"Sign it."
Elara's fingers tightened around the paper.
"No."
He just stood there across the table.
"I won't beg you," he said.
She looked at the document for a second.
And her name was already typed there.
Waiting to be signed.
Earlier That Morning
The banging on the door had come too early.
"Elara! Open this door!"
She rushed out of bed, almost tripping over her slippers.
Maya was already there.
"What is it?" Elara whispered.
"Loan officer," Maya whispered back, eyes wide.
Another knock.
She opened the door slowly.
The loan officer stood there with two men behind him.
"You think I'm joking with you?" he snapped. "Today is your last day."
"Sir, please…"
"No more begging!" he cut her off. "You've been begging for days now. Enough."
Maya stepped forward. "We just need a little time…"
"I don't want to hear it!" he barked. "By 6pm, you pack out or I will throw your things outside. Simple."
Elara nodded slowly.
"Okay," she whispered.
The loan officer looked at her for a moment.
Then scoffed.
"You better mean it."
Maya turned to her immediately.
"Elara… we don't have anywhere to go."
Elara didn't answer.
Back to Now
Alexander leaned back slightly, watching her.
"You don't have options," he said.
Elara's jaw tightened.
"I have dignity."
"Dignity won't keep a roof over your head."
"I'll figure it out," she said.
His gaze dropped slightly.
To her lips.
Then back to her eyes.
"I helped you once," he said.
FLASHBACK
"Sign here."
Elara's hands had been shaking back then too.
Young.
Nervous.
Trying to prove herself.
She didn't read the document properly.
She just signed.
Because she trusted too blindly.
And that one signature…
Cost the company millions.
"You didn't even check what you were signing?" someone had yelled.
"She should be fired!"
"Immediately!"
Elara couldn't even defend herself.
She just stood there.
Defenseless.
Then Alexander spoke.
"Everyone out."
The room went silent.
"I said out."
And just like that, the room cleared.
Leaving just the two of them.
"You made a mistake," he said.
She nodded, tears already falling.
"I'm sorry."
He watched her.
"You're not fired."
"But remember you owe me," he said simply.
And walked away.
Back to Present
Alexander's voice pulled her back.
"I let you go," he said.
Elara's chest tightened.
"I know."
"So this…" he gestured to the contract "…is you paying that debt."
"I didn't ask you to forgive me." She said
"No," he agreed. "But I did."
"You owe me," he added quietly.
Maya's voice echoed in her head.
"Do you want us on the street?"
Elara closed her eyes briefly.
Then opened them.
"You said it's just a contract."
"Yes."
"No emotions."
"Yes."
"No control over my life."
"Well, as long as you don't interfere with mine." He responded.
She looked down at the contract again.
Then at her hands.
I hate this. She whispered.
She looked up at him.
"I hate that you're my only option."
She picked up the pen.
Then…
She signed.
The Wedding
It was fast.
Too fast. Like everything else in her life.
A quiet office.
A tired-looking registrar.
Two witnesses she didn't know.
"Do you, Alexander Vale, take…"
"I do."
No hesitation.
"Elara Moore, do you…"
Her throat tightened.
Her mind flashed.
Her mother.
Maya.
The eviction notice.
Her past.
The shame.
Alexander's eyes were on her.
"Elara?"
The registrar prompted.
She swallowed.
"I do."
Just like that.
It was done.
"From today," Alexander said, adjusting his cufflinks, "you're my wife."
"But no one must know that this marriage is a contract," he added.
She nodded.
"Good."
Back Home
The house was half empty.
Boxes everywhere.
Reality was waiting.
Maya rushed to her immediately.
"Elara? Where did you go? I've been calling…"
She stopped.
Her eyes dropped.
To Elara's hand.
To the ring.
"Elara…"
Her voice dropped.
"What did you do?"
Elara didn't answer.
She just stood there.
Still.
Tired. And overwhelmed
Maya stepped closer.
"You didn't…"
Her eyes widened.
"No."
No way.
Elara finally spoke.
"I got married."
Silence.
Then…
"To who?"
Elara swallowed.
Then said the name.
"Alexander Vale."
Maya staggered back like she'd been slapped.
"You're joking."
"I wish I was."
Maya laughed.
"So we now have our house back?"
"I mean you are married to a billionaire."
That night…
As Elara sat alone thinking about the action she took.
Then her phone buzzed.
She frowned and picked it up.
It was from an unknown number.
She opened the message.
And her blood ran cold.
"You really think marrying him will save you?"
A second message came in immediately.
"You just walked into the same trap you ran from years ago."
Her hands started shaking.
Because there was only one person who could know that.
Only one person knew her past.
Then the third message came in.
"This time… you won't be able to run away with the child."
Elara froze.
Because she had never told anyone.
Not about the baby.
Not about that night.
Not about him.
Now she isn't sure if marrying Alexander saved her family….
Or destroyed her.