Vow of Convenience

Ch. 5

ZESA RUSSO

After explaining myself to the protesters, I headed home, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me. Stress gnawed at the edges of my thoughts as I flipped on the news. The words of the protesters echoed in my mind—angry, raw, justified. Closing Techya Bio without giving them a proper heads-up had been a mistake, and now their fury made me question if I’d mishandled everything. It wasn’t the first time I’d shut down a subsidiary, but this one... this one felt different. The workers were right. They had families relying on them, and I’d blindsided them. I needed to fix this, to make it right.

The shrill ring of my phone pulled me from my thoughts. I lowered the volume on the TV and swiped to answer.

“You asked me to call when I’m ready to sign the contract,” Nina Meyers’ voice came through the line.

I tilted my head back, smiling to myself. “Are you really ready? Can you actually give up Levi?”

Her laugh was sharp, tinged with bitterness. “Money is more important than love. You should know that. Did you build Techya into a global empire by choosing love over business every time?”

I ignored her jab. “The contract is ready. Come to my place.”

I hung up, setting the phone down beside me. The thought of having Levi all to myself stirred something dark and possessive inside me. But if, after three months, his feelings didn’t change, it would be clear he didn’t want me. And Nina would be blameless. Hell, even I wouldn’t be able to blame her.

I went to our room, retrieving the contract before Levi walked in, his timing impeccable. His smile was forced, the usual tightness in his features betraying his true feelings.

“How was the meeting?” I asked, slipping off his suit jacket as if I were some dutiful wife.

“It was fine.” His gaze flicked over me. “Did you go into work today?”

I nodded. “Had to deal with the workers.”

“Then you know about the protest outside the building?”

“Very well,” I replied, biting the inside of my cheek. “They trashed my new car.”

I saw the slight twitch in his lips, the amusement he couldn’t quite hide. He was almost smiling at my misfortune. I turned away, heading to sit on the couch. But soon, it would be my turn to smile.

“Nina’s coming over,” I announced, crossing my legs. “She’s ready to sign the contract.”

His expression changed in an instant, all traces of amusement gone. “You’re really going through with this?”

I met his gaze, unflinching. “When have I ever joked about something like this?”

He placed his hands on the backrest of the sofa, leaning in closer. “You know I don’t love you—”

“Shh,” I cut him off, shaking my head slightly. “Until the three months are over, you love me with every fiber of your being. Besides, Nina has shown you who she truly is. Why are you so determined to go to her?”

His jaw clenched. “It’s a pity Nina chose money over me, but I’ll never love you, no matter what you try.”

I stood, my voice steady despite the sting his words left behind. “Time will tell, Levi. I’ve waited thirteen years for you to come to me. I can wait three more months. But if, at the end of those three months, nothing has changed, I’ll let you go. For good.”

Without letting him see the hurt I carried, I retreated to my study, burying myself in work like I always did when things became unbearable. I’d learned early on that distraction was the only way to cope with pain. Especially after my parents died, leaving me and my sister Malena with Techya. It was a thriving company, but it wasn’t enough to fill the void they left. I needed them—their guidance, their love, their support.

I kept the company afloat, even when people doubted a teenage CEO. I didn’t give them a chance to question me. Malena had left for college years ago, choosing to study abroad, and though we spoke occasionally, I hadn’t seen her in four years. And during that time, my feelings for Levi only deepened. He was always there for me when I needed someone. But everything changed when I confessed my love for him. He began pulling away, slowly at first, then more violently until all that remained between us was resentment.

Still, I worked. That was the only way I knew how to deal with the ache of rejection.

Hours later, Nina’s voice carried through the house, pulling me from my work. She was here. I entered the living room to find her and Levi talking, their conversation ceasing the moment they saw me. I couldn’t care less what they were discussing. I took my seat across from her, noting her minimal makeup and casual jeans and white shirt. She looked relaxed. Too relaxed for what was about to happen.

“Here it is.” I slid the contract across the table.

She read through it, her eyes flicking between Levi and me. For a moment, I thought she might back out. I expected her to put the pen down, maybe even walk away. But instead, she signed it, exchanging the man who loved her for fifty million.

