Contracted Hearts Novels & Stories

Scarlett echoed. "What does that mean?" Benji didn't like the sound of it. "Your brother has atrial fibrillation, which is when the top chambers of the heart beat out of synch with the lower chambers." Dr. Nakamura turned her notebook around and revealed a tablet. She tapped the screen and a heart diagram filled the screen. "AFib doesn't typically affect men Garth's age, and alone I don't think we'd have found ourselves here. From the readings I'm seeing and in talking with your brother, I think he experienced what's called takotsubo cardiomyopathy."

She cut in sharply. “Yes, that’s why we are going over the terms now. I understand that your families arranged your marriage so you two could be together. But in reality, between the two of you, it is just a contract marriage, one with a fixed term and conditions.” I saw her stiffen, her jaw going tight. She looked at me, then back to Jared. “I don’t understand what you mean. What contract?” She asked. “That’s what Mark wants. Since you two don’t want each other and only agreeing because of your families, I think it’s just wise that you get it binded in a contract. This will benefit you the most so you have nothing to fear.” Jared continued.

Of course it came to this. "Then I'll get married," she snapped. Gregory's smile widened. "But not to someone you pick." Because Alina didn't believe in love. Not anymore. Not in a world where contracts mattered more than loyalty and betrayal came wrapped in blood ties and boardroom handshakes. Love was weakness, and weakness got you devoured. That night, rage still simmering in her veins, Alina found herself in the last place anyone would expect: a dive bar on the city's edge.

ACE I was furious, my heart was beating so fast it was a miracle that it couldn't be heard from the gate. No one speaks to Aella that way, no one is allowed to talk about her. They don't know what it took me to bring her here, they don't know how much I hated sharing her with humans.

“I'm all ears. What do you have in mind?” Emily took a moment to collect her thoughts, carefully choosing her words to craft an enticing narrative. “I've come to understand that we share a common goal. The desire to protect our families’ legacies and ensure their continued success.” Wyatt nodded, his intrigue evident. “I won’t deny that is a priority for many of us in the business world. But how do you propose we achieve that?” Emily leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a lower, more confidential tone. “A contract marriage,” she revealed, her words laced with calculated intention.

Otherwise, I’ll come after you. —None of that, kiddo! I leave the two of them and go to my office. When I arrive, I see a box on top of the desk. When I open it, I get a scare: inside, there’s an animal’s heart, with a note: I’m very close! I close the box quickly and throw it in the trash, feeling a chill run down my spine.

The term was foreign to me, a jumble of syllables that held an alarming weight. He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "Yes, it's a condition that has affected her heart. It's a thickening of the heart muscles, and it's causing her heart to struggle to pump blood effectively." A sudden wave of disbelief and despair washed over me. My mind raced, trying to process what he was saying. Nina had never shown signs of such a sickness before. My sister had always been delicate, but this was something entirely different. "And what can be done?" I managed to choke out, my voice trembling.

"Mr. Lombardo has already signed the marriage certificate, the proposed contract, and all the related documents. I present each one of them to you for your reading, and if you agree, I will ask for your signature to then consider this situation concluded." Rebecca took a deep breath while thinking that her future husband was a complete idiot, but at the same time, she reminded herself that it was the condition her father had imposed on her. So she sighed once more and took the contract that the lawyer was extending to her. She began to read it.

Heart watched her husband walk out of the door and his figure disappear before she turn her attention to the table where she put their contract. “So tiring, that wedding is my dream wedding but it's exhausting. This contract is also... What a drag,” Heart said, picking up the folder as she stand up and stretch her limbs. ‘What am I even doing with my life?’ Heart was about to go to the kitchen to take her glass to the sink when her phone suddenly rang. After seeing the caller ID, Heart's face pale.

Nancy picked up Clark, who was frightened. Noah did not reply, and Crystal noticed that his breathing was shallow, so she called for several bodyguards to carry him into the house. Once he was inside, she called for a doctor. When the doctor arrived, he examined Noah, and when he was done, he said, "It looks like shock caused by heart atrophy." "Heart atrophy?" Nancy frowned. "Does that mean that he had a heart attack?" "No, I don't think so. It looks like there was a contraction caused by a lack of blood flow to the heart."