Terms and conditions
1065 Words
The contract arrives before sunrise.
It’s slid beneath my hotel room door sometime between midnight and dawn, the thick paper curling slightly at the edges. I stare at it for a long time before touching it, my heartbeat loud in the silence.
Adrian Vale doesn’t waste time.
I read it standing, barefoot on cold marble tiles, my nerves stretched tight. Every word is deliberate. Every word is sharp.
Public relationship.
Exclusive appearances.
Non-disclosure.
Termination under breach.
And there it is, buried deep in the legal language like a loaded gun:
In exchange, Mr. Vale will provide full protection, financial resources, and access to intelligence networks relevant to Viktor Volkov and his affiliates.
My father’s name looks different in print. Heavier. Dirtier.
By the time I finish reading, my hands are trembling, not from fear, but from the realization that there is no version of this where I walk away untouched.
A knock sounds at the door.
I already know it’s him.
When I open it, Adrian stands in the hallway like he owns the building, which, I suspect, he does. Dark suit. No tie. His hair is slightly undone, as if he hasn’t slept. His eyes flickering over my face, assessing, calculating.
“You read it,” he says.
“Yes.”
“And?”
I step aside, letting him in. The door clicks shut behind him. He moves through the room slowly, as if memorizing the space, before turning back to face me.
“You’re asking me to stand beside you,” I say, forcing my voice steady. “Publicly. As your partner.”
“I’m asking you to play a role,” he corrects. “One that benefits us both.”
“And if I say no?”
His gaze sharpens. “Then you leave this city tonight.”
My breath catches. “You’d let me go?”
“No,” he says calmly. “I’d make sure you’re escorted out safely. But I won’t allow you to operate in my territory unsupervised.”
There it is again that word.
“Territory”.
“You don’t trust me,” I say.
“I don’t trust anyone,” Adrian replies. “But I believe you want Viktor Volkov destroyed. That’s enough, for now.”
I glance back at the contract on the table. “This makes me visible to the public.”
“Yes.”
“And vulnerable.”
“Yes.”
“Then why do it?”
He steps closer, his voice dropping. “Because Viktor won’t suspect his daughter standing beside the man who’s dismantling his empire. And because you’re the only leverage I have that he won’t see coming.”
I close my eyes briefly. My mother’s face flashes through my mind. The bruises she hid. The way she flinched at raised voices. The night she whispered, One day, we’ll be free.
I pick up the pen.
“I have conditions,” I say.
Adrian’s brow lifts slightly. “I assumed you would.”
I meet his eyes. “I won’t be used as bait without knowing the risks. I want access to every file you have on my father. And if this goes wrong, I choose how I disappear.”
A long pause.
Then Adrian nods. “Agreed.”
The pen scratches against thepaper. My signature looks too small beneath his.
Just like that, my life cracks into a before and after.
The press conference is scheduled for noon.
By ten, I’m seated in a private styling suite overlooking the city, surrounded by strangers who smile too brightly and ask too many questions. They dress me in silk and gold, pull my hair into elegant waves, paint certainty onto my face.
I don’t feel confident.
I feel exposed.
Adrian arrives moments before we’re due to go live. He looks composed and unshakable. When his eyes meet mine, something unreadable passes between us.
“You’ll stand to my right,” he says quietly. “Smile when they ask how we met. Don’t elaborate.”
“And if they ask about my family?” I whisper.
“They won’t,” he replies. “I made sure of that.”
The doors open. Flashlights explode like gunfire.
We step forward together, hands brushing before his fingers close around mine. His grip is firm. Anchoring. The cameras go wild.
Questions fly.
“Mr. Vale, is this sudden relationship serious?”
“Miss, can you confirm how long you’ve been together?”
“Is this a merger of power or love?”
Adrian smiles, a flawless, and probably practiced thing. “Both.”
My stomach flips.
I do my part. Smile. Nod. Lean into him just enough to sell the illusion. Somewhere between the lies, something dangerous builds up. Not attraction. Not yet.
Later, we retreat into the private elevator. The doors close, cutting off the noise. Silence fills the space.
“You did well,” Adrian says.
I exhale. “Congratulations. The world thinks we’re in love.”I rolled my eyes while saying sarcastically.
His eyes meet mine. “The world believes what it’s shown.”
The elevator stops at the underground level. The doors open to reveal a sleek black car, and a man waiting beside it.
Victor Volkov.
Time stops. It felt like my heart had stop working
He looks exactly as I remember. Tall and ordering. A smile that never reaches his eyes.
“Elena,” he says warmly. “What a surprise.”
My chest tightens. Adrian stiffens beside me.
“Mr. Volkov,” Adrian replies coolly. “This wasn’t on the schedule.”
Victor chuckles. “I thought I’d congratulate you personally. Family should celebrate together.”
The word family tastes like poison.
Victor’s gaze flicks to me, sharp and searching. “You didn’t tell me you were seeing Adrian Vale.”
I force a smile. “Some things are better discovered on the news.”
His eyes narrow slightly. He knows something is wrong. He always does.
“Well,” he says while stepping back. “I look forward to getting to know you better, Adrian.”
Adrian doesn’t look away. “Likewise.”
As Victor disappears into his car and zooms off, my knees feel weak.
“He suspects us,” I whisper.
“Yes,” Adrian says. “Which means we’re already running out of time.”
I swallow hard.
The war has begun.
- Writer