“There. It’s done,” she said, her voice hollow.

I took the contract, smiling. “Send me your bank details. You’ll have the money within the hour.”

She stood, glancing at Levi one last time. “It was nice while it lasted, but I have a future to think about.”

She left, her words slicing through the silence. Levi rose to follow her, but I grabbed his wrist. He turned, and for the first time in years, I saw tears brimming in his eyes. I reached up, wiping one away, but he jerked back, grabbing his suit jacket and storming out.

Hours passed, and Levi still hadn’t come back. The house felt cold, empty, and I found myself pacing, worried that something might have happened. When the door finally creaked open, it was almost midnight, and the man who stumbled inside was nothing like the Levi I knew. He reeked of alcohol, his clothes disheveled, his hair a mess.

“Where have you been?” I asked, rushing toward him. Before I could get too close, his hands cupped my face, pulling me into his gaze—those dark, haunted eyes swimming with a pain I couldn’t place.

“Do you have any idea how much I loved you?”

Hope bloomed, wild and reckless, in my chest. Could it be? Was this the real Levi speaking, stripped of his hatred, of his walls? Or was it just the alcohol clouding his mind? I wanted to believe. I needed to believe. Maybe, just maybe, I’d been wrong all along.

“You’re drunk, Levi,” I whispered, my hands moving to gently pry his away from my face. “You should rest.”

His grip tightened, his eyes blazing. “Do you know how much it hurts?”

My breath caught in my throat, the words I’d longed to hear poised on the edge of his lips. But then, he spoke again. “Nina…”

My heart shattered. It was always her.

I barely had time to process the pain before his lips crashed into mine, fierce and desperate, his hands slipping under my clothes, pulling me closer as if trying to drown out the truth. My mind screamed to stop, to push him away, but my body—my heart—ached for more. His touch ignited something inside me, a dangerous, fleeting flame that burned too bright to last.

But I had to stop. I couldn’t let this happen, not like this. Not when he was drunk, his mind clouded with thoughts of her. I pushed him back, gently but firmly, placing my hands on his chest.

“You won’t remember this tomorrow,” I said softly, standing on my tiptoes to kiss him one last time. “But I love you, Levi. And I hope you’ll change your mind about me before the end of these three months.”

He smiled, a sad, tired smile, before collapsing into my arms, his body too heavy for me to carry. Together, we fell to the ground, and I carefully rolled him onto the couch, covering him with a blanket. I watched him sleep, the memory of his kiss still lingering on my lips, knowing that tomorrow, it would all be forgotten. He wouldn’t remember the kiss, or worse—he’d hate me for it.

“What am I going to do with you?” I whispered into the silence, knowing there was no answer.

---

When I woke up the next morning, Levi was already gone from the couch. I stretched, my body sore from sleeping on the floor, and made my way to our room. He was there, getting dressed, his expression unreadable.

“Good morning,” he greeted, fixing his tie with the same calm detachment I’d grown accustomed to.

I studied him, searching for any sign that he remembered. “How do you feel? Does your head hurt?”

“A little,” he admitted. “But I’ll be fine.”

I hesitated. “Why don’t you stay for breakfast?”

For a moment, he seemed to consider it. “Alright.”

He was too calm, too composed. It confirmed what I feared—he didn’t remember a thing. I quickly prepared breakfast, though I had no appetite myself. He ate quietly, his thoughts clearly elsewhere, but I stayed with him, desperate to catch a glimpse of something real beneath that facade.

Finally, as he finished his meal, he glanced up at me. “Zesa… last night…”

My breath hitched. Did he remember?

“I’m sorry if I upset you.”

I forced a smile, shaking my head. “Don’t worry about it.”

He stared at me for a moment, and I could see the conflict in his eyes. There was something he wanted to say, something he was struggling to find the words for. But in the end, he simply stood up, grabbing his keys and coat.

“I’ll see you later,” he said before leaving.

I watched him walk out the door, my heart heavy. It seemed like no matter what I did, he was always a step further from me, always slipping through my fingers. The three months would fly by, and I had no idea if I’d ever have his heart by the end of it.