The next morning, I arrived at the office feeling… exhausted. The whispers from yesterday still echoed in my mind. I tried to shake them off, but my nerves were on edge.
I barely had time to set my bag down when Mark, the intern who made my stomach churn yesterday, approached me. "Good morning, Ms. Mendoza. Are you okay after last night's event?" he asked, smiling a little too bright.
"I'm fine," I said quickly, moving past him. But I couldn't help noticing his lingering gaze.
Just then, Ethan appeared behind me, his expression calm but his eyes sharp, like a hawk surveying its territory. "Good morning," he said softly, his hand brushing mine as he passed. I felt my pulse race.
Mark cleared his throat. "Sir, do you have a moment to discuss the report?"
Ethan nodded, stepping aside, but I saw it. That slight furrow in his brow, the subtle tension in his jaw. He was watching me, noticing everything.
Later, during a team meeting, Mark casually mentioned, "It must be nice to have a supportive… partner, Ms. Mendoza." His words were innocent enough, but the tone made my skin crawl.
Ethan's gaze snapped to me, sharp and unreadable. My heart sank. Did he think I was flirting? Or worse, interested in someone else?
After the meeting, Ethan pulled me into a quiet corner. "Lara, is there… anything I should know?" His voice was calm, but the underlying tension was unmistakable.
"What? No! Why would you even think—" I started, flustered.
"I noticed how you reacted to Mark today," he said, keeping his voice low but steady. "Are you… attracted to him?"
I froze, blinking. "What?! No! Ethan, it's not like that!" I waved my hands frantically. "He's just… an annoying intern! I'm not interested in anyone. Especially not—"
He cut me off with a small, tight-lipped sigh. "Good. I just… I don't like the idea of someone crossing boundaries. Our contract is simple, Lara. Just that. No distractions."
I nodded quickly, still flustered. "I know. I would never… I mean, he's nothing. Promise."
He studied me for a long moment, then relaxed slightly. "Alright. Just… be careful. People are watching. And… I don't want any misunderstandings. For either of us."
I swallowed, heart still racing. Ethan Rivera… calm, composed, and yet fiercely protective. Contract marriage or not, I realized something: he cared. Or at least, he felt strongly about the rules of our arrangement.
That evening, as I walked home, I couldn't stop thinking about the moment. My pulse still quickened just remembering his gaze, his voice, his presence.
One year. One contract. One Ethan Rivera. And somehow… misunderstandings like today made me feel things I wasn't ready to admit.
I realized then, pretending was no longer simple. And neither was my heart.