CONTRACT CLAUSE 7
711 Words
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*Chapter 15: CONTRACT CLAUSE 7*
The house was too quiet after Ada fell asleep.
Daniel walked Chioma to her room. Silent. Hands in his pockets. Jaw tight like he was angry at himself.
They stopped outside her door. The hallway light made his face look sharp. Cold again. CEO mask back on.
“Clause 7,” Daniel said suddenly. Voice flat. No emotion.
Chioma blinked. “What?”
Daniel pulled a folded paper from his suit pocket. Their contract. He opened it without looking at her.
“Section 4, Clause 7,” he read, voice robotic. “Parties agree that this marriage is for business and medical purposes only. No emotional attachment. No romantic involvement. No falling in love. Violation of this clause terminates the contract immediately.”
He folded the paper and put it back. Looked at her.
“Do you understand, Mrs. Okoye?”
Chioma’s chest tightened. Rule #50. Now Clause 7. He was reminding her. Reminding himself.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I understand.”
Daniel nodded once. “Good. Because what happened today with Ada... it was for her. Not for you. Not for us. There is no ‘us’.”
His words were knives. Precise. Cold.
Chioma nodded again, hugging herself. “For Ada. I know.”
Daniel stared at her for 3 seconds too long. His eyes did something weird. Flickered. Like he wanted to say more. Like he wanted to take the words back.
But he didn’t.
He turned to leave.
“Daniel,” Chioma called out before she could stop herself.
He paused. Didn’t turn around. “What?”
“Do you... do you ever wish Clause 7 wasn’t there?”
Silence. 5 seconds. 10 seconds.
Daniel’s shoulders rose and fell once. Like he was breathing hard.
“No,” he said finally. Voice barely above a whisper. “Wishing is for weak people, Chioma. And I don’t do weak.”
He walked away. Fast. Like he was running.
Chioma closed her door and slid down to the floor. Hugged her knees.
Clause 7. No feelings.
But 2 hours ago he called himself “Uncle Daniel”. 2 hours ago he smiled at Ada. 2 hours ago he made her coffee at 2am.
That didn’t look like “no feelings” to her.
That night, Chioma dreamed of him.
Not CEO Daniel. Not cold Daniel.
Hospital Daniel. Arms around her while she cried. Thumb rubbing circles on her back. Whispering “You saved her. You did it.”
She woke up at 3am, face wet with tears. Chest aching like someone squeezed her heart.
She tiptoed to the kitchen for water. Hoping he wouldn’t be there.
He was.
Daniel stood by the window, back to her, shirtless again. Only trousers. Moonlight on his scars. He held a glass of whiskey but didn’t drink it. Just stared at it.
He didn’t turn when she entered. But he spoke.
“I know you’re there, Chioma,” he said quietly. “Rule #29: Do not speak unless necessary. So don’t.”
Chioma froze. Water glass in hand. Heart pounding.
Daniel took a sip of whiskey. Then another.
“Clause 7 exists for a reason,” he said to the window. Voice rough. Like it hurt. “My mother fell for my father. She gave him everything. Her heart. Her life. Then he left her for his secretary when she got sick. She died alone, Chioma. Holding his photo.”
Chioma’s breath caught.
Daniel’s knuckles went white around the glass. “I was 12. I promised myself I’d never let anyone have that power over me. Never let anyone make me weak. So Clause 7... it’s not about you. It’s about me.”
He finally turned. Eyes dark. Tired. Honest.
For 2 seconds, the CEO mask was gone. Just a broken 12-year-old boy inside a billionaire’s body.
Then he blinked. Mask back.
“Go back to bed, Chioma. Before you break Clause 7.”
Chioma ran back to her room. Shaking.
Clause 7 said no feelings.
But Daniel just told her his whole trauma at 3am. Shirtless. Broken. Real.
That wasn’t “no feelings”.
That was the opposite.
And Chioma was terrified... because she felt the same.
*End of Chapter 15*
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- Writer
