THE 20 MILLION CONTRACT

MORNING AFTER

CHAPTER 15

---

_Monday - 7:00 AM - Penthouse Kitchen_

Sophia woke up first.

Her lips were still tingling.

Stupid.

She put on his shirt. One of Ethan’s white button-ups.

It was too big. Smelled like him.

The kitchen was quiet. Coffee maker on.

Ethan was at the counter. Back to her.

Burning toast.

"Morning," Sophia said. Soft.

Ethan turned. Froze.

Eyes went to her lips. Then away. Fast.

"Morning," he said. "Toast?"

"It’s black," Sophia said.

Ethan looked down. "Shit."

He threw it away. "I’m not good at this."

"At toast?"

"At... this," Ethan gestured between them.

Sophia poured coffee. Hands shaking.

"Me neither."

Silence. Loud.

---

_7:30 AM_

They sat at the island. 3 feet apart.

Like it was a contract term.

"Last night—" Ethan started.

"Don’t," Sophia cut him off. "Can we not?"

Ethan nodded. Jaw tight. "Okay."

More silence.

Sophia broke first. "Did you sleep?"

"No," Ethan said. Honest. "You?"

"No."

Ethan almost smiled. "Great."

Sophia snorted. "We’re terrible at this."

"We’re great at fake," Ethan said. "Terrible at real."

That shut her up.

---

_8:15 AM_

Ethan’s phone buzzed.

Richard.

_Gala is Thursday. Red carpet. Don’t embarrass me._

Ethan deleted it.

"You have to go, don’t you?" Sophia asked.

"Yeah," Ethan said. "Will you come?"

Sophia stared. "As what? Your wife?"

"As you," Ethan said. "Just... you."

Sophia’s chest did something stupid.

"Okay," she whispered.

Ethan looked relieved. Like he was scared she’d say no.

---

_9:00 AM_

Sophia was in her room. Packing for Chidi’s call later.

Knock on the door.

Ethan. Holding two mugs. Fresh coffee.

Not burnt toast.

"I made more," he said. "Thought you might want it."

Sophia took it. "Thank you."

They stood there. Awkward.

"About last night," Ethan said.

Sophia’s stomach dropped. "Yeah?"

"I don’t regret it," Ethan said. Fast. "Any of it.

The kiss. The talking. You in my shirt."

Sophia looked down at the shirt. "It’s yours."

"I know," Ethan said. "Keep it."

Sophia looked up. "Ethan... what are we doing?"

Ethan set his mug down. Stepped closer.

"I don’t know," he said. "But I know I don’t want to go back to how it was."

Sophia nodded. "Me neither."

"So we figure it out?" Ethan asked. "Together?"

"Like Maldives?" Sophia asked. Small smile.

"Like Maldives," Ethan said. He reached out.

Brushed his thumb over her knuckles.

Didn’t kiss her. Just... held her hand.

"11 months left on the contract," Sophia said.

"Who cares about the contract?" Ethan said.

---

_12:00 PM_

Richard called.

Ethan answered on speaker.

"Photos from last night," Richard said. "You two looked cozy on the balcony."

Sophia went cold.

Ethan’s grip on her hand tightened.

"We were talking," Ethan said.

"Talking," Richard repeated. "Right.

Don’t get attached, son. It’s business."

He hung up.

Sophia pulled her hand away. "He knows."

"Let him," Ethan said. "I don’t care."

Sophia looked at him. "You should."

Ethan cupped her face. Thumb on her cheek.

"I care about you," he said. "That’s it."

Sophia closed her eyes.

"Okay," she whispered. "Okay."