The CEO’s twisted obsession

CHAPTER FOUR: The Contract

Mara…

She ignored Richard and walked straight out of the boardroom.

Fast.

Her chest burned so badly she could barely breathe.

Finance resigned.

Just like that.

Years of loyalty destroyed in one afternoon.

Her heels struck hard against the marble floor as employees moved out of her way quickly. Nobody stopped her. Nobody spoke.

They were scared.

Not of her.

Of what was happening around her.

Mara, wait. Richard caught up behind her. You need to calm down.

She turned around so fast he almost walked into her.

Calm down? she repeated. My company is being ripped apart in front of me.

We’re trying to stabilize things.

No, she snapped. You’re helping him bury me.

Richard looked exhausted now.

You think I wanted this?

I think you chose the safer side.

That shut him up.

Mara laughed bitterly.

Exactly.

She turned and pressed the elevator button repeatedly.

The doors opened almost immediately.

Mara, Richard said carefully, don’t go in there angry.

She looked at him coldly.

Too late.

The elevator doors shut between them.

Elijah’s office doors were already open when she arrived upstairs.

Like he knew she was coming.

That irritated her instantly.

Mara walked in without knocking.

Elijah didn’t look up from the papers in front of him.

You’re late, he said calmly.

Her anger nearly exploded.

You destroyed my finance department.

I replaced instability.

They resigned because of you.

They resigned because they were afraid.

Mara slammed both hands against his desk.

You think fear makes you powerful?

Only then did he finally look up.

And somehow, that was worse.

Because his face stayed calm.

Always calm.

I think fear makes people honest, he replied.

You don’t get to walk into my company and decide who stays and who leaves.

It stopped being your company yesterday.

The words landed hard again.

Mara straightened slowly. You really enjoy saying that.

No, Elijah said quietly. You just hate hearing it.

Silence stretched between them.

Sharp.

Heavy.

Mara stared at him.

There’s something wrong with you.

A faint pause.

I’ve heard worse.

I’m serious. She shook her head slightly. This isn’t normal.

Elijah leaned back in his chair slightly, studying her again.

That look.

Like he was constantly measuring something.

You’re emotional, he said calmly.

And you’re cold.

That’s why I win.

Her jaw tightened.

God, she wanted to hate him.

Maybe she already did.

But standing this close to him felt dangerous in ways she didn’t understand yet.

You called me here just to humiliate me again?

No.

He opened a drawer calmly.

Then slid a folder across the desk toward her.

Mara frowned immediately.

What is this?

Read it.

I’m not signing anything.

Read it first.

His voice lowered slightly.

Not louder.

Worse.

Mara snatched the folder and opened it aggressively.

The first page made her freeze.

MARRIAGE AGREEMENT.

Silence filled the room.

Mara blinked once.

Then laughed in disbelief.

No.

Elijah said nothing.

This is a joke.

It isn’t.

She looked back at the paper quickly.

Legal terms.

Company clauses.

Financial conditions.

Then her eyes landed on the names again.

Elijah Kane.

Mara Vance.

Her stomach twisted.

You’ve lost your mind.

If we marry, the board stabilizes.

Mara looked at him like he had gone insane.

You think I’m marrying you to save a company?

You’ll save more than the company.

I would rather lose everything.

His gaze sharpened slightly.

Would you?

That question hit too personally.

Because suddenly…

she wasn’t sure.

Elijah stood slowly from his chair.

Tall.

Dangerously calm.

The board trusts stability, he said. Marriage gives them that.

Mara scoffed angrily. Marriage gives you control.

A pause.

Then…

Yes.

At least he was honest.

Mara stepped back from the desk, disgust twisting in her chest.

You can’t seriously expect me to agree to this.

I expect you to think about it.

I already did.

You haven’t seen the last page.

That stopped her.

Mara frowned and flipped through the papers quickly.

Then…

her breath caught.

Funding release.

Debt coverage.

Immediate restoration of company control under joint leadership.

Seventy-three million dollars cleared.

Her pulse slowed.

No.

No no no.

This was insane.

You planned this, she whispered.

Elijah’s expression didn’t change.

You cornered my company on purpose.

Silence.

That silence told her enough.

Anger rose so sharply her eyes burned.

You don’t care who gets hurt, do you?

Something flickered in his face then.

Fast.

Gone immediately.

You should go home, he said quietly.

Mara stared at him for another long second.

Then grabbed the papers and walked out.

The house was quiet when she got home.

Too quiet.

Mara dropped the contract onto the dining table and pressed both hands against her face.

Marriage.

To a man she barely knew.

A man who looked at her like she was a problem he wanted to solve.

Or punish.

She pulled out a chair slowly and sat down.

Her head hurt.

Everything hurt.

The front door opened softly.

Mara?

Her mother’s voice.

Lucille walked in carrying grocery bags before stopping immediately.

Mara? Her expression changed. What happened?

I’m fine.

That’s a lie.

Mara looked away.

Lucille placed the bags down carefully. Did something happen at the company?

Mara laughed weakly under her breath.

Everything happened at the company.

I’m handling it.

You look exhausted.

I said I’m fine.

Her mother studied her quietly for a moment.

Then her eyes shifted toward the papers on the table.

Mara noticed too late.

Mom…

But Lucille had already picked them up.

Silence.

A horrible silence.

Then…

the color drained from her mother’s face.

No.

Mara stood quickly. Mom…

No. Lucille looked up sharply. Tell me you’re not considering this.

It’s complicated.

It says marriage!

Her mother’s voice cracked through the room.

Mara, what is this?

Mara swallowed hard. It’s a business arrangement.

That man wants to own you.

He wants control of the company.

And you think marrying him fixes that?

I don’t have choices anymore!

The words exploded out before she could stop them.

Silence filled the room immediately.

Lucille stared at her.

Heartbroken.

Mara…

Tears burned behind her eyes instantly, but she forced them back.

I can’t lose dad’s company, she whispered. I can’t.

Her mother looked back down at the papers again.

Then suddenly froze.

Her eyes locked on the name.

Elijah Kane.

The room changed.

Mara noticed immediately.

What?

Lucille’s grip tightened on the contract.

No, she whispered again.

This time different.

Fear.

Real fear.

Mama?

Lucille looked up sharply.

You cannot marry that man.

Mara frowned. You know him?

A pause.

Too long.

Then her mother stepped back slowly.

And for the first time since this nightmare started…

Lucille looked terrified.