🌸signed for his name🌺

under one roof

The house was too quiet.

Lola lay in the middle of the king-size bed and stared at the ceiling. The sheets were silk and cold against her skin. The room was bigger than her old apartment, but it felt empty.

She was married now.

The word kept echoing in her head. Married. To a stranger. For money.

Down the hall she heard footsteps. Heavy. Slow. Elijah.

She held her breath. The footsteps stopped right outside her door. For three seconds nothing happened. Then they continued and went up the stairs to the third floor.

He didn’t knock. He didn’t come in.

Lola exhaled. Relief and something else she couldn’t name mixed in her chest.

Sleep didn’t come easy. When it did, she dreamed of hospital machines and contracts and white dresses.

---

Morning came too fast.

Breakfast was already set when she came downstairs at 8am. A long dining table for twenty. Only two plates.

Elijah was there. Black suit. White shirt. No tie. He was reading something on a tablet and drinking black coffee. He didn’t look up when she entered.

“Good morning,” Lola said quietly.

“Good morning,” he replied. His voice was even. No warmth. No cold either. Just business.

They ate in silence. The only sound was the clink of fork on plate and the ticking of the big clock on the wall.

After ten minutes Elijah put his tablet down.

“I have a board meeting at 9,” he said. “We have a company gala on Saturday night. You’ll attend as my wife. Mrs. Cole will send the dress and details to your room.”

Lola nodded. “Okay.”

He stood. “Remember the rules, Mrs. Sterling. Public appearances. Professional. No complications.”

Then he walked out. The front door closed behind him and the house went silent again.

---

The day dragged.

Lola tried to read. She tried to watch TV. She called the hospital. Her father was awake and asking for her. She lied and said she would visit soon.

At 5pm, Mrs. Cole arrived with three big boxes.

“Mr. Sterling’s stylist sent these,” she said. “For Saturday.”

Inside was a red dress. Silk. It hugged the body and fell to the floor. There were shoes to match. Jewelry in a small velvet box.

“It’s beautiful,” Lola whispered.

“It’s for the cameras,” Mrs. Cole said simply. “Be ready by 7pm. The car will come.”

When Mrs. Cole left, Lola held the dress up to herself in the mirror. It looked like something a wife would wear. Not a contract.

She looked away.

---

Night came.

At 11:30pm she heard the front door open. Elijah was home late.

She was in her room with the lights off, pretending to sleep.

Footsteps again. Up the stairs. They stopped outside her door.

This time it was longer. Five seconds. Maybe more.

Lola squeezed her eyes shut. Her heart was beating too fast.

Then the footsteps moved on. Up to the third floor. A door closed softly.

In his office, Elijah poured himself a drink. He didn’t turn on the main lights. Just the lamp on his desk.

Six months. That was the deal.

No feelings. No complications.

Separate bedrooms.

So why did he stand outside her door?

He took a sip and stared at the city lights.

Her face in that white dress this morning kept coming back to him. The way she held herself. Straight back, even though she was scared.

He shook his head. Business. It was all business.

Downstairs, Lola finally slept.

But both of them lay awake for a long time, in a house that was too big for just two people who were pretending not to care.