This Contract Is Sealed Novels & Stories

"No pressure." And even though this whole thing is ridiculous, even though I barely know him, I feel myself exhale. Because something about the way he says it makes me believe him. But, of course, Tess pops the bubble. "Actually, we're sealing the deal legally." She pulls out two stapled papers and slides them across the table. "I kept the contract as simple as possible, but I'll give you the highlights." Liam and I exchange a glance before picking them up.

“Sign that damn thing and seal our agreement. So that we both could move forward from here.” I stared at the contract, the words blurring slightly as I tried to process what I was about to do. This was more than just a business arrangement—it was a step into a world I didn’t fully understand, a world where Thiago held most of the cards. But I also knew that turning back now would mean conceding defeat, and that was something I couldn’t accept. With a deep breath, I picked up the pen. My hand trembled slightly as I scrawled my name at the bottom of the page, sealing my fate with a flourish. When I was done, I looked up at Thiago, a mixture of defiance and uncertainty swirling in my chest.

"Check everything one final time." The Council secretary stood on the chapel steps, his voice as cold as a sentence. "Once sealed, the three-year trial cannot be changed privately. Anyone who withdraws forfeits their place in the line of succession. Anyone who breaks the contract will answer to family law." Everyone lowered their heads to review their seal pages. Noah leaned slightly toward me, his eyes on my file. "Looks like we are both going to Marseille. You're leading the neurotoxin reversal project?"

Scarlett snaps, and the bald-headed man picks up from where the coughing official left off, much to my surprise. "Sometimes, they just drop the contracts and send it to us for signing and we do so and send them back to them. But in most cases as with this Storm Company contract, they come in with their lawyer and us with ours, and the contract is being written up. After which each of us gets the opportunity to vet and sign individual copies of the contract before the final one is sent to you after we have signed, to give the final signature for it to be passed, and the contract sealed." He is surprisingly eloquent and has a clear sonorous voice.

I write it with pride. Nathaniel signs it. His hand is steady too. His signature is neat, precise, the same way he signs everything. The same way he signed the divorce papers. The same way he signed the prenup. The same way he signed his life away to me. Julian witnesses. He initials each page. He stamps the last page with a red seal. The seal is warm. The wax is soft. The stamp is heavy. The new contract is official. Julian leaves. The door closes. The lock clicks. His footsteps fade down the hallway. The building is quiet. The elevator dings. The doors open and close.

Just waited, the same way he had the night he offered her the contract. “I wasn’t sure you’d come here,” he said. “I wasn’t sure either.” They sat. The barista brought Nora’s old order without being asked. Sebastian’s hands were wrapped around a cooling cup of black coffee like he needed the anchor. “I fixed it,” he said. “All of it. Your name never surfaced. The hospital records are sealed. Victoria is finished. The board is stable.” A beat. “I tore the contract up the day you left. There is nothing left to enforce. No money. No terms. No claim.”

"Yes. It says once this contract is sealed, neither side can back out until the job is done. He added that if we agree, he’ll send you the address to pick up the payment cheque." My brow creased. I held the laptop form Aurora and read through and it was indeed what was stated in the contract. There's no way I would abandon a client's work. But if this would assure him then it's fine. I signed the contract and handed it to Aurora. "Done. Let him know it's signed and sealed and there's no way we are backing down." The words left my mouth and a strange unease spread through my chest, I shook it off, turning my gaze back to Aurora.

"I don't have the documents here and we need witnesses maybe you'll stop by the office tomorrow with a witness and we can sign the contract." She nodded. "Can I get part of the money now?" She asked hopefully "We've not signed it yet, Diane." He said but looking at her face, the hope slipping away, he pulled open the table drawer and brought out a bundle of money, "this should be a hundred thousand dollars or more." He handed her the money and her face lit up a little. "Thanks." She turned and left. ____________________________________ Heading back to the hospital she took time to think about what happened, what she did after Andrew phone call.

Is he right in the head? "I want it written on the contract." I voiced out. "It will take two hours before the contract can be written as my seal is inside the mansion." He says. I glared at him. "What kind of joke are you talking about? What alpha doesn't bring their seal and just leave it behind?" Alpha Seals are a big deal when it comes to transactions whether it be money or food. And a seal will be used for declaration of war and invasion. Only an ignorant will leave their seal behind.

“Effective immediately.” My hand didn’t shake. I was almost disappointed in myself for how little ceremony the moment required — after everything, I’d half expected the universe to mark it somehow. Instead, it was just a pen, a signature, and a woman who finally had her name attached to something that couldn’t be taken back at a dinner party. “There’s a team assembling in the conference room,” Richard said, sliding the contract into a folder. “They’ve been briefed generally. Not specifically. That part is yours to handle.”