Two Hearts

The Contract

Laura's POV

When the office door closed behind me, I finally managed to take a proper breath.

It felt as though the temperature in the room had suddenly dropped several degrees. I sat down in the same chair where I had been waiting before and folded my hands in my lap, hoping nobody would notice how badly they were trembling.

What the hell just happened?

I should have felt relieved. After all, I didn't want to marry a complete stranger either. Instead, I felt... offended.

Daniel's reaction had been so immediate, so sharp and absolute, as if someone had suggested he marry the last woman on earth he would ever consider looking at. It irritated me far more than I wanted to admit.

The worst part was that he wasn't anything like the man I had imagined. He certainly wasn't some spoiled rich kid living off his father's money. Nor was he an awkward introvert incapable of finding a wife.

No.

Daniel Carter was confident. Powerful. Successful.

He was tall, probably around six feet, dressed in an expensive tailored suit that likely cost more than my monthly salary. His voice was deep and controlled, even when he was angry. There was something intimidating about him, something that made it impossible to look away.

Money. Influence. Authority. Those things practically radiated from him. One glance had been enough to understand that he had built an empire of his own.

And suddenly, for the first time since entering the building, fear began creeping into my chest - What if he refused? What if he walked out of that office and told his father this entire arrangement was ridiculous?

I wouldn't even blame him. We came from completely different worlds. From his perspective, I probably looked exactly like the kind of woman people warned wealthy men about.

A struggling woman drowning in debt. A woman suddenly offered access to unimaginable wealth. A woman willing to marry a rich CEO. It was easy to see how that might look. And maybe he assumed I was after the money.

The painful part was that he wouldn't be entirely wrong. Money was the reason I was here. But not for luxury. Not for designer clothes. Not for jewelry. Not for expensive vacations or glamorous dinners.

I wasn't here because I wanted more. I was here because I was terrified of losing everything. I was trying to save my life. My children's future. Our home. Our stability.

The fear kept growing because I knew exactly what would happen if Daniel refused - The creditors would keep calling. The debt would keep growing. The court proceedings would begin. Eventually, everything would fall apart.

But if he agreed...

I would be forced to live under the same roof as a man who clearly wanted nothing to do with me. And strangely enough, I wasn't sure which possibility frightened me more.

The rejection. Or the acceptance.

My thoughts were interrupted when the office door opened.

Daniel stepped out. Something about him had changed. I couldn't tell what exactly. His expression remained unreadable, cold and controlled, but there was something different in the way he carried himself. Something heavier.

Our eyes met. Immediately, I felt uncomfortable. There was an intensity in his gaze that made my stomach tighten. For a brief moment neither of us looked away.

Then he turned and walked toward the elevator. Just before the doors closed, our eyes met one final time.

And then he was gone.

The tension eased slightly. I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Still, I had no idea what his departure meant. Had he agreed? Had he refused? Was Eric about to tell me everything was over? That I needed to go back to searching for impossible solutions and praying for miracles?

A few minutes later Aurora approached me. She was smiling, just as warmly as before. I honestly wished I could borrow some of her optimism.

"Mrs. Brown, Mr. Carter will see you now.", I stood and followed her back toward the office.

Eric was waiting behind his desk.

To my surprise, he looked perfectly calm. Not angry. Not disappointed. Not frustrated. If anything, he looked satisfied.

Maybe that was a good sign. Or maybe I was reading too much into it.

I sat down across from him and waited. Part of me hoped Daniel had agreed. Another part still hoped he hadn't. Because if this deal moved forward, there would be no turning back.

Eric folded his hands together before speaking.

"Well," he began, "regardless of everything that happened, Daniel has agreed."

For a moment I simply stared at him. Agreed. The word echoed inside my head. Just like that.

Everything suddenly felt more real.

"Now," Eric continued, "the only answer left is yours."

I nodded slowly.

"My questions are simple. What are your conditions? What would you like? What would you not like? What are your expectations? And most importantly, we need to agree on compensation. What do you believe would be fair payment for an arrangement like this?"

