The Contract That Became Forever

HER FIRST FIGHT AS A REAL COUPLE

CHAPTER 17

Ethan came home at 10:13 PM.

The house was too quiet. Only the kitchen light was on, casting a yellow glow over the table. Sophia was sitting there in sweatpants and one of his hoodies. The sleeves were rolled up three times. In front of her was a plate with pasta. Cold now. The steam was long gone.

He stopped in the doorway. His tie was loose. There was coffee on his white shirt. He looked tired in a way that had nothing to do with sleep.

"You said 7," Sophia said. Her voice was quiet. Not angry. Worse. Resigned.

Ethan dropped his keys on the counter. "Board meeting ran late. It was about the merger. I couldn’t just leave."

"Right," Sophia nodded. "The board. The company. Always the company."

He heard it then. That edge. The one he hadn’t heard since she signed the contract in his office. The one that meant she was pulling away.

He walked to her and crouched down next to the chair. "Hey. Look at me."

Sophia did. Her eyes were red-rimmed but dry. "Is this it, Ethan? Is this what we are? I make dinner. You work late. We eat separately. We sleep separately. Except now we share a bed and a last name."

"That’s not fair," Ethan said. "I’m doing this for us. For the future."

"For us?" Sophia laughed, and it broke his heart because it had no humor in it. "Or for the shares? Because I’m starting to not know the difference anymore. And I don’t want to be the girl who only matters when the board isn’t looking."

She stood up. The chair scraped against the floor. She didn’t yell. She didn’t throw anything. She just walked upstairs and closed the bedroom door with a soft click.

That sound was louder than any slam.

Ethan stood in the kitchen for a long time. The pasta was getting colder. He didn’t eat it.

He went to his office instead. Work was easier than thinking. Numbers didn’t ask questions. Emails didn’t look at him with disappointment.

At 1 AM Mrs. Hale left him a note on his desk. `She didn’t eat.`

At 2 AM he gave up.

The bedroom was dark. The bed was empty. But the couch in his office had a lump under his navy blazer.

Sophia was asleep there. Curled up. Her face was peaceful in a way it hadn’t been at dinner.

Ethan sat on the floor next to her. He didn’t touch her at first. He just watched her breathe.

"I’m sorry," he whispered. The words felt too small. "I’m so sorry."

Sophia stirred. Her eyes opened slowly. "What time is it?"

"Too late," Ethan said. "I’m sorry I’m late. I’m sorry I made you wait. I’m sorry I made you feel like you’re second to the company."

Sophia sat up. The blazer fell off her shoulders. "Why do you do it?"

"Because I’m scared," Ethan admitted. The truth tasted bitter. "My mom got sick and I couldn’t fix it because I was in a meeting. I swore I’d never let work make me miss something that mattered again. And now I’m doing exactly that with you."

Sophia’s expression softened. "You’re not going to lose me if you leave at 6 PM one day."

"What if I do?" Ethan asked. "What if I choose wrong?"

"Then we figure it out," Sophia said. She reached out and took his hand. Her fingers were cold. "But you don’t get to decide that by yourself anymore. We’re married. Remember? No more contracts. No more doing it alone."

Ethan brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. "I don’t deserve you."

"No," Sophia agreed, and a small smile touched her lips. "But you have me anyway."

He kissed her then. It wasn’t desperate. It wasn’t hungry. It was slow and apologetic and real. Like he was memorizing her. Like he was promising.

When they pulled apart, Sophia leaned her forehead against his. "Stay home tomorrow. Please."

"I have a board meeting," Ethan said, and saw her face fall. "At 4 PM. I can be home by 6."

Sophia nodded. "6 PM. I’m holding you to it."

"Deal."

They ended up sleeping on the office couch together. She used his chest as a pillow. He didn’t sleep much. He just held her and thought about how close he’d come to losing this because of pride.

At 6:47 AM his phone buzzed on the desk.

Ethan reached for it without looking. Lila’s name flashed on the screen.

`Turn on the news. NOW.`

Below it was a link. And a photo.

It was the photo from Noah’s dinner. Him and Sophia on the couch. His arm around her. The caption Noah posted: `#ContractFree #HartFamily`

Except someone had reposted it. With a different caption.

`Billionaire Ethan Hart cheats on fiancée Victoria with nurse wife. Contract marriage exposed.`

His blood went cold.

Sophia was still asleep. He didn’t wake her.

But the war he thought he’d won was starting all over again.