CHAPTER THREE

"Tenacious?" I choked on a reply. It was obvious that he had a very negative impression of me. We constantly clashed, like oil and water.

However, something unexpected started to stir within me among the conflicts. There was an unmistakable magnetism that pulled me in behind the layers of his stern persona. 

His ability to dominate a space and his intense stare was both offensive and enticing.

Our encounters evolved into a delicate ballet of tension and reluctant respect as the days stretched into weeks. It seemed as if two hostile groups were striving for control of the situation. However, there were short, silent times when I saw vulnerability in his eyes.

One evening, he stopped me with a single word as I was ready to leave his office. "Wait."

I whirled while posing a doubtful brow.

He paused, looking at me intently as if he were looking for something. Then, in the quietest voice I'd ever heard, he murmured, "Thank you."

His genuineness threw me off guard, and I blinked in shock. He dismissed me by returning to his job without waiting for a response.

My heart was pounding as I left his office. Even little, the space between us had changed. And I couldn't help but wonder whether Ethan Stone was more complex than first seemed.

Nearly every night, Ethan made sure he had enough of me. The joy and ferocity he puts into it only served to deepen my already-existing affection for him.

Although making love wasn't in our contract, once he had his way with me cruelly, I found myself looking forward to our romantic evenings. 

I can tell he is merely having me for pleasure by looking into his eyes as we are making out. 

I never anticipated my life would change so drastically. I found myself caught in a web of love to a total stranger the very next instant when I was battling to hang onto what little hope I still had.

My life was no longer mine the minute I consented to that contract marriage with Ethan Stone. I had to make a decision I had never intended to make due to the financial strain on my family. But even the strongest of principles may be compromised by desperation.

"Elah, you're late again," Ethan said as I entered the luxurious surroundings of Accuzy Tech's corporate offices. 

The agreement had said that I would operate as his personal assistant, which required me to schedule his meetings, handle his emails, and negotiate the perilous waters of his professional environment.

I stumbled, "I'm sorry, Mr. Stone," with my eyes glued to the shiny floor. 

I detested the submissive tone I was forced to employ, but I had no other option. Surgery for my brother depends on it.

He hardly looked up from his laptop, "You know, punctuality is a virtue here," he said. I guess timeliness isn't your strongest strength, however, is it?

I bit my lip to control the temptation to lash out at him. He was aware of the influence he had on me and used my brother's illness to his advantage. 

However, I felt a flame of rage start to burn within me with each insulting remark and condescending gaze. a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, I might figure out how to defend myself.

Months passed, then an unexpected event occurred. Those evenings of coerced intercourse had hurt my dignity, but perhaps more. 

Strange and perplexing feelings started to grow inside of me. Ethan, meanwhile, continued to be distant and chilly, acting for reasons that eluded me.

I asked Ethan to skip the day because I needed to see my brother, on a morning when he had just concluded his rounds on me. 

I decided to tidy up Ethan's study room before I left since I recalled him requesting me to do so as I was getting ready to leave. 

While I was working, I found a hidden diary in his bedroom. I turned each page, skimming through it one after the other out of interest to see what was written there when suddenly I saw my Dad's name. The text on the pages hinted at a history entwined with treachery and retaliation. 

As I became aware that this was not only about my family and me, my heart began to beat. It was important to get to the bottom of things, no matter how unpleasant it may be.

My voice quivered as I said, "Dad, I found something... something that connects you to Mr. Jakes."

His eyes met mine as he raised his head, expressing both astonishment and worry. 

"What are you talking about, Elah?"

I forced back tears while taking a deep breath. This Diary, Dad. Ethan owns it. It talks about a secret conflict between you and Mr. Jakes, a conflict that killed my mother. What is happening?"

I was able to see the agony in his eyes as his gaze wavered. "Elah, have a seat. I had to share something with you."

My heart was beating fast when I sat down.

He started in a wretched voice, "Your mother and I were once close to Jake's family."

"Ethan usually finds fault in everything your mother does, but we were like a family. When she made a mistake, he would tell his father's bodyguards to beat her up."

To avoid having his sad eyes touch mine, he sighed while looking aside.

"We had no power. Despite his father's complaints, Mr. Jakes was always on his side since your mother rejected his offer. Elah, your mother didn't pass away by mistake. It was the outcome of Ethan and Jake's repeated acts of cruelty and mistreatment."

"But why does he want you dead, you could ask."

"He thought I had killed his father in retaliation."

His words impacted me like a blow to the belly, and I found it difficult to breathe. I felt a searing, radiating pain from my chest that was primal.

I said, "No," as tears started to form in my eyes. "No, that's not possible."

He extended his hand and took my hand in his. 

"Elah, I'm very sorry. I ought to have told you earlier. I had believed that burying

it would keep you safe, but now I see that it has only caused you more suffering."