Contracted Hearts

Lines That Should Never Blur

The rumors inside Cole Enterprises refused to die.

By the fourth day, they had become impossible to ignore.

Every hallway Adrian walked through suddenly became quiet the moment people noticed him. Employees lowered their voices. Executives exchanged glances. Secretaries pretended to focus on work while obviously listening to every passing conversation.

The future CEO had married a cleaner.

The cleaner was pregnant.

The cleaner had disappeared from the mansion.

The cleaner was refusing to return.

Everybody had a version of the story now.

And Adrian was exhausted.

He stepped out of the elevator that morning with his usual cold expression firmly in place while several workers immediately straightened the moment they saw him.

“Good morning, sir.”

Adrian barely acknowledged them.

Inside, irritation already sat heavily in his chest.

He had slept terribly.

Again.

Every time he closed his eyes, his mind somehow returned to Zara locked inside that room refusing to eat, refusing to speak, refusing him completely.

It annoyed him.

Worried him.

And frustrated him even more because he could no longer tell where obligation ended and genuine concern began.

The moment he entered his office, his assistant followed closely behind.

“You have a shareholders meeting by eleven, lunch with the finance directors at one, and another interview request regarding the family announcement.”

Adrian removed his jacket carelessly. “Cancel the interview.”

“Sir, the media pressure is increasing.”

“I said cancel it.”

She immediately nodded. “Yes sir.”

The office finally became quiet after she left.

Adrian loosened his tie slightly before reaching for his phone automatically.

Still nothing from Zara.

No reply.

No message.

Nothing.

His jaw tightened.

Then suddenly the office door opened without knocking.

“Wow,” a familiar voice said lazily. “You look terrible.”

Adrian looked up immediately.

Ethan Mercer walked inside carrying coffee like he owned the building.

Tall, relaxed and annoyingly observant, Ethan had been Adrian’s closest friend for years. One of the few people who spoke to him without fear.

And unfortunately, one of the few people who knew about the contract.

Adrian sighed tiredly. “What do you want?”

Ethan sat comfortably across from him. “I came to see if the great Adrian Cole finally destroyed his life.”

“I’m busy.”

“Yes, clearly. You look like a divorced father of three.”

Adrian gave him an unimpressed stare.

Ethan laughed softly before finally becoming serious.

“So. How bad is it?”

Adrian leaned back slowly. “Depends on your definition of bad.”

“Zara still refusing to speak to you?”

“Yes.”

Ethan whistled quietly. “Damn.”

Silence followed briefly.

Then Ethan’s expression shifted slightly.

“She really took the whole party thing badly.”

Adrian rubbed his forehead tiredly. “Because my family made it worse.”

“She’s emotional right now.”

“She’s angry.”

“She has reasons.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Whose side are you on?”

Ethan laughed. “Definitely not yours.”

That only irritated him further.

Ethan studied him carefully for a moment before speaking again.

“What happens if she finds out?”

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

Adrian’s expression hardened immediately.

“She won’t.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow. “That confident?”

“Yes.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

Adrian looked annoyed now. “The documents are hidden.”

“For now.”

Silence.

Then Ethan leaned forward slightly.

“With the way Zara is reacting over a stupid celebration party, what exactly do you think happens when she discovers the real contract?”

Adrian’s jaw tightened visibly.

“She won’t discover it.”

“And if she does?”

“She won’t.”

Ethan stared at him for several seconds before laughing softly.

“You’re starting to sound nervous.”

“I’m not nervous.”

“You should be.”

Adrian stood up and walked toward the office windows slowly.

The city stretched beneath him in silence while Ethan’s words lingered heavily inside the room.

Because deep down?

He knew Ethan was right.

If Zara ever found out the full truth, everything would explode.

The balance payment.

The real conditions.

The child.

The future arrangement with Vanessa.

None of it would survive.

Ethan’s voice broke through his thoughts again.

“You know, this entire thing sounded smarter when we first discussed it months ago.”

Adrian remained silent.

“Marry a random woman temporarily,” Ethan continued casually. “Get your parents off your back. Produce an heir. End the arrangement quietly. Everybody wins.”

Adrian’s expression darkened slightly.

Ethan noticed immediately.

Then finally said the part neither of them had openly discussed in weeks.

