Page 30 of Papers Don't Lie

“So who is it, Mother?”

Mom straightens her spine and places her fine-polished nails on the table, drumming them on the material as she tilts her head to the side to arrange her hair. She glances at everyone in the room before her eyes settle on me again.

“You’ve been privileged, Esmeray,” she says, and I open my mouth to say something, but I’m frozen. “None of your sisters got this treatment before, but they certainly didn’t do the things you did. That’s why, since I’m considering this offer more than you deserve, you can’t refuse it. You’ll marry this man tomorrow, and I don’t want any words coming out of your mouth. The only thing you have to do is sign our agreement and go home with your husband.”

I nod, knowing she’s right and I can’t be a brat right now when they offer me something my sisters never had.

My eyes move from my mother, and I take a moment to analyze each of my sisters. Naveah is smiling happily next to Ben, clearly relieved that I might not have to live her life. Taylor’s waist is held tightly in Grayson’s palms, a fresh bruise on her chin showing just how unhappy their marriage is. I give her a look that I hope is consoling, but she just raises her shoulders in a shrug, managing to give me a smile.

Victory and Ilory on the other side are happily under their husbands’ arms, Oliver and Paul, all of them seeming to be happy for me. I don’t look at Raven though. She doesn’t deserve it just yet.

“Who is it, Mother?” I ask, curious to see if God heard any of my prayers. But Mom doesn’t have time to answer, a thick voice replying instead.

“Me.”

SIXTEEN

KAI

At the sound of my voice, she stands up from her seat, the chair squeaking at the movement. Esmeray’s wearing the dress and bow I left for her this morning, making them seem nothing in comparison to her natural beauty. Her brown hair is hanging low on her shoulders, hiding the evidence that there’s no strap keeping the dress on her body.

I’ve seen her upset with dried tears on her cheek, mad, and hopeless, but I’ve never seen her at a loss for words. Her mouth is open, but no words are coming out, almost as if the lump in her throat stops them in place. Esmeray’s eyes glisten with something I can’t decipher, and I hope it’s because she’s happy to see me and not some other kind of freak.

Davina and Theo Hamilton walk to me, with smiles on their faces as they welcome me into their dysfunctional family. If they knew how Esmeray and I met, they wouldn’t be so welcoming.

That or if I offered the right price, they would’ve even kissed my hand.

“Mr. Graves, it’s good to see you again.” Her mother smiles, pointing at her. “I hope she meets your expectations.”

While Esmeray was having dinner with my father yesterday, I stopped by her parents’ for a little chat. The first thing they hadto mention was that Esmeray’s reputation was now stained, and it was their job to tell me that before we got to business. Because their daughter was “business.”

They threw a lot of questions my way to find out the reason why I wanted to do this and how I found out about everything that happened, but when I dropped a check on the table, the room fell silent. It was enough to make them agree with me marrying their daughter, and I don’t know if I should be happy or worried about how easy it was.

The realization of the impulsive decision I made hasn’t settled yet, but I have a feeling it will soon.

My eyes follow the place Davina’s white, sharp nail is pointing, where Esmeray is now taking little steps toward us. She lifts her chin, stopping next to her dad. The washed yellow looks so good on her that I can barely look away to shake hands with Theo.

“No matter how high my expectations were, Mrs. Hamilton, they could’ve never done her justice,” I say, looking at the entire family.

Her parents go back to their seats, and Esmeray takes the chance to talk to me. She’s not frozen anymore, not mad either, but oddly overwhelmed.

“What are you doing?!” she whisper-shouts, her eyes searching all over my face while I readjust my black suit with the yellow handkerchief I picked out just to match her dress.

I smile since I’m the one facing a table full of eyes. “I’m keeping my promise,” I tell her and lay a palm over the small of her back, guiding Esmeray to her seat.

“You’re crazy,” she murmurs under her breath. “You’re ruining your life,” she continues when we pass by her parents, approaching the end of our walk. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“I’m happy to meet you too, Ms. Esmeray,” I say and take her hand after she sits down, kissing it. We make eye contact, and I catch her sucking in a breath, her shoulders rising and pushing out her round breasts to view even more.

With a smirk on my face, I break away and wink, knowing it’s time to find my chair if I want what her parents call “business” to be done and get out of here.

We have dinner, and I get the chance to know a bit about her family. Her sisters can’t stop sharing embarrassing memories about Esmeray, and I know it’s the way love manifests in brotherhoods. My brothers will certainly do the same the moment they meet her.

Right.

They’re going to make me eat my own shit for not telling them about this, but I’ll find an excuse, or if Esmeray wants, I’ll tell them the truth. The decision is all hers.

Once we’re done eating, her parents invite their lawyer to the table, who’s handing me a contract with the stipulations I have to follow. Most of them are about the money I have to support their family with and in which cases I’m forced to pay—Esmeray’s funeral, my funeral, and… our kids. I shake away the feeling of dread, not believing what they’re making me sign. Not that it’s something I won’t do, but because they’re so thirsty for money that they would do something like this.

---