Chapter 5: The Move-In
Morning came too fast.
Ella barely slept — every time she closed her eyes, she saw Alexander's face, heard his voice calling her Mrs. Frost-to-be.
Her stomach twisted with nerves, fear, and something she refused to name.
At 7:00 a.m. sharp, a car horn sounded outside her apartment.
Not a regular car.
A sleek black Bentley that did not belong on her cracked street.
Ella stood by the window, clutching her single worn suitcase. She swallowed hard.
This is real now.
No turning back.
She picked up her bag, stepped out of the apartment for the last time, and locked the door. As she walked toward the Bentley, the driver stepped out — a tall man in a dark suit, posture straight, expression unreadable.
"Miss Harper?" he asked.
Ella nodded.
He opened the back door for her.
She hesitated for a heartbeat, took a breath, and slid inside.
The car smelled of leather, warm and polished, a world apart from anything she'd ever known.
As they pulled away, she watched her neighborhood disappear in the rearview mirror.
Her old life fading behind her.
Her new life rushing toward her.
---
Frost Tower
The car stopped in front of a massive mirrored skyscraper, its glass exterior catching the sunlight like a blade.
Frost Tower.
The headquarters of Alexander Frost's empire.
And the location of her new home.
Ella stepped out, dizzy with the scale of it all. People in suits rushed in and out of the revolving doors, whispering into phones, typing, moving with purpose.
She felt small.
So small.
The driver escorted her to a private elevator — one that required a finger scan.
When the doors opened to the top floor, Ella forgot how to breathe.
She stepped into a penthouse so large it looked like a luxury hotel lobby — floor-to-ceiling windows, marble floors, a view that stretched to the ocean.
And there he was.
Alexander Frost.
Standing by the window in a tailored black suit, one hand in his pocket, eyes sharp as winter ice when he turned toward her.
"Ella."
Her name on his lips made her pulse stutter.
"You're early," he said.
"I— the car came on time, so I—"
"You did well."
Why that simple praise made heat crawl up her neck, she didn't know.
He walked toward her with slow, measured steps, stopping just inches from her.
Close enough that she felt the warmth of him.
Close enough to smell his cologne — crisp, clean, expensive.
"You'll be staying here from now on," he said. "You'll have access to every room except my office."
His gaze held hers.
"Understood?"
She nodded quickly.
He studied her face, eyes lingering on the faint anxiety she couldn't hide.
"You're nervous," he said softly.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
Alexander reached out, brushed her cheek with the back of his hand — barely a touch, but enough to freeze her breath.
"You don't have to be afraid of me," he murmured. "I don't hurt what's mine."
Her heart hammered.
Mine.
The word felt too heavy, too intimate.
Before she could respond, he stepped back.
"You'll find the contract marriage rules in the study," he said, his tone turning businesslike again. "Read them thoroughly. We sign the final agreement tonight."
Ella blinked.
"Tonight?"
"Yes."
His gaze swept over her.
"Marriages require structure. Boundaries. Expectations."
A pause.
"And we only have three days."
Her stomach flipped.
Three days until she became his wife.
Three days until she stepped into a life she still didn't fully understand.
---
The First Rule
Hours later, Ella sat in the study going through the thick binder titled:
CONTRACT MARRIAGE TERMS — ALEXANDER FROST & ELLA HARPER
Rule after rule made her chest tighten:
Attend public events as a united couple.
Share the master suite for appearance's sake — separate beds permitted.
No romantic involvement required.
Affection in public must appear genuine.
No secrets that could jeopardize the Frost name.
Then she turned the page — and froze.
Rule #1: Ella Harper is under Alexander Frost's complete protection.
No exceptions.
Her fingertips trembled on the page.
Complete protection.
Why did he need that rule?
Before she could think too much, the door opened.
Alexander stepped inside.
His eyes went straight to the contract in her hands.
"Finished reading?" he asked.
"Almost."
He moved closer, leaning a hand on the table beside her.
The proximity made the air heavy.
"Ella," he said quietly.
"There's something you need to know before you sign."
Her breath caught.
Alexander didn't look away.
"This marriage… isn't just for convenience."
Her heartbeat stopped.
"What do you mean?" she whispered.
Alexander's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening with something intense — something she couldn't read.
"I chose you for a reason," he said.
She stared at him.
Her lips parted.
But before she could speak—
The penthouse door slammed open.
A man's voice thundered:
"Alexander! We need to talk. It's urgent."
Ella jumped in her seat.
Alexander's expression turned cold. Ice-cold.
He straightened, turning toward the intruder.
And Ella realized with a chill—
Whoever had arrived was not a friend.
Not at all.
---