A Contract Called Love

CHAPTER 3: THE INVITATION

The first week under the new management passed more quietly than Mia had expected. The changes at Meridian Group were still obvious, but the initial confusion had begun to settle. New instructions had been introduced, departments had been reorganized, and unfamiliar faces appeared around the building almost every day. Everyone seemed to be adjusting in their own way, including Mia.

She had decided that the best thing she could do was concentrate on her work and stay out of whatever drama came with the change in ownership. She had spent too much time rebuilding her life to allow a new management team to disturb the peace she had worked so hard to create.

On Wednesday morning, she was reviewing a financial report when a notification popped up on her phone. She opened it expecting another company-wide announcement, but the subject immediately caught her attention.

OFFICIAL WELCOME DINNER — MERIDIAN GROUP

Mia read through the message carefully. It stated that two days later, the company would host a formal dinner to officially welcome the new management and celebrate the beginning of Meridian Group's ownership. Employees, business partners, important clients, and several distinguished guests were invited.

Mia leaned back in her chair.

That was a problem.

She had never attended a dinner before. Her wardrobe consisted mostly of practical clothes suitable for work and everyday life. She didn't own the kind of dress one wore on an elegant evening, especially one surrounded by executives and wealthy guests.

She continued reading, and then her eyes stopped at the final line.

The Morgan Family.

Morgan.

The name stirred something deep within her, something she had spent years refusing to examine. She didn't remember their faces, and she couldn't say that she had ever met any member of the family personally, but the name was familiar.

She closed the email and returned to her work.

By lunchtime, however, Clara had noticed that she looked sad.

“You look distracted,” she said as Mia sat down opposite her in the cafeteria.

Mia placed her tray on the table. “I got the email about the dinner.”

Clara's face brightened immediately. “You're going?”

“I don't know.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don't have anything to wear.”

Clara stared at her for a moment. “You're serious?”

Mia nodded. “I've never been to a dinner before.”

Clara looked genuinely surprised. “Never?”

“Not that kind of dinner.”

“Then we're going shopping.”

Mia laughed. “What?”

“We're going shopping after work.”

“Clara, I can wear something I already have.”

“No, you can't.”

“Why?”

“You don't have anything suitable, and you have two days to find something. I'm not letting you show up looking like you're attending an ordinary office meeting.”

Mia shook her head, amused by her friend's determination. “You make it sound like I'm attending some royal event.”

“You've seen the guest list. Important clients, business partners, wealthy people and the new owners. You need a proper dress.”

Mia couldn't argue with that. She smiled and took a sip of her drink.

“Fine.”

Clara pointed at her. “After work.”

“I heard you.”

“And don't disappear.”

“I won't.”

“Good.”

The rest of lunch passed with Clara discussing dresses while Mia listened, occasionally laughing at her friend's increasingly dramatic suggestions. By the time they returned to their respective departments, Mia found herself looking forward to the evening. She had never cared much about dressing for special occasions, but perhaps it wouldn't hurt to experience something new.

Adrian sat with his parents in the living room after returning from the office. His first week as the new head of Meridian Group had been exhausting, filled with meetings, financial reports, negotiations, and decisions that seemed to follow him from one room to another.

His father closed the file he had been reading and looked at him.

“So, how are the employees?”

“They're adjusting.”

“Any serious problems?”

“Nothing I can't handle.”

His mother smiled. “You sound almost disappointed.”

Adrian gave her an amused look. “I expected more resistance.”

“People rarely welcome change,” his father said.

“I know.”

Adrian leaned back in his chair, thinking about the company. He had expected fear, resentment, perhaps even open hostility from some of the employees. Instead, most of them had simply continued working while trying to understand what the new ownership meant for them.

Then his thoughts settled on one employee.

He had noticed her during one of the meetings.

She hadn't looked at him the way the others had. Most of them had been nervous or overly attentive, but she had seemed completely unaffected by his presence. She had listened and answered questions when necessary

His mother noticed the change in his expression.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

She smiled. “You're a terrible liar”

Adrian shook his head. “There was just one employee who stood out.”

His father raised an eyebrow. “One employee?”

“She was different.”

“How?”

Adrian thought about it. “I don't know. She simply didn't seem impressed by any of it.”

His father laughed quietly. “Perhaps that's exactly the kind of employee you need.”

“Maybe.”

Adrian only knew her name, and he didn’t know anything about her. He had simply noticed her, nothing more. He pushed the thought aside and turned his attention back to the conversation.

After work, Mia met Clara outside the company building. Clara had insisted that they went shopping immediately, and Mia had learnt by now that arguing with her was pointless.

“You came,” Clara said.

“You told me not to disappear.”

“I know. I just wasn't sure you'd listen.”

Mia laughed. “Where are we going?”

“To find you a dress.”

They headed toward one of the city's shopping districts, talking about everything except work. Clara led her into a boutique filled with elegant dresses, and Mia immediately began looking at the price tags.

