Behind the Contract

The Offer

Gabriella

“Marry me.”

I turned to him, unsure I'd heard correctly.

“I… I don’t—” My voice failed.

He didn’t rush me. He just watched like he’d said something ordinary.

“I don’t understand,” I said confused.

“You will,” he said. “I need a wife, and you need support right now. Somehow… it works for both of us.”

“What effrontery,” I muttered. “You don’t even know what I need.”

“I know what survival looks like.”

I stared at him, contemplating whether to give him the insult of his life.

“You don’t even know me,” I said.

“I know enough,” he replied. “Your boss told me.”

That stopped me.

“My boss?” I frowned. “Why would he?”

He wasn’t gossiping,” Ethan said. “He thanked me for the collectors and spoke out of concern.”

I laughed, trying to hide my frustration.

“I’m not for sale,” I said.

“I know,” he replied. “Listen,” he continued. “I’ll clear the debt. All of it.”

I stared at him.

“The rent. The loans. Everything your name is tied to.”

My breath caught.

“And on top of that,” he added, casually, “twenty million.”

I laughed again. This time, out of shock.

“I won’t take it,” I said almost immediately, shaking my head.

“You can walk away. I expected that,” he said.

I frowned, confused.

“You should be ready to make someone available to step in for you then,” he added.

“Step in… how?”

The meaning settled slowly.

“Nonsense!” I said.

The car came to a stop.

“Think about it,” he said.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, and placed it in my palm.

“Mr. Ethan Blackwell,” I read.

Beneath his name was the title Chief Executive Officer, followed by a list of ventures that meant nothing to me.

“Call me when you decide. Remember, I don’t have all the time,” he said.

“I should go.”

As I stepped down from the car, he spoke again.

“Gabriella.”

I stopped.

“You have beautiful eyes,” he said suddenly.

Then, without meaning to, I smiled.

I hated that I did.

———

Too early to sleep. Too late to pretend the day hadn’t happened.

I sat on my bed, holding the card.

I told myself I wouldn’t call Shelby. Not yet.

But my fingers moved before my brain could catch up.

“He asked me to marry him,” I said.

There was silence.

Then

She screamed.

“Gabriella Blackwell?” she shrieked. “Oh my God. Oh my actual God. Do you hear how rich that sounds?”

“Shelby,” I groaned. “Please.”

She laughed teasingly.“Ella, do you realize how many girls would say yes before he even got the words out?”

“Shelby, that’s not helping,” I said, frowning.

“Okay,” she said, calmly this time. “Tell me everything.”

I exhaled. “He just said it. Like it was nothing and offered 20 million. It's a contract marriage.

That’s… strange,” she said. “Men like him don’t just decide to marry out of nowhere.”

“Exactly.”

She paused. “Wait—twenty million? Ella, that’s huge. You couldn’t even make that in four years at that firm. So… what happens now?”

“I don’t know,” I said

“Don’t know?” her voice low and sharp. “Ella, your rent’s expired. Your debts… your life is a mess right now. On top of that, you’d have to pay him back if you said no… while still barely surviving?”

“I know. That’s why I—” My voice faded.

I kept the part that came with a replacement.

I knew Shelby. She’d grab that idea. And somehow, that made me want to hide it even more.

I pulled myself from my thoughts.

What would you have done if it were you?”

Shelby snorted. “You already know.”

I couldn’t deny that.

“Really, there's nothing to lose,” she went on. “You’re already drowning in debt. At least this way, you’d be breathing.”

I said nothing.

“But… no matter what,” she added, softer now, “I’ll stand by you.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

“It’s Friday,” she said after a moment. “Come to my uncle’s bar. There’ll be people. Music. You need noise.”

“I can’t right now. I don’t feel like singing.”

“Exactly. That’s why you should,” Shelby said.

I hesitated.

“Please,” she added. “Don’t sit alone with your thoughts tonight.”

The bar was alive when we got there. Warm lights. Loud music. Fried food and alcohol hung in the air. Laughter everywhere.

Shelby squeezed my hand before I went on stage.

I took a breath and started.

I chose an old favorite.

I felt alive again.

When I finished, the crowd clapped. Some whistled.

Someone handed me a few notes. “That’s for an awesome voice,” he said.

“We’d love to see you here again,” another said, smiling.

It felt right to leave.

Shelby rode with me.

The streets were dark. Too calm.

The cab finally stopped.

Shelby hugged me before I opened the door. “I’m here for you,” she said.

“Thank you, Shelby… and thank you for tonight.”

At home, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

The card still sat on the nightstand.

I couldn’t stop wondering why Mr. Ethan needed a wife so suddenly and why I hadn’t told Shelby the whole truth.