My contracted lover

Chapter 1

I sat at my desk, chewing the edge of my pen, my eyes fixed on the clock. It was already 3 PM, and I was still waiting for the Anderson Inc. call. I'd been on edge all week, anticipating this moment. The phone on my desk buzzed, and I jumped, my heart racing. It was Janet's voice on the intercom. "Ella, Anderson Inc. is on line three."

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "Put it through," I said, trying to sound calm. The phone beeped, and I picked it up. "Ella Moss speaking."

The voice on the other end was smooth, confident. "Ella, it's Mark Anderson. We loved your proposal. We're ready to sign the deal."

I felt a rush of excitement, but I kept my cool. "That's fantastic news, Mark. I'll have my team draw up the contracts."

As I hung up, Janet burst into the office, a huge grin on her face. "Ah, this girl always bursts in like she's my younger sister," I thought, rolling my eyes affectionately. "What's up, Janet?"

"Ella, have you heard?" she asked, bouncing up and down.

"Heard what?" I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"The Anderson Inc. deal! We got it!" she squealed.

I laughed, feeling a surge of excitement. "I know, I just got the call."

Janet squealed louder, rushing over to hug me. "You're a rockstar, Ella! What would we do without you?"

I hugged her back, grinning. "Don't know what I'd do without you, Janet. You're the best."

As we pulled apart, I glanced at the clock. It was 4 PM. The office was starting to empty out, but I knew my family would be waiting for me at home. I gathered my things, said goodbye to Janet, and headed out.

As I drove home, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. This was it. This was the break I needed to prove myself to my family.

When I arrived home, the house was buzzing with activity. My parents, Sophia, and Alex were all there, smiling and congratulating me on my achievement. I felt like the luckiest person alive.

"Ella, darling, we're so proud of you," my mom said, hugging me tight.

"Thanks, Mom," I replied, feeling a lump form in my throat.

As I looked around the room, my eyes met Alex's. He smiled, and I felt a flutter in my chest. "Congratulations, baby," he said, pulling me into a hug.

I smiled, feeling happy and content.

I pulled away from Alex's hug, smiling up at him. "Thanks, baby," I said, feeling a flutter in my chest.

He smiled back, his eyes cr crling at the corners. "You deserve it, Ella. You've worked so hard for this."

I nodded, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. As I looked around the room, I noticed Sophia standing off to the side, a small smile on her face. I walked over to her, hugging her tight. "Hey, sis," I said, feeling a surge of affection for her.

"Hey, Ella," she replied, hugging me back. "Congrats, you're a total boss."

I laughed, feeling happy and content. The room was filled with the sounds of laughter and chatter, and I felt grateful to be surrounded by people who loved me.

As the evening wore on, we sat down to a celebratory dinner. My parents, Sophia, Alex, and I, along with a few close family friends, gathered around the table. The food was delicious, and the company was even better.

"To Ella," my dad said, raising his glass in a toast. "May your success be the start of many more achievements to come."

We all echoed the sentiment, cl cling our glasses together. As we ate and drank, I felt a sense of satisfaction wash over me. This was it. This was the life I had always wanted.

But as I glanced across the table, I caught Alex's eye, and he smiled at me, his eyes sparkling with something I couldn't quite place. I felt a shiver run down my spine, and suddenly, the room seemed to melt away, leaving only the two of us.

"Ella, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.

I nodded, feeling a flutter in my chest. "Sure, what's up?"

He smiled, and I followed him out of the dining room, into the living room. The music and chatter from the dinner party faded into the background as we walked.

"Hey, I just wanted to say congrrats again," he said, turning to face me.

I smiled up at him, feeling happy and content. "Thanks, Alex. I couldn't have done it without you."

He smiled back, his eyes crinking at the corners. "You could have, Ella. You're amazing."

I blushed, feeling a surge of affection for him. As I looked up at him, I felt a sense of gratitude, love, and trust. This was it. This was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

As we stood there, the tension between us was palpable. I could feel the attraction, the love, and the connection between us. It was like the whole world had melted away, and it was just us, standing there, looking at each other.

And then, Sophia's voice broke the spell. "Ella, phone!" she called out from the dining room.

I turned, feeling a bit disoriented. Alex smiled, and I smiled back, feeling a sense of understanding between us.

"I'll get it," I said, walking back to the dining room.

As I took the phone from Sophia, I felt a sense of unease. Something didn't feel quite right. But I pushed the feeling aside, smiling at my sister. "Thanks, Sophia."