Chapter 4: The Contract

Elliot had never been inside a car this expensive before.

He could tell just from the silence.

The door closed with a soft, final click, sealing him inside a world of dark leather and polished wood. The city noise outside vanished almost instantly, replaced by the quiet hum of the engine as the car pulled smoothly into traffic.

Elliot sat stiffly in the back seat, clutching his laptop bag like it might somehow save him.

Across from him sat Timothy Blackwood.

Perfect posture.

Perfect composure.

Like a man who had just finished a casual meeting instead of abducting someone.

Elliot cleared his throat.

“So… just to confirm,” he said slowly, “this is still kidnapping.”

Timothy didn’t even look at him.

“No.”

Elliot stared.

“You showed up at my apartment with two bodyguards and forced me into your car.”

“You agreed to come.”

“Because you threatened me with prison.”

Timothy finally turned his head slightly.

“Correct.”

“That’s not agreement.”

“It’s a decision.”

Elliot opened his mouth to argue.

Then closed it.

“Wow,” he muttered. “You’re actually insane.”

Timothy ignored the comment.

Outside the window, the scenery gradually changed. The small crowded streets of Elliot’s neighborhood gave way to wider roads and towering glass buildings.

Elliot watched nervously.

“Where exactly are we going?”

“Home.”

Elliot blinked.

“Your home?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Timothy’s answer was simple.

“You’ll be staying there.”

Elliot laughed nervously.

“Yeah, that’s not happening.”

Timothy didn’t respond.

The car slowed as it approached a massive building made entirely of glass and steel. The structure towered high into the sky, its sleek architecture reflecting the sunlight like a mirror.

At the top of the building, one word stretched across the facade in bold letters.

BLACKWOOD.

Elliot swallowed.

“Of course you live there.”

The car passed through a private security gate and entered an underground parking area.

Two guards immediately approached the vehicle.

Timothy stepped out first.

Elliot remained seated for a moment.

“Do I have a choice?” he asked.

Timothy looked at him calmly.

“No.”

Elliot sighed and climbed out.

The lobby alone was larger than Elliot’s entire apartment building.

Polished marble floors.

Towering ceilings.

Quiet employees moved efficiently through the space.

The moment Timothy entered, everyone seemed to move slightly faster.

Some nodded respectfully.

Others avoided eye contact completely.

Elliot leaned closer to Timothy as they walked toward a private elevator.

“Do they always look like they’re about to get fired?” he whispered.

Timothy pressed a button.

“Yes.”

The elevator doors closed.

Elliot watched the digital display climb rapidly.

Floor 30.

Floor 50.

Floor 70.

“Please don’t tell me you live at the top,” Elliot said.

“Penthouse.”

“Of course.”

The elevator opened into an enormous living space.

Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the entire room, offering a breathtaking view of the city below. Modern furniture sat perfectly arranged across the polished floor, and everything looked so clean and expensive that Elliot felt afraid to touch anything.

He slowly stepped inside.

“…This is ridiculous.”

Timothy walked past him toward a long glass table in the center of the room.

“Sit.”

Elliot hesitated.

“Are you about to interrogate me?”

Timothy placed a thin black folder on the table.

“No.”

Elliot frowned and sat down cautiously.

Timothy slid the folder toward him.

“Read.”

Elliot opened it.

The first page was covered in dense legal text.

He skimmed the top line.

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT.

Elliot looked up slowly.

“You’re serious.”

“Yes.”

Elliot flipped through several pages.

The terms were… extensive.

Salary.

Housing.

Security clearance.

Full-time employment under Blackwood Technologies.

His eyebrows slowly climbed higher.

“This salary has to be a joke,” he said.

“It isn’t.”

Elliot stared at him.

“You’re offering me more money in one year than I’ve made in my entire life.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Timothy’s answer was simple.

“You’re worth it.”

Elliot blinked.

“Well… that’s flattering.”

He continued reading.

Then his expression changed.

“Wait.”

He flipped back a page.

His eyes narrowed.

“No termination clause?”

“Correct.”

Elliot looked up sharply.

“What do you mean correct?”

“The contract cannot be broken.”

Elliot stared at him.

“You’re joking.”

“No.”

Elliot turned another page quickly.

His stomach dropped.

Mandatory residence.

Exclusive employment.

Non-disclosure agreements that stretched for decades.

“This is insane,” Elliot said.

“It’s standard.”

“No it’s not!”

Timothy leaned slightly against the table.

“Your alternative is prison.”

Elliot rubbed his temples.

“Right.”

Silence filled the room for a moment.

Elliot looked down at the contract again.

“If I sign this,” he said slowly, “I basically become your employee forever.”

“Not forever.”

Elliot glanced at the final page.

“…Twenty years.”

Timothy didn’t respond.

Elliot leaned back in his chair.

“You realize this sounds like villain behavior, right?”

Timothy’s voice remained calm.

“You hacked my company.”

“Allegedly.”

Timothy said nothing.

Elliot groaned.

“God.”

He looked down at the contract again.

The salary.

The resources.

Access to one of the most advanced tech companies in the world.

For someone like Elliot… it was a dream opportunity.

Even if it came with chains.

He tapped the pen against the table.

“If I sign this… I work for you.”

“Yes.”

“And if I don’t?”

Timothy’s grey eyes were steady.

“You go to prison.”

Elliot sighed deeply.

“Wow.”

He stared at the contract for several seconds.

Then, finally he signed.

The pen scratched across the paper.

Timothy picked up the document calmly.

“Good.”

Elliot dropped the pen and leaned back.

“Well,” he muttered.

“What the hell did I just do?”

Timothy slid the contract back into the folder.

“You made a smart decision.”

Elliot rubbed his face.

“I just signed my life away.”

Timothy watched him quietly.

“You signed an opportunity.”

Elliot laughed weakly.

“Yeah, that’s one way to spin it.”

He stood up slowly.

“So… what happens now?”

Timothy’s answer was immediate.

“You start working tomorrow.”

Elliot nodded tiredly.

“Of course I do.”

He turned toward the massive windows and stared down at the city far below.

Something about the height made his stomach twist.

Like he had stepped into a completely different world.

Behind him, Timothy closed the folder.

The contract was now legally binding.

Elliot Lane belonged to Blackwood Technologies.

Elliot suddenly frowned.

“Wait.”

Timothy looked at him.

“You said I’d be staying here.”

“Yes.”

Elliot slowly turned around.

“In the penthouse?”

“Yes.”

“With you?”

Timothy’s expression didn’t change.

“Yes.”

Elliot stared.

Then he laughed in disbelief.

“Yeah… this is definitely a terrible idea.”