The tug-of-war ensued for several grueling minutes. Finally, Axel gave up because the wardrobe was too narrow for his significant and muscular body.
"Why is she so strong?" grunted Axel.
Blair wouldn't give in and kept pulling on the cupboard door. At the last pull, she exerted all her strength until Axel fell out of the closet along with Blair’s clothes.
Blair screamed in shock at Axel suddenly rolling out of the cupboard.
"What is this? What are you doing in my cupboard? You pervert! You are a psychopath! Bastard, man!"
Axel was curled up on the floor after falling from the cupboard. Blair beat him using anything she could find.
"Blair, my goodness! Stop it! I can explain everything."
They both sat down at the dining table half an hour later. Nobody spoke. They just stare at each other.
Meanwhile, Axel was still looking down in shame while holding his cheek, which was still hot after being slapped by Blair so hard.
"I just-" Axel said hastily.
"Stop!" Cut Blair. "I don't want to hear any excuses."
Axel looked down and looked down again. He sat there silently, clutching his arms like a child who was frightened when caught doing mischief by his parents.
Blair took several deep breaths. She rubbed and held her growing belly.
"Blair, how about we redo the contract?"
"What do you mean?" Blair asked curtly.
"You know… when we made that contract… we weren't thinking deeply and rationally. We make it random. So we should update the contract with new clauses. How?" Axel tries to persuade Blair because he failed to find the contract Blair kept.
"Why should I agree to renew the contract when I can get away and be free from you in just two more months? After all, all my debts to you are also almost paid off. Just two more months. I'm sure I've been cleared of all those debts and all these preposterous marriage agreements."
Blair rejects Axel's suggestion to renew the contract.
"You know, we often fight because we break each other's contracts that we made without thinking. Misunderstandings keep happening to us. So there's nothing wrong with renewing the contract on the terms each of us wants, right?"
Blair paused and thought for some time. Axel looks excited and hopes his persuasion will change Blair's decision to renew the contract.
"This house will indeed be yours after we divorce in two months. I will not snatch it. But, at that time, you must give birth without a husband. Your child must be born without a father. Aren't you worried about that?"
Blair looked offended. "What do you mean, Axel? You think I can't support and look after my child alone?"
"N-no, Blair!" Axel was so nervous. "I mean, what's wrong with renewing this contract even though there's only two months left? The new Contract no longer addresses the issue of debts. I want in the new contract we focus on discussing our individual needs regarding the status of this marriage."
Blair frowned. She didn't understand the direction of Axel's conversation at all.
"Your baby needs a father figure," Axel said firmly. "And I also need an heir in my family."
Blair smiled sarcastically. "So, you want to use my child to get wealth and inheritance from your family, is that it?"
"What's wrong with that, Blair? I can split however much you want out of the estate. We just need to extend the contract for another three years. There won't be anymore."
"Dividing part of the inheritance?" muttered Blair. She suddenly became excited. "There's no harm in trying it. I can make a new contract that has nothing to do with accounts payable."
"Ponder and think about it," Axel coaxed. "You can make and include whatever clauses you want in our new contract agreement later. I will also create new clauses. Then we'll talk about it. What parts will we agree on and what we won't. You agree?"
The rest of the day, the two didn't leave the house but didn't speak to each other either. Blair and Axel were each busy thinking about a new contract and what clauses they would include in the new contract.
Blair sat contemplating the verandah of the house, gazing at the beauty of the beach. She held the notebook and started writing down the points of agreement she wanted to include individually.
"Why should I agree to his inducements? Why do I want to be involved in Axel's life longer? Even though I know this is just a fake marriage. My debts are also almost paid off. What do I really want? Inheritance? Money? Nonsense. I don't need all of that!"
Blair rubbed her growing belly and looked at her affectionately.
"Maybe I don't want you to be born without a father figure. Even though I don't know if Axel will love you or not? But, at least you will have a father you can tell and be proud of to your friends someday."
Blair closed her eyes, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I don't want my son to grow up like me. I grew up not knowing who my father was. My mother struggled to work from morning till night to provide for me. I don't want my son to feel the same pain as I do."
Blair looked up and wiped away the tears. She didn't know Axel was secretly watching inside the house through an open glass window.
"How could I ever let you go, Blair? If tying you up in this sham marriage contract will make you last longer by my side, I'll do anything. I beg you, Blair, just hold on a little longer. Until I find the right time to tell you the whole truth."
Blair rose from her seat on the park bench. Axel immediately ran from the window and pretended to sit on the couch, thinking about his new contract.
Blair entered the house and handed Axel her notebook.
"Are you done? Hurry too," muttered Axel. "Are you sure you've thought this through?"
"Yes, all the points I wanted to add and update have all been recorded there. Check it out. I don't want you to protest those points later because you didn't scrutinize them."
Axel took Blair's notebook and began to read her handwriting.
"Point one. Axel Barney's name will be written on the birth certificate as the legal name of your child's father. Later the day after the divorce, I still have to admit the baby as my child even though it is not biologically proven. Blair Tanzel will not claim a dime of property or inheritance rights from Axel Barney for the child. Only fatherhood status is all you want?"
Axel immediately looked at Blair after reading that point.
"There is only one point of agreement you want in our new contract for the next three years?"
Blair nodded. "You can refuse if you don't agree."
Before Axel could say anything, Blair added. "In this new contract, all I really think about is my son's future. I don't need anything from you. I just didn't want him to grow up without a father figure. Even if it's just a fake father."
"Blair… I…” Axel muttered with a feeling of tightness in his chest.
"You may decline if you disagree. Then our Contract will end in two months. And if you want to accept it, I told you in the latest clause I will not demand a penny from you. I just want you to let my son call you daddy."
They were silent for some time. Blair was so nervous and worried that Axel would reject the terms of the new contract. Blair surreptitiously held her hand and dug her fingernails into her palm.
"You don't want to read the terms I put forward?" asked Axel.
Axel was so nervous and worried that Blair forgot to read the terms put forward by Axel. She also read the new clauses that Axel wrote one by one. Of all these points, almost nothing made Blair object except for one thing.
"Willing to do anything in public for the sake of being the legal wife of Axel Barney, including physical touch and kisses?" Blair almost screamed.
"Are you crazy?" Blair shouted. "You want to take advantage of this new contract by getting benefits and physical touch from me?"
Blair gritted her jaw.
"If you agree to the terms I put forward, then I will also agree to the terms you give. How?" Axel felt the upper hand.