“These are expensive.”

“Don't panic.”

“I am already panicking.”

Clara laughed and began searching through the racks. Mia followed, holding up dresses occasionally while Clara rejected them with surprising confidence.

“This one?”

“Too plain.”

“What about this?”

“Too bright.”

“And this?”

“Too much.”

Mia sighed. “Then what exactly are we looking for?”

“Something that looks like you.”

Before Mia could respond, Clara suddenly stopped.

Her attention had shifted toward the entrance.

“Wait.”

“What?”

Clara's eyes widened. “Augustine”

Mia turned just as a young man walked into the boutique.

The moment he saw Clara, his face lit up.

“Clara?”

She hurried toward him, and within seconds they were laughing and talking as though they hadn't seen each other in years.

Mia watched them from a short distance away, amused. She picked up another dress and examined it while Clara became completely absorbed in catching up with her cousin.

It took several minutes before Clara finally glanced over and remembered that she hadn't come alone.

“Oh my goodness, Mia. I'm sorry.”

Mia smiled. “I noticed.”

Clara laughed and turned toward the man beside her. “Augustine, this is my friend, Mia. Mia, this is my cousin, Augustine.”

Augustine l offered his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Mia shook it. “Nice to meet you too.”

“So you're Mia,” he said.

She raised an eyebrow. “You've heard of me?”

Augustine glanced at Clara with a teasing smile. “Sure, she talks about you quite a lot.”

“Augustine” Clara warned.

“What? It's true.”

Mia laughed, while Clara rolled her eyes.

“What did both of you come to shop for?”

Clara told him about the company's dinner.

Augustine glanced at the dress Mia was holding. “That will look good on you.”

Mia told him that she had never gone to dinner before.

“Then you're in good hands.”

Clara smiled proudly. “Exactly what I've been telling her.”

Augustine looked at his cousin. “You'd better be right. She'll blame you if the dress is terrible.”

“She won't,” Clara said confidently. “Because I'm always right.”

Mia shook her head. “I don't know about that.”

Their laughter filled the small space between them. She had come to the boutique expecting nothing more than a dress and an evening with her friend. Instead, she had unexpectedly met someone new.

Mia compared dresses and tried to stay within her budget.

Selena stood inside an exclusive designer showroom where dresses were brought to her. Her father was one of the wealthiest businessmen in the city, and Selena had grown up accustomed to luxury. She barely glanced at the price tags as one gown after another was presented to her.

She rejected several ones before she finally made her choice.

Her mother watched from a nearby chair.

“You've been searching for almost an hour.”

“I want the right one.”

“For dinner?”

Selena smiled at her reflection. “For Adrian.”

Her mother sighed, though there was amusement in her eyes. “You have known that boy since you were children.”

“Exactly.”

“And you're still trying to impress him?”

Selena turned toward her.

“I'm not trying to impress him. I'm trying to remind him that I'm not a child anymore.”

Her mother laughed softly.

Selena turned back toward the mirror. She and Adrian had grown up together. Their families had always been close, and she knew him in a way most people didn't. Now that he was back and running his family's company, she couldn't help wondering whether this was finally her chance to become more than the childhood friend he had always known.

She touched the fabric of the dress.

“This one.”

The sales assistant immediately moved toward her.

Selena smiled at her reflection.

The dinner was two days away.

She had plenty of time to make sure Adrian noticed her.

Mia left the boutique that evening with her dress carefully wrapped in a garment bag. Clara walked beside her, still talking excitedly about the dinner, while Augustine stood at the entrance watching them leave with an amused smile.

For the first time since the takeover, Mia found herself looking forward to something that had nothing to do with work.

She had no idea what awaited her at dinner. She only knew she would be surrounded by people she barely knew.

It was just for dinner.

At least, that was what she told herself.

Across the city, Adrian stood in front of his bedroom mirror, adjusting the cuff of his shirt. His first week at Meridian Group had been filled with meetings, restructuring plans, and decisions that seemed to follow him everywhere.

Yet, for some reason, his thoughts drifted back to one particular employee.

Mia.

He couldn't explain why she had caught his attention. She wasn't the loudest person in the room, nor did she seem interested in impressing anyone. During meetings, she listened more than she spoke.

There was something about her he couldn't quite place.

Adrian frowned slightly and pushed the thought aside.

She was an employee.

Nothing more.

Tomorrow's dinner was about the company, the new management, and the people who had helped build Meridian Group.

It had nothing to do with her.

At least, that was what he told himself.

Selena stood in front of her mirror, studying the dress she had chosen earlier that evening.

She had been with Adrian long enough to understand his habits, his temperament, and the way he approached everything with careful control.

But Friday's dinner was different.

It wasn't just another day at the office.

For once, she wanted Adrian to look at her and see something other than his childhood friend.

She smiled faintly at her reflection.

The dinner was two days away.

For now, Mia had a dress.

Adrian had dinner to attend.

And Selena had a plan.