THE CONTRACT
Dual pov
Ava's phone buzzed for the third time that morning. The sender was unknown, the message short and precise:
Meet me today. Thirty-second floor, Hale Industries. 10:00 a.m. Sharp. Bring the documents.
She stared at the screen, heart pounding. No name. No explanation. Only a command. Her first instinct was to delete it, to ignore it, but something about its authority made her pause.
Her father's worried voice echoed in her head: Desperation has a way of making you do things you'll regret.
Her mother's exhausted eyes flashed before her, and Ethan, oblivious as ever, hummed over his Lego set. She couldn't turn away—not now.
"One meeting," she whispered to herself, shoving her phone into her bag. "Just… one meeting."
The Walk to Hale Industries
The streets of Manhattan were alive, buzzing with urgency, but Ava moved through them like a ghost. She imagined every possible scenario: a scam, a trap, a stranger offering her… what?
By the time she reached Hale Industries, her hands were clammy. The polished lobby, glass walls, and silent receptionist made her feel small, exposed.
"Mr. Hale will see you now," the receptionist said politely.
Ava nodded, swallowing hard. She walked toward the glass door at the end of the corridor. Each step echoed, sharp and insistent, warning her that turning back was no longer an option.
Sebastian's POV
Sebastian Hale watched her approach, noting every detail: the way she adjusted her bag, the tension in her shoulders, the slight tremble in her fingers. She was smart, careful, desperate—perfect.
He had researched her meticulously: family struggles, debts, part-time jobs, academic record. Every detail confirmed she was the one who would accept terms without unnecessary resistance.
And yet… there was something in her stubbornness, in the way she moved cautiously, that made this interesting. She would fight him just enough to make him enjoy the challenge. That… intrigued him.
The Meeting
Ava stepped in, and Sebastian rose, tall and imposing, dark eyes fixed on her. The air seemed to thicken around him, yet he moved slowly, deliberately, letting her absorb the weight of the office.
"You're Ava Collins?" he asked, voice calm, but every word felt like a physical strike.
"Yes. Mr. Hale," she replied, tightening her grip on the folder she carried.
He gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit."
Her body wanted to flee, but she couldn't—not with her family depending on her. She lowered herself into the leather chair, heart racing, fingers clutching the folder like it was a lifeline.
Sebastian leaned back slightly, steepling his fingers. "I've read your file."
"I… I applied for an internship," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"You applied because you needed money," he interrupted softly. "I know about your brother, your father's failing business, your mother's double shifts. I also know you're careful, methodical… desperate."
Her pulse jumped. How did he know all of this
I can't marry a stranger. I won't. This is insane.
Her mind raced through all possibilities. But… what if this is the only way? She thought of Ethan's medications, her mother's exhaustion, her father's crumbling pride. She'd sacrificed her dreams, her education, her freedom already—maybe this was the price to save them all.
But… I'm giving myself to a man I barely know. Could I ever come back from this? Could I survive it without losing myself?
Every instinct screamed "No," every calculation screamed "Yes." Sebastian's gaze pinned her in place. She could feel his eyes scanning her, measuring, weighing her reactions. Survival first. Family first.
He slid a leather folder across the desk, its edges brushing her fingers. "A contract. Two years. Absolute discretion. No emotional involvement," he said softly.
Her breath caught. "I… I can't—"
He leaned forward, voice dropping low. "You can. And you will."
Her eyes widened. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me." His gaze held hers, unyielding. "You sign this, or your family pays the price. Your brother doesn't get his meds. Your father loses everything. Your mother works herself to exhaustion. This is not negotiable."
Ava's hands trembled. "You… you can't—"
"I can," he said. "But signing is… simpler."
The folder's weight in her hands seemed heavier than lead. Every word was a choice. Every pause was a heartbeat closer to collapse.
A small spark of defiance flared. "I won't be intimidated," she said.
"Good," he said, lips curving slightly. "I wouldn't want it any other way. But don't mistake defiance for options."
He stood, towering over her. The air between them crackled, suffocating. "You think this is a negotiation?" he asked, voice dangerously low. "I'm not offering favors. I'm offering survival. And you will take it, or watch everything you love crumble."
She met his gaze, trembling but unyielding. "I… I can't just marry a stranger. There are lines—"
He cut her off sharply. "There are lines? Your family is bleeding while you debate morality. There is no line. There is only choice. Sign. Or watch them suffer."
Her heart pounded. Every instinct screamed escape, but she couldn't—she refused to let her family pay the price. Her hands gripped the folder tighter.
Her fingers closed around the pen. Her pulse raced. One choice. One signature.
She signed.
His fingers brushed hers as he collected the folder, brief, accidental, yet electric. She recoiled, cheeks burning.
"Welcome to your new life," he said softly.
"This… this is just business," she whispered.
His gaze darkened. "That," he said, "is where you're wrong."
Ava left the office with her chest tight, mind reeling. The city looked different now—larger, colder, more dangerous. She was now Mrs. Hale.
And yet, she couldn't stop thinking about the man behind the desk: controlled, dangerous, magnetic, and utterly impossible to resist.
She got home that day feeling more delusional than she had ever been. Their interaction kept playing in her mind
How was she going to break the news to her family, how will they take it .
How will her father will. She atleast hoped that after the god forsaken marriage she would be allowed freedom and would be able to meet with her family and at the back of her mind a voice kept repeating a sentence, "you would regret this "
Oh my God , she yelled I wished I never saw that text talkless going to meet him .