Chapter 6 I'm Already Married

Heat still lingered in Elena's cheeks, her breaths quickening as her stomach rose and fell beneath the thin fabric.

Against the backdrop of gray sheets, her toned stomach and black underwear made a sharp contrast, while her legs stretched out, long and graceful, impossible to ignore.

She had a great figure, something he had noticed before. Yet tonight, the sight was even more undeniable.

The faint warmth clinging to his fingers from where he had touched her lingered in his mind.

Greyson swallowed hard before crouching down to free her other leg from the jeans, sliding them off and replacing them with a pair of loose trousers that he eased up to her waist.

The brief contact of his fingers on her skin made her shiver, a trace of tension running through her body.

When his eyes lifted to her face, he caught the flush coloring her cheeks and the nervous flicker in her gaze.

Greyson pulled the blanket over her once more, then turned away just as a firm knock echoed against the door.

"Come in," he called out.

The doctor stepped inside, pausing first to acknowledge Greyson before shifting his attention.

"She fell. Take a look and see if anything's serious," Greyson instructed, nodding toward Elena.

The doctor leaned over Elena, pressing gently in a few places, and assured him it was nothing more than a strained muscle that would ease with stretching.

Noticing her shallow breaths, the doctor added, "Looks like you might have caught a cold."

"Yes."

"Are you two planning for a baby?"

Sallie, trailing behind him, lifted a brow in sudden interest, her gaze sharpening.

Before Greyson could get a word in, Elena answered, "Yes, we are."

The doctor's eyes darted back to Greyson, gauging his reaction.

Greyson only fixed Elena with a hard look, silent but full of warning. He didn't expect her to lie in front of him.

Elena simply lowered her gaze. What else could she say? Sallie was right here, after all.

Once the doctor finished his instructions, he departed with Sallie, leaving only Greyson and Elena behind.

That conversation about having a baby still lingered in the air, making it awkward for Elena to even look his way.

Instead of picking a fight, Greyson slipped out and vanished into the study next door.

Time slipped by until a soft knock sounded, and Frank stepped in.

"Mr. Wilson, I've brought what you asked for." Frank offered a file, setting it on the desk. "Here's the agreement, just as you specified."

Giving the agreement a quick scan, Greyson headed back to the bedroom and handed it to Elena. "Here. Sign it if you're serious about staying married."

Elena hadn't expected him to move this fast.

Turning through the pages, she paused at the last line and asked, "Suppose you ended up falling for me, would this agreement still count?"

"That'll never happen," Greyson retorted without thinking.

It was the answer Elena expected.

To her, this contract was nothing more than a convenience for him. It changed little in her life.

"You know, nothing in life is set in stone," Elena remarked.

His eyes stayed on her, and his silence told her everything she needed to know.

Elena signed her name, snapped a photo for her own record, and handed the folder back.

Her decisiveness gave him pause-there were moments when she read the situation better than he thought.

"From now on, do your best not to show up here," Greyson told her flatly.

...

"So, what did he put in that contract?" Mina asked, her curiosity clear.

Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket and dabbing at her nose, Elena replied, "Plenty of details. First, I'm not allowed any physical contact with him."

Mina burst out laughing. "Honestly, he thinks you're obsessed with him."

Elena sniffled and snapped back, "With a face and body like his, I'm indeed attracted."

"What about the other rules?"

"Rule number two-if we bump into each other in public, we act like strangers," Elena replied.

"So he doesn't want others to know about the marriage."

"And three, he said I couldn't talk about us with anyone. But the main rule? No falling for him. Ever."

Mina let out a long sigh. "I can't tell if he just hates marriage or if it's you he wants to avoid."

Elena gave a careless shrug. "Could be both. Odds are it's just me."

"Every condition is aimed at you. Tell me, what's in this for you? Sounds like you're getting the short end of the stick."

A buzz from her phone drew Elena's attention. She grinned. "Short end? Please. I don't need to play the dutiful wife, and he's giving me a monthly allowance. It's not a bad deal at all."

"You're being serious? When he's gone, you know everyone's going to talk."

"People die. It's just a matter of when," Elena replied, cool as ever. "It's not like I planned on another wedding."

"You sound like someone who's given up on love altogether," Mina said, shaking her head.

"Stop acting like love is the only thing that counts," Elena retorted. "You haven't seen him up close. He's handsome, and you'd never think he's sick. If he ends up surviving this, then I've just won the lottery."

Mina couldn't bring herself to smile.

To her, Elena's marriage didn't feel like love or greed for money.

It looked more like she was ruining her own life.

A sudden ring from Elena's phone broke the moment.

Noticing the caller, she knit her brows.

Even so, her voice was light and careful when she answered.

Once the call ended, she let out a small hum. "Here's where marriage finally pays off."

Mina tilted her head. "Pays off how?"

"It keeps unwanted men at bay."

Back at the head office, Elena had requested a transfer to this city for Jerald's sake. She hadn't counted on Travis Marquez, the boss's son-who happened to be interested in her-getting moved to the same branch.

Tonight, he had even gone as far as organizing a department dinner.

Although Elena hadn't officially checked in at the branch yet, her appearances at the same exhibition had made her a familiar face, so everyone knew her.

Skipping the gathering would only make her stand out in the worst way.

As they headed toward the restaurant, Mina's mind wandered to a troubling thought.

What if she broke the contract?

Greyson had made sure the most important clause carried a punishment.

If she crossed the line, she would be forced to squat in the city square and bark like a dog.

That such a petty condition came from a man like Greyson revealed just how much he loathed her.

Silly as it sounded, it was an effective warning for both sides.

But the rule was made to keep her in check.

Arriving at the restaurant, Elena pulled her coat tight and stepped inside.

The private room door stood wide open, spilling laughter and voices into the hall.

As soon as Elena appeared in the doorway, a chorus went up. "Elena, over here! We saved you a seat!"

All eyes shifted toward Elena the moment she walked in.

She offered them a polished smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I caught a cold and ended up oversleeping."

"You sure you're all right?" asked Travis, his tone laced with concern.

Elena answered, "It's nothing serious. Just a sniffle."

Most of the people gathered were familiar faces from past projects, and they welcomed her with warmth.

Everyone already knew about Travis' interest in her, from the headquarters down to the branch office, so the mood carried an air of expectation.

Out of tact, the group left an empty chair beside Travis, and Elena took the seat, joining their lively chatter.

These colleagues thrived on small talk, and the conversation flowed endlessly.

The room never dipped into silence. Laughter carried across the table, keeping the evening bright.

When the meal wound down, Travis slipped outside for a few minutes. He returned holding a bouquet of champagne-colored roses.

Knowing smiles spread around the room, and nearly every pair of eyes turned toward Elena.

She understood the gesture all too well.

Refusing him in front of this crowd would make things awkward at work, and Elena understood the stakes all too well.

With the door wide open, even people passing by started to watch, eager for a bit of drama.

"Elena, I heard you're single again. Will you let me be the one to care for you?" Travis stood before Elena, boldly confessing his feelings.

The room erupted in cheers, though no one pushed her to accept.

Rising from her seat, Elena faced Travis head-on. Her answer was calm and clear.

"I'm afraid I can't. I'm already married, and my family comes first."