Ace
I stood by the window in my penthouse. The city lights below were bright, but they didn't clear my mind. I didn't touch the drink next to me. It was the third night in a row I came home to silence. Not the quiet that helps you think, but this was different. This was cold. Sharp. Lonely.
Emma!
She was always on my mind. Not because she said anything. Not because she did anything wrong. But because she said nothing at all. We were living in the same space, but she felt far away. Like she had built a wall I couldn't see or touch. She didn't fight. Didn't shout. She just stayed quiet unless I spoke first.
And that kind of silence hurt more than yelling ever could.
My phone buzzed. A message from Brian.
"Coffee tomorrow? Need to talk."
I replied, "Yeah. Our spot, 8 AM."
Brian always saw through things. He knew this wasn't just about business anymore. The rules we made weren't keeping things clean; they were breaking something.
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The next morning, we met at the usual café. I slid into the booth. Brian was already there.
"You look like hell," he said.
"I feel like it," I replied.
He sipped his coffee. "You and Emma… How long are you going to keep pretending this contract works?"
I stared at the steam from my own cup. "We agreed. One year. No feelings. No problems."
"Sure," Brian said. "But what if you already have feelings? Then what?"
I didn't answer.
He leaned forward. "She's not just some girl, Ace. And you're not the robot everyone thinks you are."
"I'm not trying to be cold," I said. "I just... don't know what to do when someone gets close."
Brian nodded slowly. "Then you're going to lose her. And someone else will be right there waiting."
I stirred my coffee again, watching the swirl of cream fade into brown. Brian hadn't said much after his last comment about Emma.
I looked up. "Why did you ask to meet today, Brian? What's this really about?"
He leaned back, arms crossed. "Patricia."
My eyes narrowed. "What about her?"
"She's back," he said. "And she's not here for a visit. She's been shopping all over the city. buying expensive and luxury branded items. But I checked. She's not working. Her last investment went bankrupt."
I didn't say anything.
Brian continued. "She's making herself visible again, Ace. In your circles. Around your people. She showed up at the Blacke Tech the other day."
I felt a headache rising.
"She's putting herself back in your space," Brian added. "People are starting to ask questions. About you two."
I tapped my fingers on the cup. "You think she knows about the marriage?"
"I think she suspects," Brian said. "And knowing Patricia, she'll find out soon. Then she'll act."
I nodded slowly. "She's dangerous when she's cornered," I muttered.
Brian's voice dropped lower. "And she thinks you belong to her."
I stared out the café window. I hadn't thought about Patricia. I had no feelings left for her. But feelings didn't matter to someone like her. Maybe I could use her to ruffle Emma.
Patricia wanted power and the name. And she would hate Emma for having both.
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Later that night, I came home early. The penthouse was dark again. Then the doorbell rang. It was Emma. She looked tired. Serious. But still calm.
"Can I come in?" she asked.
I stepped aside. She walked in, looked around, and saw the flowers still sitting by the door.
"Those don't belong to you," she said.
I didn't lie. "I know."
She crossed her arms. "I'm traveling for a few days. Work trip. I thought you should know, since you're my husband."
I nodded. "Okay."
Right then, her phone rang. The name on the screen said "Rafael."
I froze. Emma looked at me, then picked up the call without a word.
"Emma," Rafael's voice came through, clear as day. "We need to talk. I'm serious. Don't shut me out."
She ended the call quickly, but I had already heard it.
I stepped closer. My voice was cold. "Are you still talking to him?"
She didn't look up. "Our contract says no opinions, Ace. No interference."
That answer hit me like a slap. I didn't say anything. I just stared at her as she left the room.
But the second she did, I grabbed my phone. I still remember Rafael's number. I never saved it, but I remembered it. I dialed it twice.
He picked up after a few rings.
"Blacke," he said, with a smug voice. "Didn't expect to hear from you."
"I'll make this simple," I said. "Stay away from her."
He laughed. "You mean Emma? Come on. She was mine before she was yours."
I gritted my teeth. "She's my wife now."
"So I heard. Married in secret? Sounds more like business than love to me. If it's not real, she's still fair game."
My hand tightened around the phone. "Try it," I said. "Try showing up again. See what happens."
He didn't stop. "Relax, Blacke. Maybe she just needs a reminder of old times."
I hung up.
If I didn't, I would've gone straight to him, and I wasn't sure what I would've done when I got there.
I didn't tell Emma about my call to Rafael; there is no need to tell her. I have decided what to do. Rafael Donovan wasn't going to be a small problem. He was going to be a big one. The kind of problem that didn't go away on its own, the kind that needed to be handled directly.
I knew men like him. Charming on the outside, poison underneath. He didn't want Emma because he loved her; he wanted her because he couldn't stand to see her with me.
He saw her as a trophy. A win. A reminder of something he lost and wanted to steal back.
And I wasn't going to let that happen. Not while I was breathing.
This wasn't business anymore. This wasn't a contract. This was personal.
And I am going to deal with Rafael in my own way.