His Contract Wife, His Unexpected Love

CHAPTER 13

Morning came slowly in the Blake mansion, but Lily Carter was already awake long before the sun fully rose. She sat near the window in her room, watching the sky change from dark blue to soft gray. Her hands rested in her lap, but her thoughts were far from calm. Victoria Hayes’ words kept returning to her mind like a quiet echo she couldn’t turn off. He never used to bring anyone before.

She didn’t know why those words bothered her so much, but they did. It wasn’t jealousy, she told herself. It couldn’t be. This was just a contract. A deal. Nothing more. Still, something inside her refused to settle. She pressed her fingers lightly against her chest, trying to slow her breathing. The house behind her remained silent, like it was waiting for her to figure herself out.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. Maria entered with her usual calm expression and a small tray in her hands. “Good morning,” she said gently. “Mr. Blake has already left for a meeting.” Lily nodded slowly, even though she hadn’t asked. It had become normal now, his absence filling spaces she didn’t understand yet.

“Did he say where?” Lily asked without thinking too much. Maria paused briefly before answering. “Downtown. He has several back-to-back meetings today.” Lily thanked her softly, but when Maria left, the room felt even quieter than before. She wasn’t sure why she cared where he went. She told herself she didn’t.

Downstairs, the mansion felt different during the day. Less intimidating, but still distant. Lily walked into the kitchen area and poured herself a glass of water, trying to feel more like a person and less like a guest in someone else’s life. She had started noticing small things now, the way the staff moved silently, the way every object had a place, the way nothing ever seemed out of order.

But there was no warmth. Not really. Everything was perfect, but nothing felt alive.

Later that morning, Claire arrived again. She was holding her tablet, her expression focused as always. “We’ll go over today’s schedule,” she said, sitting across from Lily. Without waiting, she began listing events, instructions, names, and expectations. Lily listened quietly, but her mind drifted slightly at times.

“You’ll attend another dinner tomorrow,” Claire said. “Smaller group this time. More personal connections.” Lily nodded slowly. “And Ethan?” she asked. Claire glanced up briefly. “He’ll be there. He usually doesn’t miss important gatherings.”

That word again, usually. Lily noticed how often people described Ethan as if he was predictable, controlled, always consistent. But the more she was around him, the less she believed that was the full truth.

After Claire left, Lily found herself walking through the garden outside the mansion. It was quiet here, more natural than anything inside the house. The breeze moved through the trees gently, and for a moment, she allowed herself to breathe a little deeper. She sat on a bench, letting the silence settle around her.

She thought about her mother. The treatment had started. The hospital updates were positive so far. That should have been enough to bring peace. But instead, it came with something heavier. A reminder that this life she was living was built on something she didn’t fully understand.

Footsteps interrupted her thoughts.

She looked up.

Ethan Blake was standing a few feet away.

He wasn’t in a suit this time. Just a simple dark shirt, sleeves rolled slightly. It made him look less like a billionaire CEO and more like someone she might actually recognize as human. But his eyes were still the same, focused, unreadable, controlled.

“I didn’t expect you to be here,” Lily said softly, standing up.

“I live here,” Ethan replied calmly, stepping closer but not sitting yet.

There was a small pause between them. Not uncomfortable exactly, but unfamiliar.

“You didn’t go to your meetings?” Lily asked.

“I did,” he said. “They ended earlier.”

Lily nodded slowly, unsure why she felt slightly nervous around him now, even in a quiet garden.

Ethan looked at her for a moment before speaking again. “You’ve been quiet since the event.”

Lily hesitated. “I’m always quiet,” she said lightly.

“That’s not what I mean,” Ethan replied.

The way he said it made her stop. He wasn’t accusing her. He was noticing her.

That was different.

Lily looked down at her hands for a second before speaking. “It was just… a lot,” she admitted.

Ethan nodded slightly, as if he already understood. “You handled it well,” he said.

The compliment was simple, but it made something shift inside her. She wasn’t used to him noticing things like that.

“Victoria,” Lily said suddenly, before she could stop herself.

Ethan’s expression changed slightly, but only for a moment. “What about her?” he asked.

Lily hesitated. “She seems like she knows you… differently.”

Ethan looked away for a second, toward the trees. “She knows a version of me,” he said quietly.