Elias left the bakery with a promise burning in his chest: he would fix this, not because of the deal, but because of Serena.
For two sleepless days, he moved like a man possessed. Private investigators, legal threats, quiet bribes—every weapon in his arsenal was unleashed. When the truth finally surfaced, it hit harder than he expected.
It wasn't Isabelle who had stolen the contract. It was Richard Moreau, his own cousin, the one who stood to gain if Elias failed to marry within the year. Richard had fed the contract to Isabelle, knowing she'd be all too eager to run with the scandal.
The revelation was bitter, but Elias didn't waste time on anger. That night, he called a press conference. Cameras flashed as he stepped to the podium, Serena's image in his mind keeping his voice steady.
"The contract between Serena Blake and myself was never intended to deceive," he began. "What started as an arrangement became something real. Serena is not the manipulator you've been led to believe—she is the reason I've become a better man."
He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle. "The leak of our private agreement was the work of my cousin, Richard Moreau. He has been removed from the Moreau Group, effective immediately. Legal action will follow."
The room erupted in shouts, but Elias ignored them. He had only one place to go.
When he arrived at the bakery, Serena was locking up. She turned as the jingling of the door echoed in the quiet shop.
"I saw the press conference," she said softly.
He stepped closer, his heart pounding. "I meant every word. The contract may have brought us together, but I'm asking you now—no signatures, no clauses, no deadlines. Just you and me. For as long as you'll have me."
Her eyes searched his, and for a long moment, there was only silence between them. Then, a faint smile curved her lips.
"You really are terrible at making normal proposals," she murmured.
He laughed, the tension breaking. "I'll work on that."
Serena shook her head, tears glistening. "You don't need to. I'm in, Elias. No contracts this time."
Relief and joy collided in his chest. He pulled her into his arms, the scent of flour and sugar mixing with the warmth of her skin. This—this was worth every battle.
Outside, the city buzzed on, unaware that in a small bakery on the corner, two people had just rewritten the terms of their lives.
And this time, it wasn't bound by paper.
It was bound by love.