DAMIEN'S CONTRACT WIFE
“Remove it.”
Adrian made a note immediately, his pen scratching across the paper without question. I sat back, genuinely taken aback. I had braced for a battle, for Damien to flex his control and demand concessions that would erode my identity. Instead, he simply said, “Your career isn't negotiable.”
In that moment, something shifted inside me. This wasn't about controlling me. Damien Hart needed a wife on paper, not a puppet. The realization brought a strange mix of relief and unease. He was offering me autonomy in the one area that defined me most.