– I know our traditions very well.
– And your father…
– My father, of course, knows everything perfectly, of course, not without effort, but he accepted my choice or at least pretended to agree.
– What about the girl? Did she give her consent?
– It’s a matter of time, – I heard the prince was somewhat annoyed. – The main thing is that she does not know everything in advance. Maids must be warned.
They passed by, and, fortunately, I went unnoticed. I looked out into the corridor to make sure once again that nobody was there, and was able to calmly continue on my way. Finding the door I needed was not so difficult. Turning the handle, I easily opened it and went into a dark, cool room, looking at a large brown sofa and two armchairs matching it, a large transparent glass coffee table and a huge plasma TV on the wall, as well as many bookcases and bookshelves, various figures and other trinkets.
I sat on a soft leather sofa and allowed myself to enjoy its comfort for several minutes. Having reached the remote control lying on the lower tier of the table, I pressed a button and started flipping through the channels. One image replaced another, and so it went on for some time. The Arabic channel, the channel in English, the Arabic news with English subtitles and vice versa, a couple of Russian channels, but in general, nothing interesting until I accidentally stumbled upon the morning show, which was watched by the latest newspaper issues. The issue of impending sensation was discussed.
– Very soon, dear viewers … – I began to translate English subtitles out loud when suddenly the hair on my hands stood on end and my thoughts became completely confused. Samira came in and looked at me in horror. – What does all of this mean? – With yelling, I attacked her, poking the remote control into the TV.
– Madam…
– You knew everything and you didn’t tell me! – She pursed her lips, looked down at the floor and cringed, as if expecting a blow from me. – Lead me to this immediately… I don’t even know which word to choose!
I left the room, seething with anger. But how is that even possible! I went the usual long way to the prince’s office in two minutes. Without bothering to knock, I burst inside and quickly went up to the surprised prince.
– Irina? – He got to his feet, and I looked at the man sitting opposite the prince, with whom they had recently talked in the corridor. At that moment Samira burst into the office.
– Mr. Ali, – she tried to catch her breath, – sorry… I didn’t have time…
He nodded his head and motioned her to stop.
– You immediately explain to me what is happening here! – I demanded.
Ali looked at me and for the first time since I recognized him, she saw how nervous he was.
– Please leave Ms. Mironova and me alone.
The gray-haired man and Samira immediately left the office.
– Why are they discussing your upcoming wedding on your local television… with me! – With every word, my voice grew louder and toward the end of the sentence turned into a hysterical screech.
– Have a seat, – he pointed to the place where the old man was sitting a minute ago.
– Now explain everything to me! – I did not budge.
– I will explain, to begin with, calm down and sit down.
He went to the cabinet behind him, slowly opened it, dialed the code on the safe and took out a folder from there. I took a deep breath and sat in the place that I had been offered before.
– What is it? – I looked suspiciously at the papers offered to me.
– These are three copies of the contract with your father. One in Arabic, Russian and English. Check it out.
Without understanding anything, I looked at the prince and with a trembling hand opened the folder.
– What does this have to do with what I saw on TV a few minutes ago? – I looked at him, puzzled.
– The most direct, – he answered in a businesslike tone and sank too gracefully into a leather chair.
I cast another look at him and began to examine the papers. Having chosen a variant of the agreement drawn up in Russian, I quickly began to study it. Mr. Ali waited patiently while I read it.
– I do not understand anything. – So far it is talking about your rights and obligations, and not about my father. – I looked at him point blank, which caused a smile on his face.
– The last page of the contract, the highest point.
– In exchange for all the money provided to the borrower, he, his wife and their youngest daughter undertake … – I swallowed a lump in my throat – some kind of nonsense…
– Read to the end he ordered.
I blinked several times, seriously thinking if I had lost my mind in this house.
– … he undertakes to give his eldest daughter Mironova Irina Yuryevna to marry the crown prince of the emirate Sheikh Ali ibn Amir al-Azar, that is, to ensure the stay and acquaintance of Mironova I. Yu in the UAE, not to interfere with their communication, cohabitation, and also Do not violate the rights to their privacy. Communication of the Mironov family and I. Yu. will be carried out with the permission and only under the personal control of the Crown Prince of the Emirate Sheikh Ali ibn Amir al-Azar or his authorized representative. – I put the papers aside and looked in shock at the calm prince, feeling a little dizzy. – This is a joke?
– Not. he answered calmly. – Since then, you are in the status of my bride. There are small formalities regarding documents, but we will solve them immediately after you come to your senses a bit.
– I’ll come to my senses from what? This is real bullshit! You don’t think that I will believe it and marry you? – I laughed nervously, realizing the absurdity of the situation.
– No, I do not think so. – I breathed a sigh of relief. – I’m sure of it.
I ran a hand over my face, convincing myself that all this does not happen to me in real life. It just can’t be.
– Yes, I have nothing to do with either your Emirate or you personally!
– You have a relationship with your family, and they, by a lucky chance, are connected both with our Emirate and with me personally. – He answered calmly. – You almost became a citizen of this country. You just have to sign these documents. He shook another folder in the air.
– I will never do it!
– Good, – he answered simply. – Then read the last paragraph of the contract.
I lowered my eyes and felt how everything inside me was chilled with shock. The bottom line was that in the event of my resistance to the fulfillment of all the provisions of the contract and my father’s failure to fulfill his obligations, my family undertakes to pay money to Crown Sheikh Ali (be he not good) Ibn Amir al-Azar in the amount of one million dollars at a time, regardless, at what time this contract is valid (it is valid indefinitely), the parties will want to terminate it.
– Not. I refuse to believe it! My father could not sign it. He… he could not do this with me!
– I’m afraid you know your father very poorly. – He signed it, almost without hesitation. The prince looked at me sympathetically.
– What does it mean? Until someone from my family returns you a million dollars, will I be your property?