Amara barely slept that night.
The contract Damian had given her kept replaying in her mind. The document was short but strangely vague. It only stated that she would work exclusively with Reyes Design & Development for the duration of the project and maintain complete confidentiality about internal company matters.
But something about the way Damian had watched her sign it felt… deeper.
The next morning, she arrived early at the office.
The lobby buzzed with employees, but the moment she stepped into the elevator leading to the executive floor, silence wrapped around her.
Damian's assistant greeted her.
"Mr. Reyes is expecting you."
Of course he was.
She walked into his office and found him standing near the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city.
Without turning around, he said, "Did you read the contract carefully?"
"Yes," she replied.
"And?"
Amara crossed her arms. "I think you're hiding something."
That made him turn.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"You're observant."
"Am I wrong?"
Damian walked closer, stopping just a few feet away.
"The contract isn't just about the project," he said.
Amara's heartbeat quickened.
"Then what is it about?"
He studied her face carefully.
"You."
Her brows furrowed.
"Me?"
"Yes. I need someone I can trust working closely with me. Someone who isn't already part of the corporate politics in this company."
Amara laughed softly.
"So you trapped me into signing a loyalty contract?"
"Think of it as protection," he said calmly.
"For who?"
"For both of us."
Something about his tone made the air feel heavier.
Amara suddenly realized that whatever she had just stepped into was far more complicated than interior design.