CHAPTER 6 The Contract
1119 Words
POV: Elena
The invitation was still open on my laptop when I arrived at the office the next morning.
Operations Dinner — 7:00 PM.
I had read the email several times the night before.
Not because there was anything complicated about it.
It was a work dinner.
That was all.
Still, I had spent far too much time thinking about whether I should attend.
In the end, the answer was obvious.
I needed to be there.
The Crescent Hotel project was important to Lumen & Co., and I wasn't going to let my personal history with one of the executives interfere with my career.
At 8:10 AM, Mia walked into my office carrying 2 coffees.
“I brought you one.”
I accepted it.
“Thank you.”
She sat across from me.
“So?”
“So what?”
“Are you going to the dinner?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“Good.”
“That's it?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don't know.”
“Then I'll say this.”
She pointed at me.
“Work dinner. Work conversation. Work Elena.”
I laughed.
“You make it sound like I'm going into battle.”
“With you and Alexander, sometimes I think you are.”
I shook my head.
“Nothing is going to happen.”
“That's exactly what people say before something happens.”
I ignored her.
Instead, I opened the Crescent Hotel documents.
There was one item I hadn't received yet.
The contract.
Our proposal had been approved, but the final agreement still needed signatures.
And that meant another meeting.
With Alex.
At 10:30 AM, an email arrived from the hotel's legal department.
The final contract was ready.
I opened the attachment.
The document was long.
Very long.
I read every section carefully.
Project responsibilities.
Deadlines.
Creative approvals.
Budget limitations.
Communication procedures.
Everything was clear.
I highlighted several sections and made notes.
By 12:15 PM, I had finished.
Then another email arrived.
From Alexander Vale.
I stared at the sender for a second before opening it.
The contract is ready for review. Can you meet at 3:00 PM?
I replied.
Yes.
Nothing else.
I was proud of myself.
Mia looked over from her desk.
“You're smiling.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“It's because we got the contract.”
“Sure.”
I returned to my computer.
“Don't start.”
“I haven't started anything.”
“You're thinking.”
“I always think.”
“That is exactly the problem.”
She laughed.
At 3:00 PM, I entered the conference room.
Alex was already there.
The contract was placed neatly in front of him.
“Good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon.”
He gestured toward the chair.
I sat down.
For several minutes, we discussed nothing except the agreement.
I asked questions.
He answered.
He raised concerns.
I explained our position.
It was surprisingly easy.
Maybe this was what we needed.
Structure.
Boundaries.
Clear responsibilities.
A reason to talk that didn't involve the past.
Then we reached the section about creative approval.
“This needs to be changed,” I said.
Alex looked at the paragraph.
“Why?”
“It gives the executive team unlimited authority to make revisions.”
“That was intentional.”
“That could interfere with the creative direction.”
He looked at me.
“What do you suggest?”
“Changes should be discussed with our team before they're finalized.”
He considered it.
“That seems reasonable.”
I looked at him.
“You agree?”
“Yes.”
I wasn't sure why I sounded surprised.
He gave me a small smile.
“You're not used to people agreeing with you?”
“I am.”
“Then why are you surprised?”
“Because you're difficult.”
He laughed.
Actually laughed.
For a second, I forgot how long it had been since I'd heard that sound.
I looked down at the contract.
“We're supposed to be professional.”
“I know.”
“Then stop laughing.”
“You called me difficult.”
“Because you are.”
He shook his head.
“Some things really haven't changed.”
I didn't respond.
The moment passed.
We returned to the contract.
By 4:15 PM, everything had been agreed upon.
Alex signed his copy.
I signed mine.
The contract was official.
Lumen & Co. had the project.
I should have felt relieved.
Instead, I felt something else.
This was no longer a short assignment.
We were going to be working together for months.
I closed my folder.
“So that's it.”
“For today.”
I stood.
Alex looked at me.
“I'll see you tonight.”
I paused.
“Right.”
The dinner.
I had almost forgotten.
“Seven.”
“I remember.”
I walked toward the door.
“Elena.”
I turned.
“You don't have to be nervous.”
I frowned.
“I'm not nervous.”
He smiled.
“Of course.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Goodbye, Mr. Vale.”
“Goodbye, Elena.”
I left.
And despite myself, I smiled.
At 6:45 PM, I arrived at the hotel restaurant.
The table was already occupied by several members of the operations team.
I took my seat.
Alex arrived a few minutes later.
He greeted everyone and sat across from me.
Perfect.
Across the table.
Professional distance.
Exactly what I needed.
The dinner was surprisingly comfortable.
We discussed schedules.
Design requirements.
Upcoming events.
Budget considerations.
Nothing personal.
Nothing dangerous.
Until one of the hotel managers asked me about my career.
“How long have you been with Lumen & Co.?”
“Almost 5 years.”
“And you built the design department?”
“I helped build it.”
Alex looked at me.
There was something in his expression I couldn't identify.
Pride, perhaps.
I looked away.
The conversation moved on.
By 8:30 PM, the dinner ended.
I stood outside the restaurant, waiting for my ride.
Alex walked past.
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
He stopped.
“You did well tonight.”
I smiled.
“So did you.”
He nodded.
Then he left.
I watched him disappear down the hallway.
The contract was signed.
The project had officially begun.
And for the first time, I realized something.
I hadn't just agreed to work with Alexander Vale.
I had agreed to let him remain in my life for the next several months.
That thought should have frightened me.
Instead, it made me wonder what would happen next.
And I wasn't sure whether I wanted the answer.
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