I blinked.

Compensation. Conditions. Expectations. It all sounded so businesslike. So clinical. As if we were discussing a merger rather than a fake marriage.

The truth was, I had never negotiated anything in my life. Not really. Employment contracts. Loan agreements. That was about it.

But this was different. This decision would affect every part of my future.

"My children are my priority," I said carefully. "I need to understand what happens to them. And I'm still legally married. I don't know if a divorce can happen that quickly."

"Leave that to me," Eric replied immediately. "I have people who can handle the legal side. The divorce won't be a problem."

Then he paused.

The expression on his face changed slightly. It was the first time since I'd entered his office that he seemed uncertain.

"And the children?"

I nodded.

"The children stay with you."

I frowned.

"Of course they do."

"They'll live with you."

The realization hit me a second later.

"With Daniel?"

"Yes."

I stared at him.

For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood. Then I remembered the conversation between father and son. The inheritance. The grandmother. The lie.

And suddenly a horrifying possibility formed in my mind - Had Daniel lied about having children too? Had he invented an entire family? If so, my children weren't a complication. They were an advantage.

Eric sighed.

"Daniel created a very complicated situation. The children actually help make everything more believable."

I didn't know whether to laugh or panic.

"I'm not thrilled about it," I admitted. "But they're better off with me than with Chris. At least I can give them stability." It wasn't entirely true. I wasn't calm about any of this. I had hundreds of questions. But somehow, I already knew I wasn't going to get all the answers today.

"Anything else?" Eric asked.

I took a deep breath.

"Yes."

He waited.

"I don't want intimacy." The words came out firmer than I expected.

"We're strangers. I expect us to act like husband and wife in public, at family events, and around your mother. But when we're alone, I want us to live separate lives."

Eric nodded immediately.

"Completely understandable."

Relief washed through me. At least one thing was simple.

Then he slid a folder across the desk.

"Read everything carefully. If you're comfortable with the terms, sign it."

I reached for the folder.

Before I could open it, Eric spoke again.

"One more thing."

I looked up.

"The amount."

Right. The money.

I had calculated my debts countless times. I knew exactly what I needed. A little extra would provide security. A chance to start over. I swallowed.

"One hundred thousand."

The number hung in the air. Eric simply looked at me. His blue eyes remained fixed on mine. For several uncomfortable seconds he said nothing.

Had I asked for too much? Too little? I opened my mouth, prepared to lower the amount. Before I could speak, he interrupted.

"Three hundred thousand."

I froze.

"What?"

"One hundred and fifty thousand upon signing. The remaining one hundred and fifty thousand after four months, when my mother returns home satisfied.", The certainty in his voice left no room for discussion.

Three hundred thousand. The number felt unreal. Absurd. Life-changing. Far more than I needed. Far more than I had dared imagine.

"I don't think—"

"This amount is non-negotiable." His tone remained polite. But final. The conversation was over.

I lowered my gaze and opened the contract - Page after page. Terms. Conditions. Confidentiality clauses. Responsibilities. Expectations. Everything was surprisingly straightforward.

There were no hidden traps. No shocking requirements. No fine print waiting to destroy my life. The confidentiality section was extensive, but understandable. If this arrangement became public, both Eric's and Daniel's reputations could suffer.

This wasn't romance - It was business. And businesses protected themselves. Eventually, I reached the final page.

And stopped.

There it was - Daniel's signature.

Until that moment, some irrational part of me had still believed he would refuse. That he would walk out of his father's office and declare the entire arrangement insane. That somehow he would make the decision for me.

But there it was - Dark ink on white paper. Proof that he had agreed. Proof that this wasn't a possibility anymore.

It was real. And now I was the only person standing between this deal and reality.

My hand trembled as I picked up the pen.

One signature.

Just one.

After that, there would be no turning back. Not for me. Not for Daniel. Not for any of us.

I drew a slow breath and held it.

Then I lowered the pen to the paper.

And signed.