All Chapters of Contract With The Ruthless Billionaire: Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

FREYA BROOKS POVThe velvet box in my coat pocket felt like a block of ice against my ribs.I had spent three months’ salary on a vintage watch for Tristan. Tonight was our engagement party, the official merger of our futures, and I wanted everything to be perfect. As the head architectural designer for our family’s boutique firm, I had practically killed myself the past six months drafting the blueprints for the Vance Plaza pitch—a multi-million dollar commercial contract that could put us on the global map. Tristan kept telling me that once we bagged the deal, we’d finally get married and buy that house by the bay.I smiled to myself, pushing past the heavy double doors of the VIP lounge at The Obsidian Hotel. The party wasn’t supposed to start for another hour, but I wanted to make sure the catering staff hadn’t messed up the vegan options Tristan’s mother insisted on.The hallway leading to the private suite was quiet, the thick carpet muffling my heels. But as I drew closer to th

FREYA BROOKS POVMoving into the Cross estate felt less like starting a new job and more like entering a high-security fortress. My room was twice the size of my cabbage-smelling studio, complete with a private bath and a balcony overlooking a perfectly manicured rose garden. It was luxurious, but the heavy silence of the house still lingered.The only place that felt alive was Noah’s playroom.By my fourth day, Noah and I had established a routine. He still hadn't spoken a word, but he didn't need to. We communicated in sketches, nods, and the occasional tug on my sleeve."Okay, buddy, time for breakfast," I said, setting down a fresh sheet of paper on his small table.Noah didn't budge from the floor where he was sorting his colored blocks. Instead of throwing them like he used to, he was organizing them by color—a habit I noticed he did whenever he was hungry or bored.I sat down next to him and quickly doodled a stack of pancakes with a little smiley face on top. I slid it over to

FREYA BROOKS POVIt took another hour to fully calm Noah down. We sat on the living room rug, and I let him color an entire pad of paper with bright yellow and orange crayons—his version of burning off adrenaline. By the time he fell asleep, his little head was resting heavily against my knee, his breathing soft and rhythmic.Arthur gently carried him up to his bed, leaving the downstairs area completely silent again.I stood in the center of the massive foyer, my hands stuffed into my pockets. The high from seeing Tristan and Sienna thrown out like trash was starting to wear off, replaced by a cold, heavy reality. Killian Cross was a businessman. Now that his son had broken his silence, my job here was technically up in the air. Was I still needed? Or was it time for me to pack up my forty-two dollars and find a new place to hide?"In here, Freya."Killian’s voice drifted from the double doors of his private study.I swallowed the lump in my throat and walked in. The room was dark, l