“You really planned to take the baby, throw her away without paying the remaining money and then marry Vanessa eventually.”

Adrian immediately turned sharply.

“I am never marrying Vanessa.”

The force behind the sentence surprised even him.

Ethan blinked slightly.

Then laughed.

“Oh, this is getting interesting.”

Adrian looked irritated already. “There’s nothing interesting.”

“Really?” Ethan leaned back comfortably. “Because you sound personally offended by the idea now.”

“I never wanted Vanessa.”

“Your parents do.”

“I don’t care.”

Ethan laughed again. “You say that like you don’t know your family. It’s either their way or you lose the company.”

Adrian said nothing.

Because that part was true.

Richard and Eleanor Cole controlled everything.

The board.

The company.

His future.

And somehow this arrangement with Zara had started as the easiest solution.

Simple.

Cold.

Controlled.

But now?

Nothing felt controlled anymore.

Ethan studied him carefully now.

Then his expression slowly shifted.

“Wait.”

Adrian frowned slightly. “What?”

Ethan stared at him in disbelief.

“No way.”

“What?”

“You actually care about her.”

Adrian’s expression instantly hardened.

“No.”

“You do.”

“No, I don’t.”

Ethan looked genuinely amused now. “Adrian Cole falling for the contract wife. Wow.”

Adrian’s voice became sharper immediately. “I said no.”

“Then why are you defending her every five minutes?”

“I’m not defending her.”

“You literally just snapped because I mentioned Vanessa.”

“That means nothing.”

“And now you look angry because I called Zara random.”

Adrian clenched his jaw slightly.

Ethan pointed at him immediately. “There. Again.”

“What?”

“That look.”

Adrian looked away immediately.

Ethan laughed louder now.

“Oh my God. You actually like her.”

“No.”

“You absolutely do.”

Adrian’s patience finally snapped slightly.

“I do not need to love someone to treat them properly.”

The room became quiet after that.

Even Ethan looked surprised by the seriousness in his tone.

Adrian continued more quietly now.

“She doesn’t deserve this.”

And there it was.

The problem.

Because Adrian himself no longer understood when guilt had started becoming something else entirely.

Ethan stared at him carefully.

“Since when did you start caring?”

Adrian remained silent.

“That was literally your plan from the beginning,” Ethan continued. “Your parents pressured you. You panicked because your reputation couldn’t survive being tied permanently to someone beneath your social level. So you created this entire arrangement yourself.”

Every word sounded ugly hearing it out loud now.

“And now suddenly you’re acting guilty?”

Adrian grabbed his car keys immediately.

“I’m going to lunch.”

Ethan laughed behind him. “You’re avoiding the conversation.”

Adrian ignored him completely and walked out.

But Ethan’s voice followed him anyway.

“Be careful, Adrian.”

He stopped briefly near the door.

“She’s way too far beneath your world.”

Adrian turned slowly.

And for the first time that morning, genuine anger flashed across his face.

“She’s not dirt.”

Ethan blinked slightly.

Then smirked knowingly.

“There you go again.”

Adrian walked out immediately after that.

Back at the mansion later that evening, dinner with his parents felt unbearable.

Eleanor barely touched her wine before speaking.

“Any update?”

Adrian looked tired already. “No.”

“She still refuses to return?”

“Yes.”

Richard sighed heavily. “This situation is becoming ridiculous.”

Adrian’s irritation returned instantly. “You think I don’t know that?”

Eleanor studied him carefully.

“You look exhausted.”

“I am.”

Silence followed briefly.

Then Eleanor spoke carefully.

“You need to regain control before emotions ruin everything.”

That sentence lingered strangely in the room.

Adrian immediately looked at her.

“Meaning?”

“Meaning Zara is becoming unstable.”

“She’s hurt.”

“She’s emotional.”

“She has reasons.”

Eleanor exchanged a brief glance with Richard.

And somehow Adrian hated those silent looks between them lately.

Everything about them felt calculated.

Then Richard finally spoke calmly.

“Just make sure she doesn’t do anything reckless.”

The baby.

That was what this was truly about.

Adrian already knew that.

Still, something about hearing it constantly irritated him more every day.

“I’ll handle it,” he muttered.

That same evening, Zara finally opened her bedroom door.

