Chapter 5: The night everything began
1223 Words
The room went completely silent. Stacy could feel every single set of eyes watching her without looking up. She froze for a second as her heart skipped. She knew whatever decision she would make at that moment would be a permanent one.
Richard slowly stood up and started talking.
"I want to thank you both for being here.”
Everyone looked up but no one responded. Victor clears his throat quietly while Richard's eyes stayed on the documents.
Gerard sets his document down and claps his hands on the table. "First of all, I’d say the arrangement is pretty straightforward,” He began, his voice completely flat like he was in a business meeting.
"A contractual marriage. Minimum of one year. Legal on paper and I’m public facing. The merger of both families gives Crestline the legal standing to block Vantex's move on Hartley Group and protect every client partnership currently under threat.”
He turns the next page without looking at anyone.
"Separate residences for thirty days, then a shared address after that for the purpose of public appearances only. No interference in each other's professional lives. No personal obligations beyond what is written here.”
He stops and slowly raises his head. "That is the arrangement.”
Stacy's eyes finally met the document in front of her. She took quite a long time. Then raised up her head and looked back at him.
"That is your arrangement," she says. "I have not agreed to any of it.”
Richard sat very still, as his hands trembled. Victor exhaled slowly and looked down at his hands.
Gerard looked at her directly for the first time in her eyes since she sat down. "The terms are—”
"The terms are yours," she interrupted. "Every single one of them is yours. You sat in this room and wrote a document about my life and called it straightforward.” She keeps her voice even. “I want to negotiate.”
The word landed in the room, quiet and controlled.
Gerard studied her for a long time. How she spoke without taking back her words and how confident she was. Maybe too much for him.
"What would you like to change?” He asked quietly.
"For starters, I get to keep both my jobs."
"That’s fine. Nobody is asking you to—"
"I keep both of them, in writing. That is the first term.” She shot back before he could finish.
There was a long pause. "Okay then. Fine."
"My accounts stay separate. My income. My savings. Everything I have built stays mine and becomes no part of this company, this family or this contract."
"That’s also fine."
"I want my own space in whatever address we share. Not a room. But a floor to myself. With a lock on my side of the door.”
Something moves in Gerard's jaw as he looks at her. Richard looks at the table. "That can be arranged," Gerard says.
"And I want a clause." She leans forward slightly. "That this ends in exactly one year. No extensions. No renegotiations. No grey areas. One year and I walk away with everything I came in with and nothing less."
The room grew very quiet.
"Everything you came in with," Gerard repeats.
"Every damn thing.” Stacy said coldly.
He held her gaze for a long moment. They both realized at the moment for the first time, they are completely equally matched in something.
"Done," he says quietly.
Stacy looked back at the document on the table for a moment and picked up the pen. “And one more thing. If you break a single term, any one of them, I will make sure every person in this city knows exactly what kind of man sits behind the Blackwood name.”
She looks up at him with a cold expression. “Are we clear?.”
His expression didn't change. “We’re perfectly clear. You have nothing to worry about.”
She signs and sets the pen down, slides the document back across the table without looking at him again.
Both their fathers smiled at each other and hugged themselves tightly. “We made it.” Richard said slightly
“You can say that again.” They kept smiling at each other.
They began packing up the documents, ready to leave. When they heard a soft knock at the boardroom door. It opens before anyone answers.
Daniella slowly walks in without any drama, like she had been invited. She was well dressed as always. Carrying a warmth smile, happy enough to meet everyone still in place.
"I am so sorry I am late," she says softly while smiling. "The traffic was terrible.”
Gerard's jaw tightened immediately he saw her. He didn't invite her. Richard looked at her across the room and said nothing. As usual. Unbothered.
Victor looked up mildly. Daniella's eyes move across the room and find Stacy. She crosses directly to her without hesitation. Just warmth and confidence.
She extends her hand. "You must be Stacy." Her smile reaches her eyes. "I have been wanting to meet you. I am Daniella. Gerard and I are very close friends.”
Not ex-girlfriend, not the woman he came home with to propose too. Just very close friends.
Stacy shakes her hand. "It’s nice to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine." Daniella squeezes her hand once before releasing it. "I know this whole situation must feel completely overwhelming. If you ever need someone to talk to, someone who knows this world and can help you navigate it, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.”
She says everything like she means it. That is the most dangerous thing about her.
"Thank you," Stacy says.
Daniella smiles one more time. Then moves to Gerard's side of the room. “So I see you're married now.” She slurred, raising her brows.
“Daniella, please don’t—”
“Shhhh! I'm not going to cause any scene.” She shot back immediately. “I just came to say congratulations.”
She turns her back immediately and walks out of the room. After that, the room empties slowly. Richard and Victor stay behind. Stacy walks out first. Gerard follows.
The corridor was empty and silent. Just the two of them were present. Stacy slowly moves towards the elevator. "Miss Mills.”
She stops but does not turn. "You negotiated well.”
She turned slowly. He stood two feet behind her with his hands in his pockets and And a cold expression.
"Don't," she says.
"Don't what?"
"Don't stand there and give me a compliment like we are something other than what we are." Her voice is quiet but completely firm. "This is a transaction. You said so yourself. So let us keep it exactly that way.”
She turned back to the elevator and pressed the button. The door opened immediately. She stepped in. He called out after her but she doesn’t turn.
He followed as the door began to close. "My name is Gerard.” His voice rose. But the door slowly shuts.
She stood in the elevator quietly staring at nothing. She reached the ground floor. Immediately as she stepped out, her phone buzzed. "Congratulations on signing. You just made the most expensive mistake of your life.”
- Writer
