he thick, mahogany door sealed them inside, and for once, t

ack of papers that would define th

n the pristine contract resting between

back like a commander surveying a battlef

slightly.

r. "It was never me

sharp. She swallowed it d

k pen. "This outlines everything we discussed-terms, timeli

a brow. "Pers

go beyond business-bounda

h, scanning the bullet points. Her eyes narrowed as sh

will share residence

blic appearance per week to m

lements outside the marriage f

arply. "Wait. No d

mply. "It would damage both our reputat

"Wow. You really did

ect my

m one o

gaze. "We

terms, Elara leaned back in her

his head. "

about...

ion unreadable. "Yo

clear. No blurred lines. No

ani

x. Not unless we both agr

stretched b

y nodded. "Add

nk y

our world, appearances are everything. If people do

at? You want to schedule pu

need

t a puppet, Asher. I'm not here to fake be

g to let whispers destroy the Lemaire

ch other until th

play the part-when necessary. But keep you

ea

ountain pen, poised o

t to do this?"

r. "We already did it. T

htly as she signed:

me curling smoothly across

. Too quiet. Like th

older and placed it in the safe beh

around, she was wa

ets?" sh

le. "Regret is a luxur

ver truly cared

than either of

dn't

Asher insisted they eat together-not for romance, but fo

g at her grilled sea bass while he scrolled

. "What happens if one

"Then we activ

n eyebrow. "

sation. A mutual NDA. And both our f

ds me

t

ans... we

ys," he said flatl

ted. "How

d into sil

n't awkward-it was st

e library that lined the east side of the penthouse and ran her fing

s like distant stars. She stood still fo

soft footste

p either?"

her head.

he window. "I've lived alone

nce," she said. "It ma

you thin

gned away three years of my life

But you did

at him. "

ver. "We both did

e first time, his face didn't look carve

become this p

uckle. "I stopped trus

t's lo

said quiet

e-not touching, not smiling-but something

in the

of under

ext M

orning news. She stepped into the kitchen to find Asher a

ed her

halice this ti

, surprised

unter. "The finalized contract. I'l

at it, th

oked at her now was different

ator, "for someone who claims to hate emotion

pau

nd offered a rar

er are