LOGINPOV: Elias’ Mother & FatherThe house had a different rhythm when Elias wasn’t home.Quieter, but not peaceful. The kind of quiet that allowed thoughts to stretch, to echo, to grow teeth.Elias’ father sat in the living room, jacket draped neatly over the arm of the couch, sleeves of his white shirt rolled up just enough to suggest comfort—not carelessness. A tablet rested on his knee, but he hadn’t scrolled in several minutes.His attention was elsewhere.Across the room, his wife stood by the large window, staring out at the garden like it had personally offended her.She hadn’t spoken in a while.That, alone, was unusual.“You’ve been standing there for ten minutes,” he said calmly, without looking up. “Either the roses are plotting against us, or something is bothering you.”She didn’t turn.“Nothing is bothering me,” she replied, her voice smooth. Too smooth.He finally lifted his eyes to her reflection in the glass. “You say that when something is bothering you the most.”She si
Elias’ POVThe house always announced my father before he did. Not with noise, but with presence. I felt it the moment I stepped through the door. The air was warmer than usual and thicker, carrying the faint scent of oud and something richer beneath it slow-cooked food, not the quick meals my mother tolerated when he was away. The lights were also brighter, not glaring, just deliberately alive. He was home.I loosened my tie, fingers moving automatically, though my shoulders remained tense. The day had already worn me down. Meetings, decisions, pretending I was unaffected by things that shouldn’t have bothered me. Still, my chest tightened as I took another step forward. “Elias.” His voice came from the living room steady, calm, familiar. I turned toward the sound. My father stood near the wide window, his back partially to me, city lights reflecting off the glass behind him. His jacket was off, sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms, posture relaxed but alert to the stance of a man
Something changed after Adrian. It didn’t happen all at once. There was no sudden shift, no sharp argument, and no raised voice or slammed door. The change was subtler, almost invisible. It was the kind of shift you only notice when your chest starts to feel tight for no clear reason. I felt it in the way Elias stopped lingering. Before, even when he tried to be distant, there were tiny cracks. His eyes would stay on me a second longer than needed. His voice would soften when he thought I wasn’t paying attention. There was tension, yes, but it felt alive. It was confusing, yet warm in a dangerous way. Now? Now everything felt precise. That morning, when I walked into the office, I sensed it immediately. The air around him felt closed off, like glass separated us. He didn’t look up when I greeted him. “Good morning, sir.” “Morning,” he replied, already focused on his tablet. Sir. My fingers tightened around the folder I held. It shouldn’t matter. I kept telling myself that a
Clara’s POV By the third day, I understood something clearly. Silence could be louder than shouting. Elias hadn’t raised his voice at me. He hadn’t questioned me. He hadn’t made a single inappropriate comment. If anyone were watching from the outside, they would say he was the perfect employer, calm, professional, and distant. Too distant. And that distance pressed against my skin like invisible hands. I arrived early that morning, not because I was eager, but because staying home with my thoughts had become unbearable. The office smelled faintly of coffee and polished wood, a controlled environment where emotions were not welcome. I liked that—or at least, I wanted to. I set my bag down, powered on my system, and inhaled slowly. Focus. That was the word Zara kept repeating in my head. Focus on work. Focus on growth. Focus on yourself. I told myself I could do that. But the moment Elias stepped out of his private elevator, I felt it. Not his presence. His res
Elias’ POV I told myself it was nothing. I repeated it all the way back from the convention hall. My eyes were fixed ahead, and my jaw ached from being so tight. Nothing. Just noise. Just coincidence. Just a reminder that this was a contract and nothing more. Yet the image wouldn't leave my mind. Clara was standing there, genuinely smiling, while Adrian leaned in close. His hand brushed hers as he handed her that gift. She looked down at it, clearly pleased. I could see her lashes flutter when she laughed. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. This was ridiculous. Adrian had always been charming, reckless, and too comfortable around women. That was just who he was. And Clara? She was free to react however she liked. I had no control over her feelings. None. That should have settled me. Instead, it only made me more irritated. By the time I got back to the office, my mood had turned dark and cold. The staff noticed, as they always did. Conversations quieted whe
Clara’s POV The Uber slowed briefly before moving again, swallowed by the morning traffic. New York at 9 a.m. was loud without trying: horns blaring, engines humming, people rushing like time was chasing them. I leaned back in the seat, watching as tall buildings slid past the window, one after another, as if they all had somewhere more important to be. Zara sat beside me, legs crossed, phone in her hand as she scrolled through messages with a smile that hadn’t left her face since we got in the car. “See your face,” she teased, nudging my arm. “You look like someone Contract withgoing to court, not work.” I exhaled slowly. “I just want today to go smoothly.” She laughed. “Smooth? With Elias involved? Please.” “Zara,” I warned. She raised both hands dramatically. “Okay, okay. I’m serious now. Today is business. Strictly business. No emotions. No soft eye contact. No unnecessary conversations.” I turned to her. “I know.” “Do you?” she asked, arching a brow. “Because th