Amara nearly dropped the cup in her hands from shock when she saw her standing weakly by the hallway.

“Oh my God.”

Zara looked exhausted.

Her eyes were swollen from crying.

Her hair messy.

Her face pale.

And suddenly Amara realized just how badly the past few days had affected her.

“You came out.”

Zara gave a weak shrug. “I was thirsty.”

Amara immediately pulled her into a tight hug.

For a second, Zara almost broke down again.

Almost.

“I was scared,” Amara whispered.

Zara closed her eyes briefly.

“I know.”

They sat together quietly afterward while Amara forced her to eat slowly.

At first Zara resisted.

Then eventually gave in.

The silence between them felt calmer than before until Amara carefully brought up the subject she had been avoiding.

“You need to take care of yourself now.”

Zara immediately frowned.

“Don’t start.”

“I’m serious.”

“I said don’t start.”

Amara sighed softly. “Zara, whether you like it or not, you’re pregnant.”

“And?”

“And starving yourself is dangerous.”

Zara looked away immediately.

“I don’t even know how to feel about any of this.”

“That’s understandable.”

“No it’s not.” Her voice cracked slightly now. “Nothing about this situation is normal.”

Amara stayed quiet.

Then softly asked, “Do you regret it?”

That question shattered the atmosphere instantly.

Zara froze completely.

Then whispered quietly, “I don’t know.”

Silence followed.

Painful silence.

Then suddenly another knock came at the door.

Both sisters looked up immediately.

Amara frowned already. “If that’s him again…”

She walked toward the door and opened it sharply.

Adrian stood there.

Again.

Looking exhausted.

Again.

Amara immediately folded her arms. “You really don’t know how to quit.”

“I came for Zara.”

“She’s not going anywhere.”

Behind her, Zara slowly stood up.

Adrian’s eyes immediately found her.

And relief visibly crossed his face for half a second after seeing her outside the room finally.

“You look better.”

Zara almost laughed bitterly.

“Barely.”

Amara turned toward her immediately. “You are not seriously considering this.”

Zara looked tired.

Emotionally drained.

“I can’t stay hiding forever.”

“So you’re just going back?”

“No,” Zara said quietly. “I’m going back temporarily.”

Amara looked unconvinced.

Adrian finally spoke carefully.

“Please come home.”

The word home sounded strange coming from him.

Zara noticed it too.

She crossed her arms slowly. “I have conditions.”

Adrian nodded immediately. “Fine.”

“You don’t force conversations when I don’t want them.”

“Okay.”

“You don’t touch me.”

A brief flicker crossed his face.

Then disappeared.

“Fine.”

“And your mother stays away from me.”

That one made him sigh softly.

“I’ll try.”

“No,” Zara corrected coldly. “You will.”

Their eyes locked for several seconds.

Then finally Adrian nodded once.

“Okay.”

Amara still looked deeply unhappy about the entire thing.

But eventually she helped Zara gather a few things quietly.

And later that night, Zara returned to the Cole mansion.

The atmosphere inside the house immediately felt uncomfortable.

Eleanor stood in the living room watching silently as Zara entered beside Adrian.

Vanessa sat nearby pretending not to stare.

Richard looked relieved.

Not because Zara returned.

But because the pregnancy remained safe.

Zara noticed immediately.

And ignored all of them completely.

Eleanor stepped forward first.

“You should not disappear like that again.”

Zara walked past her without answering.

That visibly irritated Eleanor instantly.

But Zara no longer cared.

Not tonight.

Not anymore.

She simply walked upstairs toward the bedroom she shared with Adrian.

The room looked exactly the same.

Two separate beds.

Cold silence.

Distance.

Zara grabbed fresh clothes quietly before disappearing into the bathroom.

Adrian remained standing near the door watching silently.

He looked like he wanted to say something.

But didn’t.

And honestly?

That was probably for the best.

Almost thirty minutes later, Zara finally stepped out after showering.

Without makeup.

Without energy.

Without looking at him.

She walked directly toward her bed and laid down silently facing away from him.

Adrian remained standing there for several seconds before finally speaking quietly.

“Zara.”

No response.

He sighed softly.

Then eventually walked toward his own bed without another word.

And for the first time in days, both of them slept under the same roof again.

Even though emotionally, they had never felt further apart.