14. A deal with the devil

ELOWEN

I sat on the bed, staring down at the file laying on the bed, before me.

This file—it holds something new, something uncertain. Something, I would toss away and I should. I should leave everything behind and return to Italy, to my family. This is ideal, but—my dignity was too mighty enough to not give in, not yet.

I sat on the bed slowly and picked up the file, with trembling hands. His tone, his gaze, his control—it all pressed against this one file I was trying so hard to keep upright.

I flipped open the contract. I wanted to read it, but the words blurred before my eyes—instead, Adrian’s face flashed through my mind. His smirks, each time he called me “unstable”, “overacting”.

His voice when he said, “You will survive without me, Elowen.”

And now, he was trying his best to make his point work by suing me. Dragging my name through the dirt while holding hands with his “perfect” replacement.

My throat burned as I blinked the tears away before they could fall…

Alexander was right, indeed, he could help me against Adrian. And, I wanted to slap myself for believing it, for letting it pressure me down. But deep down, I knew—he wasn’t wrong.

The world already believed it. And perhaps, my family as well. Specifically, my brother and my grandmother.

Yes, once I return, they would take care of it, but—at what cost? My pride, my dignity all were shattered. The words of my grandmother— ‘you can't do anything without your family name’, would be the unshaken truth that I swore to change.

My grandmother, Philomena Corvella, her face flashed in my mind — Lady Corvella, regal and proud. The woman who raised me to carry our name like a crown. A woman who believed I should tag along with our family business and not throw myself into my stupid dreams. That it wasn’t worth it.

And now, when she sees the headlines… She knew she's right.

I had continuously ignored my family's call these days, but grandma didn't call once, nor did she text. She's too quiet, and I know she's waiting for me to turn and accept my defeat.

In a sense, which I should, but—Shame twisted through my stomach as I felt so helpless.

Should I give up so easily, or—I lowered my gaze, staring at the file and then, my eyes slowly dragged toward the pen beside me.

‘Life is full of challenges, Elowen.’ Grandma used to say. ‘You’ll face unpleasant things, but remember, a true Corvella never accepts their defeat.’

“You were right grandma, a true Corvella never accepts defeat, and I'll prove to you that I am a true Corvella…” I whispered, and in the next second, my hand hovered above it.

I could almost hear her voice: ‘Never let desperation guide your choices, Elowen.’

But desperation had already set fire to everything I owned. Everything that I dreamed.

However, I paused. Before signing the contract, I decided to see Alexander one last time, and so, I walked out of the room.

Indeed, it was the penthouse on the top floor of his office, so it wasn't hard for me to find my way to his office again.

When I reached there, he was in his office, discussing something with his assistant. I didn’t bother knocking, I had just burned inside, stopping them both.

Alexander raised his hand and his assistant quietly walked out, before he completely turned to me, his brows raised, eyes filled with sheer amusement.

His gaze then dropped at the file in my hand, “so? What did you decide?” He asked.

I swallowed, my fists clenched tightly. “If I sign it, what happens then?” I asked, cutting the stupid talk.

He didn’t blink, for a moment he watched me and then said, “Then you start over. As my partner.”

Partner… the word itself sounded almost respectable. Almost merciful.

A bitter laugh escaped me. “You make it sound like salvation.”

“Not salvation,” he said softly. “It'a a Leverage.”

Silence fell upon us, our gazes were staring at each other. Then, before I could talk myself out of it, I raised my hand, opened the file and signed on the papers with my shaky hand.

Each letter carved into paper like a scar I couldn’t undo.

When it was done, I placed the pen and the file down on his desk.

Alexander gazed at the paper and then looked up at me. “Congratulations,” he said quietly, watching me. “we just became partners.”

I met his gaze, searching for mockery. Yet, I couldn't find any. Just that dangerous calm that makes me both assure and insecure.

However beneath it… something flickered. Something I couldn’t name, not yet.

I straightened. “And what do I call this, then? A deal with the devil?”

He smirked, chuckling slightly. “No. A declaration of war.”

He took the contract and went through its pages before tossing it over his desk. “Get some rest, Elowen,” he said, “You’ll need it.”

I didn’t respond, I only turned around and walked away. As I was walking away, I spoke, “I'm occupying your penthouse for tonight, after all, we're partners, aren’t we?”

I didn’t wait for his response and just walked out. Since he chose this partnership, he must also understand my rules and regulations.

I came upstairs in no time and shut the door behind me, letting the silence crawl beneath my skin again.

I stood there, staring at my still trembling hand. It should’ve felt like a relief. A win, but it didn’t. Instead, It felt like shackles. Invisible ones.

I gazed at the black dahlias again. Beautiful and poisonous.

And suddenly, a realisation struck me— Maybe he hadn’t sent them to mock me.

Maybe they were a warning. A warning to something very uncertain.

As the rain began to beat harder against the glass, one truth settled like ice in my chest: I hadn’t just signed a contract. I had just signed my life away…