THE CEO’S CHRISTMAS CLAUSE

Signing the contract

Elena stood in front of the imposing glass doors of Kane Enterprises, the giant building dressed in the most joyless Christmas decorations she had ever seen… thin strings of white lights, a wreath so perfectly symmetrical it could have been printed, and a frosted tree in the lobby that looked more like an advertisement for luxury than actual holiday cheer.

It had been two days since she stormed out of Adrian Kane’s office. Two days of fighting with herself. And now, here she was again, preparing to walk back in with her pride shoved deep in her coat pocket.

She didn’t want to do this.

Didn’t want to admit that, despite all her anger and righteous fury, she was cornered.

Her business was failing. Her staff was struggling. Christmas should be her studio’s busiest season—holiday events, corporate redesigns, festive displays—but this year, she was barely holding the doors open.

She had emailed his assistant that she was ready to talk. And now the meeting was set.

The elevator ride to the top floor felt like the slow descent of dignity. Glitter from her office Christmas décor still clung to her coat sleeve—mocking her for daring to hope things could have been different.

Her stomach churned with frustration, anxiety, and something else she refused to identify.She was walking back into the lion’s den.And this time, there was no escaping.

The elevator chimed, and the doors slid open. A hallway of polished marble greeted her, lined with cold silver garlands that somehow made the season feel even less warm.

David was already there, waiting.

“Ms. Hartley,” he greeted, voice polite but empty. “Mr. Kane is waiting for you.”

Elena nodded without speaking and stepped into the office.

****

Adrian stood by the window, the skyline behind him washed in a gray winter light. Even the city looked cold today—buildings topped with snow flakes, Christmas banners flapping stiffly in the wind far below.

He didn’t turn, but his shoulders tightened the moment she entered—like he had felt her presence.

Elena waited. He finally faced her, and their eyes locked. A flicker—victory or relief—passed through his expression, quickly swallowed by his usual icy composure.

“I take it you’ve had time to think it over,” he said, his voice low and controlled.

Elena didn’t mince words. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

He didn’t answer right away, just gestured toward the long conference table where a lawyer and David were already seated. A stack of papers sat neatly in front of them.

“Please, have a seat,” Adrian said smoothly. “We can go over the terms now.”

Elena nodded and walked over to the table, sitting down with an air of resignation. This wasn’t the meeting she had imagined, not the way she’d envisioned her professional life going.

As Adrian took a seat across from her, the lawyer began to speak.

“Ms. Hartley, this is a standard contract for a partnership investment agreement. Mr. Kane has outlined the terms under which he’ll help fund your business in exchange for your participation in his public rebranding efforts.”

The lawyer pushed a stack of papers in front of her. “There are a few clauses we need to go over. Most importantly, an NDA.”

Elena raised an eyebrow, already skimming over the document. “An NDA? For a business agreement?”

“Confidentiality is critical,” Adrian replied, his gaze unwavering. “I’m a very private man, Ms. Hartley. Any public involvement must be tightly controlled.”

Elena nodded, but as she continued reading, something made her pause. She looked up from the papers, her expression wry.

“And what’s this?” she asked, pointing to one clause. “‘Ms. Hartley agrees not to fall in love with Mr. Kane during the course of this arrangement.’”

Adrian didn’t flinch. His face remained impassive as he met her gaze. “It’s there for a reason.”

Elena laughed softly, shaking her head in disbelief. “Are you serious? You’re putting that in the contract?”

David looked uncomfortable, glancing between Elena and Adrian, unsure whether he should even be in the room at this point.

“Why would you put something so ridiculous in writing?” Elena asked, her voice tinged with humor, but her eyes narrowed with curiosity. “Do you really think I’d fall in love with you over this?”

Adrian’s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile, but his eyes remained hard. “Women have a habit of falling for me. They always do,” he said, his voice quiet but confident. “And I’m sure you’ll be no different, Ms. Hartley.”

Elena stared at him, her mouth opening slightly in surprise. “You’ve got to be joking.”

She couldn’t help but laugh again, this time more openly. “You’re really that full of yourself, huh? You think just because you want a pretty face on your arm, I’m going to start pining after you? I’m not some naive, starry-eyed girl who falls for the first guy who looks at her.”

There was a long moment of silence, and Adrian’s expression hardened, just slightly. His eyes were colder now, his jaw tightening ever so slightly.

“Is that supposed to be some kind of insult, Ms. Hartley?” His voice was calm, but the hint of anger was unmistakable.

Elena, still caught in the absurdity of the situation, didn’t back down. “No, it’s just the truth. You’re not even my type, Mr. Kane. So you can keep your clause in the contract. I won’t fall for you.”

The words hung in the air for a moment, sharp and biting.

For the first time, Adrian’s mask cracked, just a little. There was a flash of something in his eyes, maybe it was anger, maybe it was frustration. His ego had definitely taken a hit. But the corner of his mouth lifted into a thin, almost dangerous smile.

“Good,” he said softly, his gaze never leaving hers. “I’m glad to hear it.”

Elena smirked, but inside, she couldn’t help the small knot that had formed in her stomach.

The lawyer cleared his throat. “Shall we continue?” he asked, his voice breaking the tension.

Adrian nodded, then turned his attention back to Elena. “I trust that you’re comfortable with the rest of the terms. If you’re in agreement, we can finalize everything.”

Elena took a deep breath. She hated the fact that she was signing this contract, hated the deal with Adrian, but what other choice did she have? Her business was hanging by a thread.

With a resigned sigh, she picked up the pen, signed her name on the dotted line, and handed it back to the lawyer.

The lawyer gave a formal nod.

“On this day, the 3rd of December, 2025, Ms. Hartley has signed a binding NDA contract, placing Kane Enterprises as the majority investor of Hartley Design.”