The CEO's Contract Wife

Chapter 6: One Week in London

London was cold.

Like... Cold.

The kind of cold that hurts. The kind that gets under your skin and stays there.

Worse than Carter Mansion.

Worse than anything Zayn had felt in years.

Zayn was on the balcony.

40Th floor.

Wind was hitting Zayn’s face, but Zayn didn’t move.

The whole city there. Lights everywhere. Cars. People. Noise.

Zayn had whiskey. Again. Third glass.

It wasn’t helping.

Three days.

Three days without Aria.

Three days of silence in Zayn’s apartment.

Three days of eating. Sleeping alone. Waking up alone.

Zayn told himself it would help. To stay away.

Give Aria space. Give Zayn space.

It didn’t. Not even a little.

If anything, it made it worse.

Stupid. You’re being stupid. She’s a contract. 26 days. That’s all.

Zayn took another drink. The whiskey burned.

Phone buzzed.

Again.

Zayn didn’t look at first.

Then it buzzed again. No name. Just a number.

Zayn knew it. Of course, Zayn knew it. 30 Days with that number saved in Zayn’s head.

Zayn didn’t need to save it. Zayn could never forget it.

Message.

Ben is asking for you. He drew this. Photo.

Crayons. Messy.

Stick man. Tall. Black scribbles for hair. Then a little girl with pigtails. Then a little boy with a smile.

All holding hands. Big circle around them.

Under it in letters: Mr. Zayn + Aria + Me.

Zayn’s chest. It hurt.

Like someone reached in and squeezed.

Ben remembers. Ben still thinks we’re… that.

Zayn started typing.

Tell him thank you

Deleted.

Too cold.

How is he

Deleted.

Too desperate.

Zayn stared at the screen for a minute.

Sent nothing.

Put the phone down.

Pathetic. Zayn is so pathetic.

New York. Carter Mansion.

Quiet. Too quiet.

The kind of quiet that echoes.

Felt wrong without Zayn there. Felt wrong without Zayn’s footsteps in the hall.

Without Zayn’s voice telling people what to do.

Aria went to see Ben. Every day.

30 Minutes. Guards with Aria.

Hospital rules. Carter rules.

Ben was better. Ben looked stronger.

Color was back in Ben’s cheeks. Ben was eating again.

Ben kept asking the same thing. Every single day.

"Where is Mr. Zayn?"

"He’s working, baby. London." Aria said.

Hated saying it.

Lie. Zayn is running.. Aria is letting him.

At night the mansion was too big.

Aria walked the halls. Empty rooms. Empty beds.

Aria missed the sound of Zayn arguing about coffee. Missed Zayn being cold and sharp and there.

That night. No sleep.

2 AM. Aria was just lying there staring at the ceiling.

Aria got up.

Aria ended up in Zayn’s office.

Rule 1. Yeah. Broken.

Zayn will kill me. Don’t care.

Desk was clean. Way too clean.

Not one paper is out of place. Not one pen.

Like Zayn had never been there.

But the drawer… it was open a bit. Just a crack.

Aria pulled it open.

Photo inside.

The one Elena showed Aria weeks ago. Young Zayn. Maybe 10.

Standing next to Zayn’s mom. Both laughing in a garden. Sunlight.

Before everything went bad.

Under it. Another photo.

Aria.

Gala night. Black dress. Head thrown back. Laughing at something.

Candid.

Zayn took that. Zayn kept that. In Zayn’s drawer.

Aria’s breath caught. Why? Why keep this?

Does Zayn think about me too? Is it just… evidence?

Phone rang.

Loud in the office.

Unknown number. London.

Hands shaking. Aria answered. "Hello?"

Nothing. Then breathing.

Heavy. Tired.

"Are you okay?"

Zayn’s voice. Rough. Like Zayn hadn’t slept either.

"Z-Zayn?"

"Don’t hang up."

