Chapter 5: The Contract
1261 Words
“S-Sorry, sir,” Gianna blurted out immediately, her voice trembling as she quickly bent down to gather the scattered documents from the cold marble floor.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest.
“Next time, knock before entering my office, Ms. Castillo!” Anthony barked sharply, his voice laced with irritation and lingering anger.
Gianna swallowed hard.
She wanted to explain—to tell him that she had knocked, that there was no response, that she never intended to walk in on him like that. But the fire in his eyes warned her otherwise. One more word, and she feared he might truly explode.
After collecting all the paperwork, she straightened up and immediately turned to leave.
The moment the door closed behind her, heat rushed to her face.
Her cheeks burned—not only from embarrassment but from the image still etched vividly in her mind.
Anthony Sinclair had a body sculpted to perfection, the kind that would leave most women breathless. Any woman would willingly lose her composure over him. But strangely enough, that wasn’t what unsettled her the most.
It was the scar.
A long, jagged scar stretched along his right side, near his ribs.
Gianna frowned slightly as she stared blankly at the emptiness.
The scar was deep—far too deliberate to be brushed off as something minor.
Where did he get that?
And who did that to him?
Her thoughts spiraled, curiosity gnawing at her senses.
She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice the office door opening behind her.
“Come back inside,” Anthony said flatly. “I have tasks for you.”
Gianna stiffened before turning around. She nodded quickly, fixing her posture before following him back into the office, carefully avoiding his gaze.
***
It was already late when Gianna finally returned to her apartment.
Anthony had assigned her numerous tasks, all related to the new condominium project discussed during the meeting. Reviewing proposals, organizing investor documents, arranging schedules—it felt endless.
Exhausted, she headed straight for the kitchen, intending to cook dinner, only to realize her refrigerator was nearly empty.
She sighed heavily.
Cup noodles sat neatly stacked in her cabinet, but she immediately dismissed the idea. Too many nights of instant food would eventually lead to health problems—and she knew better.
She grabbed her wallet from the bedroom and stepped outside, deciding to buy fresh ingredients instead.
Just as she exited her apartment, she ran into Anne, who appeared to be heading back to her own place.
“Hi,” Gianna greeted, stopping in her tracks.
“Oh, Gianna. Good evening,” Anne replied warmly. “Where are you headed?”
“To buy something to cook for dinner,” Gianna answered. “By the way—where are you coming from? You still look like you’re in office attire.”
Anne chuckled lightly. “I just came from the office. Sir gave me some tasks I needed to finish tonight.”
Gianna nodded knowingly.
“Oh—before I forget,” she added, “did you already send Mr. Cruz the virtual tour link and the penthouse pricing details?”
“Yes. I prioritized that earlier,” Anne replied. “I also updated Sir Anthony about it.”
“That’s good,” Gianna said with relief.
They exchanged brief goodbyes before heading their separate ways.
At the market, Gianna quickly picked up a few essentials—just enough for dinner. She considered grocery shopping properly but decided to leave it for the weekend, especially since she planned to visit her parents.
After paying, she hailed a taxi and returned home.
Within minutes, the comforting aroma of food filled her apartment.
As she ate, her thoughts betrayed her once again—drifting back to the scar on Anthony’s body.
Questions flooded her mind.
Where did it come from?
Was it from an accident? Or something more violent?
She shook her head slightly.
There was only one person who could answer those questions—but she would never dare ask him. Anthony Sinclair was not the type of man who welcomed personal inquiries, especially from his personal assistant.
She finished her meal, trying to force the thoughts away.
***
The next morning, Gianna arrived at the company earlier than usual.
When she stepped onto their floor, she was surprised to see Anne already seated at her desk, fully focused on her computer.
“You’re early,” Gianna remarked.
Anne looked up and smiled faintly. “Sir sent me an email last night. It’s about his meeting with investors for a condominium project in Batangas.”
Gianna frowned slightly. “What time is that meeting?”
“In the afternoon.”
“That’s strange,” Gianna said carefully. “Sir has a scheduled meeting with the head of the finance department this afternoon.”
Anne’s brows knitted together. “What? He already approved the investor meeting.”
Alarm bells rang in Gianna’s head.
Did he forget?
She quickly set her belongings down, deciding she needed to clarify this directly with Anthony.
Before she could move, the office phone rang.
She answered immediately.
“Come to my office. Now.”
The line went dead.
Gianna exhaled softly before turning to Anne. “Is Sir already in his office?”
“Yes. He arrived unusually early,” Anne said. “And… he didn’t look like he was in a good mood.”
Gianna nodded and headed straight to Anthony’s office.
She knocked. Upon hearing his voice, she entered.
“Sir,” she greeted as she stood before his desk.
“Cancel my meeting with the head of the finance department,” Anthony said without looking up. His eyes were fixed on his computer screen, fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard. “The investor meeting is more important.”
“Yes, sir,” Gianna replied promptly. “Also, sir—the conference call with overseas partners is scheduled at 10:30 a.m., and the contract review is at 3 p.m.”
“Cancel all of those,” he said coldly. “Reschedule everything for tomorrow.”
Gianna looked up, surprised, but nodded. “Understood, sir.”
At that moment, Anthony’s phone rang.
He answered it—and Gianna immediately felt the shift.
The air around him grew heavy.
Seconds later, he hurled the phone across the room. It shattered violently upon hitting the floor.
Gianna flinched, her knees nearly buckling from shock.
Anthony slowly lifted his gaze, piercing and dark. “Tell Ms. Cortis to cancel the afternoon meeting,” he ordered. “Reschedule it for another day.”
“Yes, sir,” Gianna whispered.
She exited quickly, her chest tight, and immediately relayed the message to Anne.
“Something definitely happened,” Anne muttered. “His anger issues are acting up again.”
Gianna couldn’t help but laugh softly at that.
***
By lunchtime, Gianna stayed at her desk, eating the food she had prepared earlier. She preferred saving money—and avoiding unnecessary social interactions.
She was midway through her meal when a brown envelope slammed down harshly onto her desk.
Her heart leaped.
She looked up.
Anthony Sinclair stood before her, his expression unreadable.
“S-Sir?” she asked carefully, glancing at the envelope.
He didn’t answer.
Her fingers trembled as she opened it.
The moment she saw what w
as inside, her eyes widened in disbelief.
A marriage contract.
Her breath caught as she slowly looked back up at him.
Anthony met her gaze, his voice low and firm.
“Marry me, Ms. Castillo.”
- Writer
