Ashley sat wringing her sweaty hands nervously, wishing she could squeeze them dry.
She squirmed in the seat. She couldn’t gather the courage to look at Tanaga, who sat sideways facing the window. His mind was wandering far away as if Ashley did not exist. His indifferent behavior made Ashley more uneasy.
They had spent half an hour traveling in complete silence. In the quiet, they could hear the rhythm of each other’s breathing.
For Ashley, it was the most extended half-hour of her life. She had no idea what was waiting for her wherever they were going.
Sometime later, the car stopped suddenly. Ashley looked out her window and was dumbstruck by what she was seeing. They were stopped in front of a very tall wall with substantial metal gates.
A moment later, the gate opened automatically. A long road came into view. The setting was serene, almost like a photo she had seen in a gallery.
Although they were still within the city, she felt as if they had entered a peaceful, beautiful valley somewhere far away from city noise.
They passed through a vast garden. It was lush with different types of flowers, bushes, and trees, all varying in size, shape, and color. It was a truly fantastic sight.
Ashley was stunned. Her mouth was agape, and her eyes widen as she took in the sights. She uttered to herself as she took it all in. "Oh, wow..." escaped her breath loudly enough for Tanaga to hear.
He sat watching her, smiling involuntarily. So enthralled with the view, she didn’t notice. He quickly turned his focus back out the window so she wouldn’t catch him gazing at her.
The car pulled up to the entrance of a palace-like house. She stared at it intently, thinking to herself that it could be compared to Malacañang Palace, it was so massive.
All her fear and anxiety were instantly replaced by excitement and astonishment. She was overwhelmed by the wealth that was displayed all around her. Ashley couldn’t believe the sights she was witnessing.
Is this real? Is this place where I’m going to be living from now on? She thought to herself.
The entrance to the house was an impressive, intricately carved wooden door. Someone opened it from the inside. There stood an older man, standing perfectly straight, giving orders to the male housekeepers.
"Bring all of the lady’s belonging in and place them in the back of the house," he ordered to the line of servants who stood to wait for them to get out of the car.
Tanaga got out of the car and walked directly into the mansion. Moments passed, and he realized Ashley wasn’t following him.
He didn’t want to seem as though he was waiting for her. So, he walked to his office, took a contract from the desk, and started reading it thoroughly.
The contract he was inspecting was the contract he wanted Ashley to sign. It outlined all the things he expected from her in detail and an outline of events that would unfold if the agreement was fulfilled.
He wanted her to be the mother to his heir. It was stated in the contract that they would be sleeping together until she conceived. Once she conceived, their sexual contact would no longer need to continue.
If the first child were a girl, they would try to conceive again, hoping to produce a male heir.
If the second child conceived was also a girl, they would pursue the contract no further, and Ashley would be released from any further obligations. She would leave with two million in hand, one million per child born.
But she would be expected to leave the children behind...