Bound By Contract, Claimed By Love

Chapter 5: The Business Card

Sophia stared at the ceiling in her dark apartment, trying to piece together that night six weeks ago.

Elena's birthday party. The Marriott downtown. Free drinks at the hotel bar.

She remembered being nervous about going. Elena had insisted they needed to celebrate, even though Sophia couldn't afford new clothes or expensive cocktails. "Just one night," Elena had said. "One night to forget about bills and problems and just have fun."

Sophia closed her eyes and tried to remember getting ready. She'd borrowed a black dress from Elena. Too tight, but it was the only nice thing that fit. She'd felt silly putting on makeup, like she was playing dress-up.

The hotel lobby had been huge and scary. All marble floors and fancy lights. The kind of place where rich people made big deals. Not the kind of place for an art teacher from Queens.

But Elena had pulled her toward the bar, chattering about how they deserved to treat themselves for once.

What happened next?

Sophia sat up in bed and grabbed her phone. Maybe if she looked at pictures from that night, something would come back to her.

She scrolled through Elena's i********: page until she found the date. There were selfies of them at the bar, both smiling and holding fancy cocktails. Sophia looked happy in the pictures. Relaxed. She hardly recognized herself.

In one photo, there was a man in the background. Dark hair, expensive suit, but his face was turned away from the camera.

Was that him?

Sophia zoomed in, but the image was too blurry to tell. Just a shadow of someone who might have been Alexander.

She tried to remember more. The bar had been crowded. Business people in suits, women in designer dresses. Everyone looked like they belonged there except for her and Elena.

She remembered ordering a martini because it seemed fancy. Then another one because the bartender was cute and kept filling her glass. Elena had been flirting with some guy in a blue tie, leaving Sophia alone at the bar.

That's when he'd appeared.

"You look like you'd rather be anywhere else."

The voice came back to her suddenly. Deep and warm, with just a hint of amusement. She remembered turning around and seeing gray eyes that seemed to look right through her.

"Is it that obvious?" she'd asked.

"Only to someone who feels the same way."

Alexander. She could see him now, leaning against the bar with an easy confidence that said he fit in places like this. He was tall, maybe six-foot-three, with dark hair that looked perfectly messy. The kind of handsome that made her forget how to breathe.

"I'm Alex," he'd said, extending his hand.

"Sophia."

When their hands touched, she'd felt electricity shoot up her arm. Chemistry she'd never experienced before with anyone.

"What brings you to this circus?" Alex had asked, nodding toward the crowded bar.

My friend's birthday. She wanted to go somewhere fancy. Sophia had felt embarrassed admitting it. "I don't really belong here."

"Neither do I," Alex had said, and something in his voice made her believe him.

They'd talked for hours after that. About art, about books, about how weird it was to be surrounded by people but still feel alone. Alex had listened to her in a way that made her feel important. Interesting.

He'd asked about her job, and instead of getting bored when she mentioned teaching, he'd wanted to know everything. What grade she taught, what her favorite art project was, why she'd chosen to work with kids.

"You light up when you talk about it," he'd said. "It's beautiful."

No one had ever called her beautiful for caring about her job.

The more they talked, the more drinks appeared in front of them. Alex had an easy way with the bartender, and glasses kept getting refilled without either of them asking. Sophia remembered feeling loose and happy in a way she hadn't in years.

"You're not what I expected," Alex had said at some point.

"What did you expect?"

"Someone who wanted something from me." His smile had been sad. "Everyone always wants something."

"I don't even know who you are," Sophia laughed. "What could I possibly want?"

The look he'd given her then had made her stomach flip. Like she'd just said the most perfect thing in the world.

Later, much later, when the bar was getting ready to close, Alex asked if she wanted to see the view from upstairs.

"I have a room," he'd said, and then quickly added, "Just to talk." The city looks amazing from the thirtieth floor.

Sophia remembered hesitating. She didn't do things like that. Didn't go to strange men's hotel rooms, no matter how charming they were.

But something about Alex had felt safe. And alcohol had made her brave.

"Okay," she'd said. "Just for a few minutes."

The elevator ride up was a blur. Alex had been standing close to her, close enough that she could smell his cologne. Something expensive and clean that made her want to lean closer.

His room had been huge. Floor-to-ceiling windows showing the whole city sparkling below them. Sophia had pressed her face into the glass like a kid.

"It's beautiful," she'd whispered.

"So are you."

When she'd turned around, Alex had been right behind her. Close enough that she could see gold flecks in his gray eyes.

"I should go," she'd said, but she hadn't moved.

"Should you?" His voice had been soft, almost uncertain.

That's when he'd kissed her. Gentle at first, then deeper when she'd kissed him back. She remembered thinking that this was what kissing was supposed to feel like. Like everything else in the world, it had disappeared.

After that, the memories got fuzzy. Pieces of sensation rather than clear images. His hands in her hair. The softness of the hotel bed. The way he'd looked at her was like she was the only person in the world.

She remembered feeling beautiful. Wanted. Special.

And then... nothing.

Sophia opened her eyes and stared at her phone. The next clear memory she had was waking up in her own bed the next morning, still wearing Elena's dress and feeling like her head was going to explode.

She'd assumed Elena had somehow gotten her home. They'd laughed about how drunk they'd both gotten, and Sophia had been too embarrassed to ask for details.

Now she wished she had.

Her phone buzzed with a text from Elena: "How are you feeling?" Still processing everything?

Sophia typed back: "Trying to remember more about that night. The guy from the hotel."

"Alexander! I knew you'd want to talk about him.

"Do you remember his name?"

"Of course. You couldn't stop talking about him in the cab home. You kept saying he was different from other guys. That he actually listened to you."

"What else do you remember?"

You said he was some kind of business person. Really rich, but not stuck up about it. You were worried you weren't good enough for him.

Sophia's heart started beating faster. "Did I say his last name?"

I don't think so. But you said he gave you his card.

Sophia sat up straight. "His card?"

"Yeah, you were clutching it in the cab. I told you to call him the next day, but you said you were too scared.

A business card. If she'd had his business card, she would know exactly who he was.

Sophia jumped out of bed and started tearing through her purse. Then her dresser drawers. Then the jacket she'd worn that night.

Nothing.

She must have lost it somewhere. Or throw it away without thinking.

But Elena said she'd been clutching it in the cab. Which meant she'd made it home with his information.

Where would she have put it?

Sophia's eyes fell on the stack of medical bills on her kitchen table. The pile she avoided looking at because it made her stomach hurt.

Slowly, she started going through the papers. Bills, appointment reminders, insurance forms.

And there, tucked between two hospital statements, was a white business card.

Alexander Stone. CEO, Stone Enterprises.

Sophia's hands shook as she read the address. The phone number. The email.

Alexander Stone. She'd been pregnant by one of the most powerful men in New York City.

And she had no idea what to do about it.