My Contract Husband

Chapter 6 : The first attack

`The morning after the fight was too quiet.`

Emma woke up at 7AM to the sound of... nothing. No shouting. No broken glass. No Daniel.

The house was spotless. The cleaners must have come at 3AM. The only proof that last night wasn't a dream was the bandage on Alexander's hand.

She found him in his home office. He hadn't slept. Dark circles under his eyes, three phones on the desk, and a cold cup of coffee that looked like it had been there since yesterday. Legal documents were scattered everywhere.

"Good morning," she said softly, leaning on the door frame.

He looked up. For a second, his cold CEO mask slipped.

"Good morning. Did you sleep?"

"A little." She lied. "You?"

"I don't sleep when my brother is trying to get me killed." He sighed and rubbed his face. "Daniel's accounts are frozen. He's out on bail. And he has nothing left to lose."

Emma's stomach dropped. "What does that mean in English, Alexander? Not CEO English."

It meant you don't go anywhere alone. Starting today." He stood up and walked to her. "I already assigned two bodyguards to you. They will follow you to work, to the gym, to buy groceries. Everywhere."

Emma crossed her arms. "So I'm basically a president now? Do I get a motorcade too? Because traffic in New York is already bad enough."

Alexander almost smiled. "No motorcade. Just two very serious men who think sunglasses are a personality."

"Great. My new best friends. What's their names?"

"Mark and James. Ex-military. Don't try to outrun them."

"I wasn't planning to. Unless there's free ice cream involved."

That got her a small shake of his head. "Be serious, Emma."

"I am serious. Serious about not dying."

---

By 10AM, Emma was at Alexander Enterprises. Mark and James stood by the elevator like they were guarding the crown jewels.

Her coworkers whispered.

"Is that really her husband? The Alexander?"

"Why does she have security?"

"Did you hear about the fight last night? I heard someone died."

"Nobody died, Karen," Emma muttered under her breath. "Just a vase. An expensive vase. And my peace of mind."

At 12:30PM, she tried to go for lunch.

"Miss Emma, where are you going?" Mark asked.

"Lunch. Downstairs. 5 minutes."

"We're coming with you."

So Emma ate her salad with two 6ft men standing behind her. The entire restaurant was staring.

James leaned down. "Ma'am, is the food okay?"

"It's fine." Emma whispered. "But can you guys at least pretend to be eating? You look like Secret Service."

Mark nodded. "We don't eat on duty."

"Well, you look terrifying on duty. Everyone thinks I'm in witness protection."

Alexander called her at 1PM.

"How's it going?"

"I have two shadows and I can't pee alone." She said. "Other than that, great."

"I'm sorry. This is temporary."

"Is it? Because Daniel seems very permanent."

There was a pause. "I won't let him hurt you."

---

She tried to focus on work. Until 2:47PM.

Her phone buzzed. Unknown number.

`Message: Look out the window.`

Emma frowned. She walked to the floor-to-ceiling glass on the 20th floor.

Down on the street, across the road, a black SUV was parked. Tinted windows.

Inside, she could just make out a figure. Watching her.

Her heart started racing.

Her phone buzzed again.

`Message: Tell your husband this is just the beginning. He took everything from me. Now I'll take you.`

Emma dropped the phone. Her hands were shaking.

"Miss Emma? Are you okay?" Mark asked, already moving to her side.

She nodded fast, picking up the phone. "Call Mr. Alexander. Now. And also, can we not tell him I screamed like I was in a horror movie?"

James was already on the phone. "Sir, we have a situation. There's a vehicle watching the building."

---

Within 10 minutes, Alexander was in her office. Tie loose, sleeves rolled up, looking like he ran up 20 flights of stairs.

"Where is he?" He demanded, his eyes scanning the street below.

"Gone." Mark said. "The SUV left the moment we came up here."

Alexander turned to Emma. His eyes scanned her, checking for injuries.

"Are you hurt? Did he touch you? Did you see who it was?"

"No." She whispered. "But Alexander... he said he's going to take me."

Alexander's jaw tightened. He pulled her into a hug. Tight. Like he was trying to make sure she was real.

"Not while I'm breathing." He murmured into her hair. "Not ever."

Emma hugged him back. And realized she wasn't scared. Not with him like this.

Also realized his cologne was expensive and she should probably stop noticing that during a crisis.

He pulled back. "We're leaving. Now. We're going to the safe house."

In the car, Emma sat in the back with Alexander. Mark was driving, James in the passenger seat.

"You didn't have to come yourself." Emma said quietly.

"Yes, I did." Alexander replied. He took her hand. "I'm not letting you face this alone."

She looked at their joined hands. "The contract didn't say anything about hand-holding."

"Consider it a contract amendment."

---

`8PM. The mansion.`

Alexander was on calls all evening. Lawyers. Security. The police. The board.

Emma watched him from the stairs with a mug of tea. This wasn't the cold CEO from the contract. This was a man at war.

He ended the last call and saw her.

"Pack a bag," he said.

Emma blinked. "What? Like, a weekend bag? Or a 'we're moving to another country' bag? Because I need to know how many shoes to bring."

"A 3-day bag." He cut her off, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "We're leaving tonight. Just for a few days. Somewhere safe. Somewhere he can't find us."

"But the company—"

"Can wait." He walked up the stairs to her. Stopped one step below her so they were eye level. "You can't."

He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Emma," he said, and his voice was different. Softer. "I know this wasn't part of the contract. But I need you to trust me. Okay?"

Emma stared at him. The billionaire who never asked for anything. Asking her.

She nodded. "Okay. But if we die, I'm blaming you in my will. And I want it in writing."

That got her a real laugh from him. "Noted. I'll have legal draft it."

---

`11:30PM. Private airstrip.`

They were about to board Alexander's private jet when headlights flooded the tarmac.

Three black SUVs. Doors opened.

Daniel stepped out. And he was smiling. Like he had won.

"Leaving so soon, brother?" Daniel called out, his voice carrying in the night. "Without saying goodbye?"

Alexander pulled Emma behind him instantly. His body a shield again.

"Run," he whispered to her. "To the plane. Now."

But the bodyguards were already outnumbered. And Daniel had a gun in his hand this time.

"Actually," Daniel said, his eyes locked on Emma. "I think she should stay. For dinner. Family dinner."

Alexander stepped forward. "Touch her and I will kill you."

Daniel just smiled wider. "Try me."