Contract signed
871 Words
The words hung in the air between them, heavy and impossible.
For a moment, Lina thought she had misheard him.
Her heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears, drowning out every other sound in the room. She stared at Adrian, searching his face for any sign that this was a joke—some kind of cruel misunderstanding.
But his expression remained calm.
Serious.
Unshaken.
Her lips parted slightly, yet no sound came out.
"Sir…" she finally managed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't understand."
Adrian leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes never leaving hers. There was something unreadable in his gaze—something cold, calculated… yet strangely steady.
"You heard me," he said evenly.
Silence filled the office again.
Lina felt the room spinning.
This couldn't be real.
A marriage?
With her boss?
The most powerful man in the company?
Her fingers tightened around the edge of the chair, knuckles turning white.
"Are you… joking?" she asked carefully.
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them.
Adrian Walker was not a man who joked.
His reputation was legendary throughout the company. Employees feared him. Executives respected him. Competitors avoided him.
He was known for one thing above all else:
Precision.
Control.
Results.
And now he was asking her to marry him.
His gaze hardened slightly.
"Do I look like I'm joking, Miss Lina?"
Her throat went dry.
"No, sir."
He nodded once, satisfied.
"Good."
The simple response made her stomach twist.
She forced herself to breathe.
Think.
Stay calm.
"There must be some misunderstanding," she said quickly. "I'm just an employee. I'm not suitable for someone like you."
Adrian studied her silently, as if weighing her words.
Then he spoke again.
"Suitability is irrelevant."
His voice was low, firm, and absolute.
"This is a business arrangement."
A business arrangement.
The phrase echoed in her mind.
Her heart sank.
"So… this isn't about love," she said quietly.
A faint shadow crossed his face, but it disappeared so quickly she wondered if she had imagined it.
"No," he replied.
The single word felt colder than ice.
Lina swallowed hard.
Of course it wasn't about love.
Why would a man like Adrian Walker ever fall in love with someone like her?
She lowered her gaze, staring at the polished marble floor.
"Then why me?" she asked.
The question came out softer than she intended.
Adrian folded his hands together on the desk.
"Because you are responsible," he said.
Her brows furrowed.
"You have worked for this company for three years. Your performance record is flawless. No disciplinary issues. No unnecessary absences. You support your family financially. You have no criminal record. No scandals."
Her eyes widened slightly.
He knew all of that?
"I need someone reliable," he continued calmly. "Someone who understands obligation."
A chill ran down her spine.
This felt less like a conversation… and more like a contract negotiation.
Still, one question burned inside her chest.
"What do you gain from this marriage?"
Adrian stood slowly from his chair.
The movement was smooth, deliberate, and intimidating.
He walked toward the window, his tall figure casting a long shadow across the office floor.
For a few seconds, he remained silent, staring out at the city skyline.
When he finally spoke, his voice was quieter.
"My grandfather is dying."
The unexpected confession caught her off guard.
She blinked.
"I'm… sorry to hear that," she said gently.
Adrian did not turn around.
"He is the founder of Walker Group," he continued. "And the majority shareholder."
Understanding began to dawn.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"He has one final condition before transferring control of the company to me."
Lina's pulse quickened.
"And that is…?"
Adrian turned to face her.
His expression was unreadable, but there was a trace of tension in his jaw.
"He wants me to settle down."
The words were simple.
But the meaning behind them was enormous.
"He believes a man without a family cannot lead a legacy," Adrian added.
A strange silence settled between them.
"So you need a wife," Lina said quietly.
"Yes."
The direct answer made her chest tighten.
She looked at him, trying to understand.
Trying to make sense of the impossible situation unfolding before her.
"And you chose me," she murmured.
Adrian stepped closer.
Not too close.
But close enough that she could feel the intensity of his presence.
"I chose you," he confirmed.
Her heart began to race again.
Something about the way he said those words made her feel strangely vulnerable.
Dangerously aware.
Still, confusion overwhelmed everything else.
"Why not someone from your social circle?" she asked. "A model… or a businesswoman… or someone your family would approve of?"
A faint, humorless smile appeared on his lips.
"Because they would want something from me."
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
"But you," he continued, his voice softening slightly, "only want to save your family."
Her breath caught.
The truth in his words struck deep.
Too deep.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then he delivered the final blow.
"I will pay all your father's medical expenses."
Her heart skipped.
"Every bill," he added. "Past, present, and future."
The world seemed to stop.
The hospital.
The debt.
The mortgage.
Her father's surgery.
Everything.
Gone.
- Writer
