The next morning felt… different.
Nancy woke up in Adrian's bed. Not because of obligation or convenience—but because she wanted to stay.
He was already gone, of course. Always up before sunrise. The CEO never slept in.
But on the pillow beside her was a note. Handwritten.
"Don't forget, dinner at the beach house tonight. Just us."
—A
Nancy stared at it for a long time.
He never used to leave notes.
---
Later That Day – Café on Campus
She went to see her best friend, Mia, needing normalcy. Someone to remind her who she was before all the diamonds and headlines.
Mia eyed her suspiciously. "Okay, spill. You've got that I kissed my enemy and liked it glow."
Nancy groaned. "It's complicated."
"I bet it is. You married the devil in a designer suit. And now you're catching feelings?"
Nancy stirred her coffee. "I don't know. Maybe… maybe he's not all devil."
Mia leaned in. "Nancy. Contracts don't protect hearts. Be careful."
Nancy smiled, but the words stuck in her chest.
---
That Evening – The Beach House
Adrian stood barefoot in the sand, rolled sleeves, eyes on the ocean as waves lapped at the shore.
Nancy approached quietly, the wind catching her hair. "This is beautiful."
He turned. "So are you."
She froze.
It wasn't smooth. It wasn't scripted.
He meant it.
They ate under string lights on the deck—simple food, real conversation. For the first time, they weren't playing roles. They were just… Adrian and Nancy.
After dinner, they sat by the firepit, the stars above them.
"You ever think about what happens when the contract ends?" she asked quietly.
He didn't answer right away. Then: "I used to."
"And now?"
He looked at her, eyes searching. "Now… I'm not sure I want it to."
Nancy's breath hitched.
The line they'd drawn—the one between fake and real—was fading fast.
"I was thinking," he added, "maybe we… extend it. For real this time."
Nancy's heart raced. "Are you saying that because you mean it… or because you're scared to lose me?"
Adrian stood, stepping closer. "Both."
He cupped her face, brushing a thumb over her cheek.
"I don't want a contract anymore, Nancy. I want you. No terms. No rules. Just us."
And just like that—
The contract cracked.
And something real spilled through.
She kissed him first this time—slow, fierce, full of everything they hadn't said.