducked into a quiet alley and leaned against a wall. ‘No, it’s not enough. We’ve caused enough harm where he’s concerned. I won’t go into this based on a lie.’

‘Father’s terrified, Eva.’

‘Can I talk to him?’

‘He’s sleeping now. I’ll let him know you called when he wakes up.’ Sophie paused. ‘Eva, I’ve been thinking...what you said on Saturday, about you not being out to replace me... I shouldn’t have bitten your head off. It’s just... Father isn’t an easy man to please. He was relying on me to see us through this rough patch...’

‘I didn’t mean to step on your toes, Sophie.’

Her sister inhaled deeply. ‘I know. But everything seems so effortless for you, Eva. It always has. I envied you because Mother chose you—’

‘Parents shouldn’t choose which child to love and which to keep at arm’s length!’

‘But that was our reality. He wanted a son. And I was determined to be that son. After Mother died, I was scared Father would think I wasn’t worth his attention.’

‘You were. You still are.’

‘Only because I’ve gone along with whatever he’s asked of me without complaint, even when I knew I shouldn’t. This thing with Zaccheo... Father’s not proud of it. Nor am I. I don’t know where we go from here, but once we’re through this, can we get together?’ Sophie asked, her voice husky with the plea.

Eva didn’t realise her legs had given way until her bottom touched the cold, hard ground.

‘Yes, if you want,’ she murmured. Her hands shook as she hung up.

The last time she’d seen Sophie’s rigid composure crumble had been in the few weeks after they’d buried their mother. For a while she’d had her sister back. They’d been united in their grief, supporting each other when their loss overwhelmed them.

As much as Eva missed that Sophie, she couldn’t stomach having her back under similar circumstances. Nor could she bear the danger that her father faced.

She wasn’t sure how long she sat there.

Cold seeped into her clothes. Into her bones. Into her heart.

Feeling numb, she dug into her bag and extracted the prenup and read through it one more time.

She couldn’t honour Zaccheo’s last clause, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t use it to buy herself, and her father, time until they met and she explained. Despite his own past, he wanted a family. Maybe he would understand why she was trying to salvage hers.

Slowly, she dialled. After endless rings, the line clicked through.

‘Eva.’ His voice was pure cold steel.

‘I...’ She attempted to say the words but her teeth still chattered. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried again. ‘I’ll sign the agreement. I’ll marry you tomorrow.’

Silence.

‘Zaccheo? Are you there?’

‘Where are you?’

She shivered at his impersonal tone. ‘I’m...’ She looked up at the street sign in the alley and told him.

‘Romeo will be there in fifteen minutes. He’ll witness the agreement and bring it to me. You’ll return to the penthouse and resume preparations for the wedding.’ He paused, as if waiting for her to disagree.

‘Will I see you today?’ She hated how weak her voice sounded.

‘No.’

Eva exhaled. ‘Okay, I’ll wait for Romeo.’

‘Bene.’ The line went dead.

* * *

The grey mizzle outside aptly reflected Eva’s mood as she sat, hands clasped in her lap, as the hairdresser finished putting up her hair. Behind her, Sophie smiled nervously.

Eva smiled back, knowing her sister’s nervousness stemmed from the fear that Eva would change her mind again.

But this time there was no going back. She meant to come clean to Zaccheo at the first opportunity and open herself up to whatever consequences he sought.

Just how she would manage that was a puzzle she hadn’t untangled yet, but since Zaccheo was hell-bent on this marriage, and she was giving him what he wanted, technically she was fulfilling her side of the bargain.

God, when had she resorted to seeing things in shades of grey instead of black and white, truth and lie? Was Zaccheo right? Did her Pennington blood mean she was destined to do whatever it took, even if it meant compromising her integrity, for the sake of her family and pedigree?