The Contract That Married Me

're

e far end of the room.

said."The

it

sa

ck. A pen, I realize

private assistant r

to raise money for my mother's treatment, that

do the work,"

sn't my

s desk, sleeves rolled just enough to show he'd done this before, cor

t different

b

ere?"

I replied. "And I need a job that

ted. "That's an

said before I co

ded between

ea

s the desk. It stopped

al text. Tight margins. C

... a lot

me," he replied. "It's n

ut. Restrictions. Confidentiality

standard?

want access,"

o w

o m

d arrogant. It didn't

ys this... di

ve time to

. "I don't have ti

The pen click

if I don't s

And I forget your name by

ge. The signature line

retending this is

he replied. "So

t how opti

ctly how po

dn't need to check it to know who

ad this prope

," he replied. "Then I

for a contra

he cor

where between subsections and legal

said, pointing. "

ed, " h

ne-about ex

requi

ong to th

to the terms

said. "I don't be

don't

ed. The pe

I said, "what

my space. Close enough to

ol," h

I g

. "To fix whatever

. My hand close

ietly. "If you sign, you

. At the lines I had

I s

.My name sett

lder from me w

id. "We'll in

hest tightene

r. "For the parts you di

and disinfectant. Clean enough to pr

an behind th

r correcting h

ed, adjusting his glasse

"Is this the part where you

d. "I prefer entered

d a job c

act, " he said. "The

rms. "You're e

lied. "I'm u

ment across the table. "Cl

ed earlier. Legal marital union. Twelve month

th went

not real

" Grant

gree to mar

se," he said. "Intent d

ridicu

s hold up in cour

opened

," Callum s

ring his files. "I

om felt smaller with ju

this up,

" Callum replied. "You c

contract without telling me

he said. "You had t

five mi

ad a c

t sharp. "You ca

t informe

the risk

contract," he corrected.

per back toward

how contra

tear i

ow takeovers

stomach dropped.

company out of my hands, " he said

ing me as

f marriage, " he said. "You

your inst

aid. "You'r

hit lik

y that,"

d, unbothered, "you ar

"This is insane.

ach the c

" He nodded toward the tab

yment. Damages. Fees that stacked un

that kind of m

kno

hy you di

ility in the eyes of the board,"

a per

a solution,

d on the table

. A notificati

it rec

t is that?" "Your signin

t agree

act," he replied. "Compe

d, already knowing

d the n

d. "You can't

ou," he said. "

's wo

n't di

g," I said,

replied. "Wi

ask for th

e said. "The contract a

trappi

" he said. "They're just

tepped back in with a wo

g ready,"

r what?"

said. "We'll need signat

or what?" My

ed. "The marr

ounded like som

t doing

ally looked at me this

he table. I stared at the lines.

m said. "You don't

you,"

eplied. "This isn't

phone buzzed again, my landlord's name th

ign

m sig

ul for the moment. "Congratu

s. lodged i

he document. My la

name," I sa

m replied. "It carries w

't wan

e it," h

A new contact syn

Hale -

screen. "This

gement," he sa

aft

who wants

is throat. "Sha

I ec

ll be a statement. A few phot

what?" I

id. "Smile, Aria. The world