Bound By Contract

Friday

Nadia POV

I got back home planning my next move against Ethan. I wasn’t going to let him get ahead of me. I knew he was calculated, so I needed to be ready.

I was on my laptop when Leo, my brother, walked in, looking uneasy.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

He sighed but didn’t answer me directly. Instead, he asked why I agreed to Ethan’s terms and why I was taking everything on myself.

“It’s okay, Leo. I’ll be fine. I can handle Ethan.”

“I’m sorry, Nadia. We got you into this.”

I tapped his cheek lightly, trying to ease him up, but he didn’t smile.

“I need to tell you something,” he said.

I looked at him. “What is it?”

“Dad made me sign something. I didn’t know it was a loan.”

“Explain.”

Eight months ago Dad asked me to co-sign something. He said it was a formality. A bank requirement, nothing that would ever actually be called on. He said my name just needed to be on it.

“Hmmm… It’s not your fault,” I said.

“I should’ve read it.”

“You were twenty, and Dad told you it was fine. This isn’t on you.” And guess what?

“What?”

“It’s fully cleared now.”

“I had already found out when I was doing research on the whole situation. I added it to the marriage terms, and Ethan agreed to it. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

He couldn’t believe his ears. He let out a breath and smiled, like the weight had just left him.

“Wait… seriously?”

I nodded.

He stepped forward and pulled me into a quick hug. “Nadia… you’re insane, you know that right?”

****

I received the contract on Monday as agreed. After going through it with my lawyer, I signed it, kept a copy, and sent the other back.

A private wedding was arranged.

“The party of the first part agrees to enter into a legal union,” the lawyer read, “for a period not to exceed twelve calendar months.”

I kept my eyes on the document. It was a contract. Clear terms. Fixed duration. Nothing to interpret.

I signed.

Ethan signed after me.

Gerald, the lawyer, collected both copies, shook our hands, and left the room. Connor said something to Ethan and followed him out.

Then it was just us.

Ethan slid his copy into a folder. I put mine in my bag. We stood across the table from each other. No one said anything.

“The moving team will coordinate with you,” he said.

“Fine.”

“Saturday works?”

“Saturday works.”

He nodded. I nodded. He picked up his folder and left.

I stayed in the room for a few seconds, then left too.

It was already the following day. I was still fast asleep when my phone kept ringing non-stop.

By the time I reluctantly picked it up, the call had ended. I checked my call log. Mara, Sylvia, and Leo had called me many times.

While I was still trying to understand what happened, Sylvia called again. I answered.

“Sylvia, what is going on?” I asked.

“Come online right now and check the news,” she said. “You need to see it.”

I wanted her to just tell me, but she insisted I should check myself. I opened my phone and went to social media.

Ethan had changed his marital status to “Married.” He had also started following my account. People now believed we were married.

The rumors spread fast. I kept scrolling. The headlines were everywhere.

“Nadia Voss Marries Ethan Cole: The Voss Heiress Trades Her Future to Save Her Father’s Dying Empire”

“Desperate Move: Marcus Voss’s Daughter Locks Down Billionaire Ethan Cole as Family Business Collapses”

The comments were even worse. One bitter post caught my eye:

> “Nadia Voss really sold her body and dignity to Ethan Cole just to save her father’s sinking ship. Some daughters actually work hard instead of opening their legs for money. Gold-digger of the year. Hope the diamonds make up for the shame 😂”

Another one read:

> “When your daddy ruins everything, just spread your legs for the richest man in town. Nadia sold herself cheaper than a used car. Pathetic. The Voss name is officially dead.”

Anger burned inside me. I felt hot and sick at the same time. I quickly tried to call Ethan, but I stopped. I did not even have his number.

There was a knock on my door.

I walked over and opened it. Two men in dark suits stood outside.

“Miss Voss, we are here to take you to Mr. Cole’s residence,” one of them said.

I lost my temper.

“We agreed on Saturday! Why are you here now? What the hell is this?”

The men remained calm.

“Mr. Cole gave new instructions. We must take you now.”

I glared at them. “Call your boss. I need to speak to him right now.”

They shook their heads. “We are under strict orders. Please pack your things and follow us.”

I wanted to argue more, but it was clear they would not change their minds. I turned around, went inside, and packed my clothes and important items into a bag. My hands moved fast because of the rage I felt.

I grabbed the bag and followed the men out of the apartment. As I climbed into the black SUV, one thought filled my mind.

Ethan Cole would answer for this. Our marriage had barely started, but it was already a war.