The Contract.

I told myself I wasn’t going back for him. I was going back for Clara.

That mantra repeated in my head the entire drive to the mansion. The tabloids hadn’t died down, my phone still buzzed with strangers asking for interviews.

The moment I stepped inside the house, Clara rushed to me. “Emilia!”

She ran down the hallway, her sock feet sliding across the titled floor. She flung herself into my arms so hard that I staggered back and laughed.

“You came back,” she said, voice muffled against my shoulder, then she pulled back suddenly. “You’re staying, right?”

I froze. My lips opened, but no words came. That was the moment my scales tipped, and I knew Alexander had won before I’d even seen him.

“Clara, give Emilia a moment,” came his voice. He was standing in the doorway of his study with one hand tucked into his pocket and the other loose at his side. I straightened, holding the little girl’s hand like a lifeline.

“Yes daddy.” She smiled at me, and then walked away, humming under her breath.

Alexander gestured to his study, and stepped aside for me to pass. His study was all dark wood and everything was clean and expensive. I dropped my bag on the chair and turned to him.

“You got what you wanted.”

His brow lifted slightly. “Meaning?”

“I’ll do it. The marriage.” My arms crossed instinctively. “But only because of Clara.”

He studied me quietly, and I hated that his eyes made me shy, so u rushed out quickly. “There will be rules. I want separate bedrooms. There won’t be any intimacy, and after one year, this marriage ends, and I get the money.”

A smile tugged at his mouth. “You’ve thought about this. I can see that.”

“Don’t act amused.”

“I’m not. I’m… relieved.” He walked closer to me. “I’ll accept your conditions.”

My shoulders loosened in surprise. “That’s it?”

“Not quite.” He stopped a foot away. “I have one condition of my own.”

Of course, he did. “What?”

“In public, we protect each other, and we have to always paint a united family. One mistake and this all blows up in our faces.”

I hesitated, and then sighed. “Fine.”

“Good.” He extended a hand. “Then we have a deal.”

I stared at his hand for a moment, before I finally reached out and brushed my palm with his. He gave me a firm shake and then released me slowly, almost reluctantly.

I exhaled. “Now what?”

“Now,” he said, turning toward his desk, “we call the lawyers.”

****

The next days blurred. Meetings with legal teams at his house. Papers thicker than novels. I skimmed clauses about assets, termination dates, non-disclosure agreements. Each time I initiated a page, I reminded myself that I was doing this for Clara.

One afternoon, Alexander leaned over my shoulder as I read. His sleeve brushed my arm, and my hand shook slightly on the pen.

“Clause 17,” he said. “ You can see it states Public image.”

“I know. Appearances.” My voice sounded thin. “You never let me live it down.”

His tone dropped a notch. “You’re trembling.”

“I am fine.” I moved my arm away.

His eyes searched my face like he was trying to catch me in a lie. He said nothing thankfully, but he slid the page forward, waiting until my signature hit the line. The staged proposal came next after I signed the contract.

His PR team had everything planned for the second. Alexander would be proposing to me at a rooftop restaurant, and there would be paparazzi conveniently waiting below.

****

It was twelve midnight by the time we were done with the lawyers and the event planners. Alexander was planning to make this a big thing.

“You don’t have to go back home. You can stay in the guest room for tonight. It’s too late.” Alexander said, closing and arranging the files into a folder. We were still in his study.

I smiled. “This is NewYork. The city never sleeps.”

“Then why are you so terrified.” he asked, arching his brow and tilting his head to the side.

“I’m not terrified.” I argued.

“Then why are you holding your pen like that?”

I glanced down and he was right, my knuckles around the pen were white. I dropped it with a clatter.

“Relax,” he said, almost gently. “Please stay the night. I’ll be at peace knowing you’re safe. Besides, it's high time you move in.”

The words made my chest tighten. I tried to argue but Calra’s tinkly laughter made me stop and bit my tongue, she was so innocent and unaware.

Alexander must have noticed, because his voice softened, just barely. “I won’t keep you against your will tonight. But don’t fight what’s already decided, Emilia. The papers are signed.”

I gathered my bag with hands that wouldn’t stop trembling and walked toward the door, pausing only when he added quietly, “Get some rest. The real performance hasn’t even started yet.”

As I drove back home, all I could feel was the invisible band tightening around my finger. He had placed the ring yet, but I could already feel it.

What have I agreed to? I asked myself as I jammed my foot on the accelerator.