Elisa was restless. She waited till noon before she set her plan in motion. With the help of her nurse, she put on a pencil skirt and a sleek blouse.
"Where to, Mrs Walker?"
She could never fully get used to being called that, but she answered regardless
"To my husband's office" the way it flowed so naturally surprised her.
The driver paused, looking at her strangely for about thirty seconds or so, before responding "Of course, Mrs Walker"
….
Elisa arrived at the building, and a brief flash of familiarity washed over her. Even when she met a young man on the lobby, she instantly knew he was Ethan's PA, Daniel.
'i guess this body is becoming more active with the whole memory thing' She thought .
Daniel met them in the towering glass lobby with a polished smile that didn't reach his eyes. Elisa asked the nurse to wait on the car as she approached daniel. People turned to stare as Elisa rolled past—curiosity laced with thin disdain. She sat straighter in the wheelchair and kept her jaw soft. If she looked small, if she looked needy, she'd be dismissed. She had to look like she belonged.
"Mrs. Walker," he said, voice careful. "Mr. Walker is in a board meeting right now."
"Alright, then. You can just carry on with whatever it is you were doing. I'll be fine" she said In an attempt to escape him and snoop around, but the loom of hesitation told her otherwise.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible ma'am. Mr Walker wouldn't want that. Let me take you to his office" he offered politely, and Elisa sighed in resignation.
Daniel's posture shifted. Whether it was pity or suspicion she couldn't tell. He guided her into the elevator, pressing the button for the tower's top floor, and kept a steady arm at her chair as if she might topple. The elevator hummed, the city folding itself into the glass as they rose. Daniel tapped his security code before the doors opened on the executive corridor.
He wheeled her to a stop in front of another door then moved in front of her to unlock it. She watched absentmindedly as he punched the first two digits 1-0- and the rest blurred as she wondered when the back and forth for just a number would end.
The door to Ethan's office clicked open with a hushed, mechanical sigh. The office beyond was not simply a workplace. It was a place where he exerted dominance. The sunlight poured through the floor to the ceiling windows, painting the black marble floor with dull gold. A low desk sat at the centre of the room, and a slab of dark wood, its surface cleared of clutter. Leather chairs waited in careful angles; an entire wall of books stood; a long glass cabinet held awards and art, each piece chosen to flex taste and wealth.
A long, narrow table near the window hosted a scattering of industry reports and a tablet that looked permanently awake. In the corner, a bar cart reflected the light like a small constellation, crystal decanters, single malt lined up. The space smelled faintly of cedar and warm paper and something cleaner, maybe cologne?
Daniel eased her to the space beside the desk. "Please, wait here," he said, both hospitable and clipped. He offered her a small smile that didn't quite make the gesture human. Then he left, the soft click of the door a puncture in the quiet.
Alone, Elisa let her eyes drink in everything the neatness of it, the absence of sentimental clutter. 'He sure is a well organised man,' she thought. She was thinking about how to reach a locked tablet, where the files that mattered might be hidden, when the heavy door opened and Ethan slipped inside without her notice.
He cleared his throat to draw her attention, and she turned to look at him.
He looked imposing in his tailored suit, with his hair smoothed back, that cold, controlled face she has been seeing rather too often. Up close he looked sharper, shadows cutting his cheekbones, eyes like polished flint. For the smallest, most dangerous heartbeat she thought she'd seen surprise in her eyes, but it evaporated before she could claim it as proof. He closed the door behind him and folded his hands on the desk.
"Mrs. Walker," he said, his voice holding no warmth. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
She met his gaze momentarily. "I was bored so I decided to check up on you."
His face didn't give anything away. Slowly, as if to check that she would not offend his routine, he nodded to Daniel. "Daniel."
She didn't even notice Daniel come in, as Ethan's presence overshadowed his.
With an unreadable tone, he said "Please, give us a moment." The PA hesitated, then retreated, closing the door after him..
The office shrank to the space between them.
"So," Ethan said. He leaned forward a fraction and fixed her with a look that seemed like he was interrogating her.
"Why are you here?"
He obviously didn't buy what she said earlier. "I already told you" she insisted. "I thought… a change of scenery." She smiled.
He watched her, jaw tightening. Then, without preamble, he crossed to a lower drawer in his desk. Elisa felt the room shift with him. He pulled something heavy, a manila folder. He brought it, and slammed it onto the desk, and the sound echoed like a crack in porcelain. Papers spilled and fanned, a sharp, perfunctory chaos. He stood over her, looming.
"In case you've forgotten the terms of our marriage," he said, and his tone left no room for discussion. He pointed to the folder "Read."
Elisa's hands trembled as she reached for the top sheet. The signature at the bottom Ashley Davis, and the header "Marriage Contract Agreement," and the clauses were worse: timelines, financial settlements, behavior clauses, confidentiality requirements, non-interference in company matters, penalties for breach, and divorce circumstances.
Elisa's mind whirled. Contractual marriage. She already had the thought that their marriage wasn't the usual 'fall in love and get married' type, but she didn't expect a contractual marriage.
The pages spelled out that Ashley owed him allegiance, a position to maintain his public persona and in return, Ethan provided safety, status, money, and strict rules. There were clauses about public conduct, immediate house arrest in case of scandal, and a termination penalty that would bankrupt any ordinary woman. It stated that it was an alliance between two families, for familial bonds and company's growth.
Elisa's eyes turned and Ethan blurred, until she blacked out.