Sophia stormed into Ethan's office that evening, trembling with anger.
"You've been planning this the whole time," she said, slamming her hands on his desk. "You married me, you got close to me, and you were gathering information about my business targets the entire time."
Ethan stood up slowly. "It's not like that."
"No? Then what is it like? Because my CFO said you've been texting him. You want to acquire Techvision before I can close the deal. You're sabotaging me while I'm falling asleep next to you every night."
"I haven't been close to you because of business, Sophia. Those are completely separate things."
"Are they?" She laughed bitterly. "You're a corporate executive. Everything is connected. You don't do anything without calculating the business angle. You don't do anything without winning."
"That's not—"
"What happened to choosing me?" Sophia interrupted. "What happened to this being real? This was all business, wasn't it? The coffee, the conversations, the kisses. It was all part of your strategy."
Ethan's face was dark with anger. "You know that's not true. You're scared so you're looking for reasons to run."
"I'm scared because I was stupid enough to believe you. I was stupid enough to think maybe this could actually work."
"It can work. But not if you're going to assume the worst of me every time something unexpected happens."
"Unexpected? You're bidding on Techvision! That's not unexpected, that's calculated."
"Of course it's calculated!" Ethan stood up. "I'm a businessman, Sophia. I see opportunities, and I take them. That doesn't mean my feelings for you aren't real. Those are two different things."
"They're not different. They can't be different. Not in this world."
She left his office and called her CFO. "Don't let them acquire that company," she instructed. "Match any offer they make. I don't care what it costs. We're not losing this."
For the next week, they were at war again.
Ethan's company and Sophia's company went back and forth bidding on Techvision. The price kept climbing. By the end of week one, the valuation had doubled.
Ethan was making calculated moves from his office. Sophia was making calculated moves from hers. They lived in the same penthouse but barely spoke. At night, they slept in separate rooms. At breakfast, they moved around each other like ghosts.
Marcus called her Thursday night.
"You're making a huge mistake," he said. "Techvision is worth forty percent less than what you're bidding. You're going to bankrupt yourself to beat Ethan."
"I don't care."
"Yes, you do. You're smarter than this. Sophia, he bid on Techvision before you two got together. He probably had it planned for months. It's not personal."
"It's all personal."
"No, it's business. And you're the one turning it into something personal because you're hurt."
After Marcus hung up, Sophia sat in the dark of her room and realized he was right. She was sabotaging both of their companies to make a point. She was proving that business came before feelings, which was exactly what she'd accused Ethan of doing.
She found him on the balcony that night, alone with a drink.
"I'm pulling my bid," she said.
Ethan turned, surprised. "What?"
"I'm pulling my bid on Techvision. Your company can have it. You won fair and square."
"I don't want it like this. Not if you're giving up because you're hurt."
"I'm giving up because you were right." Sophia sat beside him. "You bid on Techvision before we were together. You have every right to pursue that acquisition. And I was using it as an excuse because I got scared."
"Of what?"
"Of how I feel about you. Of how real this became. Of the fact that in a few months, we're going to have to decide if we're staying married or getting divorced, and I'm terrified that no matter what we choose, someone's going to get hurt."
Ethan set down his drink. "Is that really what you think? That we're on an expiration date?"
"Isn't that the contract? One year, and then we reassess?"
"That was the plan," Ethan said quietly. "But plans change. People change. I'm not the same person I was when we got married. Are you?"
"No," Sophia admitted. "I'm not."
"So maybe we should change the plan too." He took her hand. "I know this is crazy and it's fast and we literally married because of an old contract. But Sophia, I want to keep trying. I want to see where this goes. Not because of business, not because of timing, but because I actually want you."
"You're sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
She kissed him then, there on the balcony with the city lights below them. This kiss was different from the one at the gala. It was a promise.
"Okay," she said. "Let's keep trying."
They made love that night for the first time. It was tender and passionate and terrifying and perfect. Sophia held onto him like she might disappear, and he held her like she was the most precious thing in his world.
The next morning, Ethan made her breakfast. They sat together at the kitchen counter and didn't talk about Techvision or business or any of the complications.
They just sat together and it was enough.
**For how long would it be enough?**