"I won’t." Couldn’t if Aria tried.

Cars in the background. London noise. Rain maybe.

"The board… they approved it. The merger," Zayn said. "Because of you. Your numbers. Your speech."

"Because of us," Aria said. Soft. We did it together.

Zayn sighed. Long. "Aria…"

"Don’t."

"Don’t what?"

"Don’t do the rule's thing again. Don’t call it a mistake. Don’t pretend like those nights didn’t happen."

Long pause.

Zayn made a sound. Half laugh, groan.

"Then what do you want Zayn to say?"

Aria closed her eyes. Just say it. Be brave.

"Tell me to come to London."

Zayn made a sound. "I can’t."

"Why?"

"Because if Aria comes… Zayn won’t let Aria go in 26 days. Zayn won’t let Aria go ever."

Click.

Call ended.

Aria just stood there. Staring at the phone. Shaking.

What does that mean? What is Zayn saying?

Day 5. London.

Meeting. Boring.

12 Men in suits talking about numbers.

Zayn wasn’t listening.

All Zayn could see was dress. That laugh. The way Aria said Zayn’s name like it mattered.

Knock.

Zayn’s assistant leaned in. "Sir. Someone’s here. No appointment.. She said Rule 1."

Door opens.

Aria.

Jeans. White tee. No makeup. Hair up in a ponytail.

Dark circles under Aria’s eyes.

Little bag in hand. Like Aria came from the airport.

Zayn stood up. Chair fell. Didn’t even care.

The whole room went silent.

"What are you doing here?"

"You said don’t come, " Aria said. Voice steady. "So I came."

The assistant closed the door quietly.

Zayn walked over. Stopped.. Not touching.

Could smell Aria’s shampoo.

"Bad idea."

"I know."

"You should be in New York. With Ben."

"I know. Nurse is with Ben."

"21 days left. On the contract."

"I know."

Zayn dragged a hand through his hair. God. She looks tired. She looks perfect.

"Aria’s going to ruin everything."

". Fix it."

Zayn looked at Aria. Really looked.

The woman who walked into Zayn’s house and didn’t freeze.

"Why are you here?"

Aria stepped in closer. One step.

"Because Zayn kissed me. Twice. Then ran. Because Zayn took Aria’s picture. Kept it. Because Ben drew us. Like a family."

Pause. Aria’s voice cracked a little.

"Because I’m tired. Tired of pretending I don’t want you. Tired of you pretending you don’t want me.?

That was it.

Gone. Control. Gone.

Zayn grabbed Aria. Pulled Aria in. Kissed Aria.

Not soft. Not careful.

Needed it. Needed Aria. Like air. Like water.

A week of holding back. Gone in one second.

Pulled back. Breathing hard. Both of them.

Zayn put his forehead on Aria’s.

"This ruins the contract."

"Then let it," Aria whispered. Let it burn.

Phone buzzed. Elena.

Zayn ignored it. Picked Aria up. Couch.

"21 Days, " Zayn said into Aria’s neck. "We have 21 days."

"Then what?"

"Then new rules. Our rules. No contract. No lies."

Zayn smiled. First real smile in years.

It felt weird on Zayn’s face.

They didn’t sleep.

Talked all night.

Ben. Zayn’s mom. The car accident. Why does Zayn build walls?

Aria told Zayn about dad. About debt. About being scared every month that someone would come to collect.

About how Ben made Aria brave.

For the first time in a long time, both of them felt… safe.

4 AM. Phone.

Loud.

Zayn answered.

Listened.

Face went white. All of it. Drained.

Hung up.

Looked at Aria.

"It’s Ben. Fever. 104. ICU."

Aria was already moving. Bag. Keys. Shoes.

Panic. Fear. Go.

"Flight. Now."

Zayn was already calling. "Private jet. 20 Minutes. Hospital."

Zayn grabbed Aria’s hand.

"We’re going home."

TO BE CONTINUED…