Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Contract Wife, Strikes Back : Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

“I did not come here to bargain. I came here to save my father’s company," her voice does not waver even though every word costs her something.. Sofia Marquez stands across the wide desk from Daniel Gray. She places both hands flat on the cold surface to stop them from shaking. Daniel Gray does not lean forward. He does not offer a seat. He looks at the file in front of him like it is any other routine document. His expression is completely professional. “Three years,” he says. “You will be my wife in public. You will attend all required events. You will not question my schedule. You will not enter my study without permission. You will not ask about my past.” Sofia looks him straight in the eye. “And in return, you keep my father’s company running. You pay off the outstanding loans. You hand over the agreed amount on the day of the divorce." “Exactly,” Daniel says. “And there are other terms. There should be no real feelings. No questions about where I go or who I see. We do no

“Smile for the cameras, Sofia. Make them believe we are the perfect couple. That is the only currency that matters tonight.”The limousine stops outside the hotel. Daniel does not step out immediately. He adjusts his cuffs in the small mirror on the partition. He speaks without looking at her, like he is reciting a script he has used many times before.Sofia checks her dress one last time. She chose a simple design in deep blue, nothing too flashy but elegant enough to stand beside him. She takes a slow breath in and lets it out, trying to steady the nervous flutter in her chest.“I know the rules, Daniel. Stop making me look stupid,” she flatly. “Stand close. Smile when they speak. Stay quiet when they ask business questions. Leave the rest to you.”"I am good at memorization."Daniel finally turns his head to look at her. His expression is neutral, but his eyes linger on her face for a moment longer than necessary. He gives a short, sharp nod of approval.“Exactly,” he says. “And re

“You can lie to everyone else, Sofia. But you cannot lie to yourself forever. Not when your own body starts telling the truth.”Sofia stands in the bathroom staring at her reflection. Her face is paler than usual. Dark circles show under her eyes even when she covers them with makeup. She feels lightheaded in the mornings now, and certain smells make her stomach turn for no clear reason.She tells herself it is stress. She tells herself it is poor sleep and the pressure of the situation. But deep down she knows there is another explanation. She has been late for three weeks, and she has not had a single moment of unprotected intimacy with anyone except Daniel.She goes to the pharmacy that afternoon. She keeps her head down. She pays in cash. She does not want anyone to see her or recognize her. She walks back to the car with the small paper bag tucked deep inside her purse.When she gets back to the penthouse, Daniel is not home yet. She goes straight to her suite and locks the door.

“Secrets do not stay hidden just because you lock the door. They find their way out in the places you think are most safe.”Sofia sits on the sofa staring at the message until the screen goes dark. She does not reply, nor block the number. She saves the message in a separate folder, just like she has done with all the others. She knows she might need proof one day, and she will not be caught unprepared.The front door buzzer rings twenty minutes later. She walks to the intercom and presses the button. A woman’s voice comes through, clear and sharp, without a single trace of hesitation.“Let me up, Sofia. I know you are there. And I know Daniel told you about me. There is no point in pretending otherwise.”Sofia does not need to ask who it is. She recognizes the voice from the hallway that night. She presses the button to unlock the lobby door before she can talk herself out of it. She wants to face this. She wants to know exactly what is being said behind her back.Chloe walks in five

“Is keeping the truth hidden really protection, or is it just another lie we are telling ourselves?” Sofia stands by the kitchen counter early the next morning. She looks at Daniel across the island, her gaze steady but heavy with doubt. Daniel pauses mid-pour, the coffee stream slowing to a trickle before he sets the pot down. He does not meet her eyes immediately. He takes a slow breath and leans both hands on the counter. “I know it feels like a lie. But right now, the truth would hurt more than silence would. Chloe is watching everything we say and do. If she knows how much we know, she will strike before we are ready.” He speaks plainly, without drama or attempt to charm her. “So we let her believe she is winning. We let her come and go as she pleases while we gather what we need. And all the while, I smile for the cameras and pretend my life is not falling apart at the seams. Is that what you want me to keep on doing?!" Sofia does not move, but her voice carries a sharp edg