Chapter 2. The First meeting

She opened the door.

No one was there.

Just the quiet corridor… and a vase lying on the floor.

She frowned, stepping out slowly, her eyes scanning the empty space.

“God… I hope nobody was there,” she whispered. “But why would this fall? It never falls…”

A chill ran through her.

She quickly went back inside and shut the door.

“I need to be careful… I really need to be careful,” she said under her breath. “And I need to move fast. If this contract can help me… then I’ll do it. I’ll do it.”

Her voice cracked.

The tears came again, and this time she didn’t stop them. She let it out.

The next morning Reed Enterprises towered above her the next morning, all glass and steel, power carved into structure.

Inside, everything gleamed. Controlled. Perfect.

Claire, Emily's best friend, stood in the lobby, as usual, beautiful, short hair sharp and polished, almost like she belonged more to this world than Emily remembered.

“I’ve missed you,” she said, pulling her into a hug.

Emily held on briefly. “Not as much as I’ve needed you.”

Claire smiled, though it didn’t fully reach her eyes. “Come on. He doesn’t like waiting.”

The office was quiet. Too quiet.

Ethan Reed a man of less words. Handsome. Ruthless. Playboy. Smart. In his well fitted suit. He didn’t look up when they entered. He sat behind his desk, flipping through a document as if nothing in the room could possibly disturb him.

“Ms. Turner,” he said. “Sit.”

Emily obeyed, feeling his attention before she even saw it.

When he finally looked up, everything seemed to still.

His eyes moved over her slowly, not rudely, not carelessly, but with intention.

Like he was assessing her.

Like he was deciding something.

His expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes did.

Interest.

Faint. Controlled.

Emily sat up slightly, refusing to shrink under his gaze.

“Claire already told me all I need to know, and I hope you know what you’re here for.” he said.

“I don’t need control again Claire, you of all people should understand,” Emily whispered to Claire.

Claire shifted behind her.

Ethan’s lips almost curved into a smile.

“Good. I don’t offer comfort.” He replied like he just heard what she just said

There was a still silence in the atmosphere.

“Now this is a contract,” he continued. “You will act as my wife. Publicly. Convincingly. And privately?”

His eyes held hers, steady and sharp.

“But privately, we respect boundaries.”

Something about the way he said it didn’t feel simple.

Emily noticed.

“So, there would be rules,” she said.

“Yes. Of course.”

“And if I break them?”

Ethan leaned back slightly, his posture relaxed but his presence anything but.

“Then we’ll have a different conversation. And one more thing: keep this in your left hand. You don’t break Ethan Reed Rules.”

The air shifted.

Claire cleared her throat softly. “The benefits are listed security, identity, financial coverage”

“I can read,” Emily cut in.

Claire went quiet.

Ethan noticed. And something shifted is his expression like he enjoyed the way Emily just took control.

His gaze flicked briefly toward Claire before returning to Emily.

“You have 24 hours to decide,” he said. “You take the contract and go through it.”

Emily’s mind flickered. She said in her head I’m tired of people controlling what I do, when I do it, and how I do it. That needs to stop. And it starts now.

She stood up.

“72 hours. That or this is off. So now you choose Mr Reed.” And she walked out with her head held high

Ethan with a smirk on his face “Did that just

For the first time in a long time Claire you did something good.” Ethan said with a smirk on his face. He continued “I like her, she has gots and I like that.”

Claire stood there thinking, wandering as she stepped outside Ethan’s office. “Hmmm I’ve never seen Emily take control. But I don’t like this new character. The only reason I brought this idea to her is because I know she’s naive and I can control her and use her to get Ethan. now this.” She bit her fingers.

LATER THAT DAY

Emily sat alone in her apartment, thinking to herself. Is this the right decision? What if she was taking another wrong step.

She stared at the contract on the table.

She hadn’t taken her eyes off it for minutes.

Behind the reflection on the dark window, she could see herself tense, uncertain, unraveling in a way she didn’t want to admit.

Her phone buzzed.

It was an unknown number.

Her heart jumped violently.

She stared at it, “unknown number. Who could this be again.”

She didn’t move nor did she pick the call.

It stopped.

Then rang again.

Emily exhaled sharply, forcing her hand to move.

She answered.

“Hello?” Her voice trembled despite her effort. “Jason? Is that you? I already told you to leave me alone, stop bothering me Jason, leave me the fuck alone.”

There was silence on the other end. Suddenly a calm, controlled voice spoke.

“Ms. Turner.”

Emily froze.

That wasn’t Jason.

Her grip tightened on the phone. “…Who is this?”

Ethan smirked. “I guess I can now say I’ve seen 3 different sides of you in one day. But I was expecting a more welcoming response. when you answer.”

The recognition hit instantly.

“…Ethan?”

A faint trace of amusement followed. “Correct. Your soon to be a husband.”

She sat up straight. “How did you get my number?”

“I have your file.”

Emily blinked. “Ooo I see. Humm I’m sorry about how I responded. I was expecting it to be someone else.”

“Well, I understand. But sounded like you were preparing for something worse just now,” Ethan continued. “And let me guess this someone else is your ex husband right? Jason,” he said simply.

Emily didn’t respond.

On the other end, he exhaled slowly. “Listen carefully. You don’t need to always panic every time your phone rings.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

“Easy?” His voice lowered slightly. “Nothing about your situation sounds or looks easy, Emily.”

It was the first time he said her name like that. He wasn’t formal this time. It was direct. Emily went quiet

“I’m not your enemy,” he continued. “And I’m probably not your savior either.”

“…Then what are you? And how do you think you can help me? Cause if this contract is gonna work I really need to start taking control of the people I let in and out of my life.”

There was a pause.

“I’m not gonna make promises I won’t keep to you Emily. But one thing I can tell you for sure is that with me you would never have to pick a call and sound that scared and broken ever again.” he added, “And an advice you can choose to keep or not. you need to stop breaking apart every time the world presses in.”

“I didn’t break apart,” she said quietly.

He smiled. “Good then,” he replied. “Just Hold on to that.”

Something about his voice steadied Emily. Made me feel at peace. even if she didn’t want it to. She felt strange and it helped.

“So I guess with these few points of mine I’m able to make you realize doing this contract with me is safe. He said.

There was a brief pause from Emily. She knew it was safe but she has been true a lot to just trust a man for his words alone.

“Thanks for your advice and kind words Ethan but I’d still like to think about it. Now enjoy the rest of your day and good bye.”

The line went dead.

Emily sat there for a long moment, her phone still pressed to her ear.

For the first time, she wasn’t just afraid.

She was paying attention.

Later that Night

Ethan Reed’s mansion didn’t look like a home. It is a huge mansion. Built with so much detail and discipline.

It looked like something designed to keep secrets in and everything else out.

Black gates. Long driveway. Silence that felt intentional.

Inside, Ethan sat alone in his study. The lighting was low, controlled, just enough to outline the sharp edges of the room glass, steel, precision.

Everything about the space felt deliberate.

Even the silence.

A knock came through it.

A sharp knock.

“Come in,” he said.

The door opened, and a young lady with a mask stepped in.

Ethan who’s in the dark in his study. Lift his gaze up slightly as he sips his whiskey.

“You’re late.”