Elena stood in front of the tall
mirror in her bedroom, holding a simple white blouse in one hand and a light
blue one in the other. She didn't know why she cared so much about what to
wear. It wasn't a date. It wasn't anything romantic.
It was just a talk. Another
business-related meeting with her husband. Her contract husband.
But something inside her felt
different now. Ever since Dominic's words that morning—I'm willing to try—a
part of her that had been frozen began to melt.
She let out a breath and tossed the
blue blouse on the bed, slipping into the white one. It was soft and modest,
nothing special, but somehow she hoped it would make her feel a little more in
control.
When she stepped into the hallway, she
almost bumped into Martha, the housekeeper.
"Good morning, Mrs. Vance," Martha
said with a warm smile.
Elena smiled back. "Morning."
Martha tilted her head slightly. "You
look nice today."
Elena paused for a second, then
nodded. "Thank you."
It was the smallest thing—a
compliment—but even that made her chest feel tight. It had been a long time
since anyone had said something kind without expecting anything in return.
She walked down the stairs slowly, her
heels clicking softly on the polished wood. The mansion was quiet, too quiet,
like it was waiting for something to happen.
She found Dominic in the kitchen, of
all places, standing by the coffee machine with his sleeves rolled up. He
looked up as she entered.
"Elena," he said simply.
"Dominic," she replied, just as calm.
He poured a second cup of coffee
without asking and handed it to her. She took it, her fingers brushing his. The
touch was brief, but enough to make her breath hitch.
"I thought we could sit outside," he
said, gesturing toward the terrace.
Elena followed him, unsure of what
this new version of him meant. He held the door open for her, and they stepped
into the soft morning air. The sky was pale blue, and the garden looked almost
peaceful.
They sat down at the small table near
the fountain. The sound of water trickling added a strange comfort to the
silence between them.
"I didn't expect this," she said
finally, taking a small sip of her coffee.
"Neither did I," Dominic replied.
"But… here we are."
She looked at him, trying to read the
expression on his face. It wasn't guarded. Not like before. There was something
softer there, something… human.
"You said you wanted to find common
ground," she said, "but what does that mean exactly?"
Dominic leaned back slightly, folding
his hands in front of him. "I meant that maybe we should stop fighting each
other all the time. This marriage may have started as a deal, but it doesn't
have to feel like a war."
Elena stared at her cup. "And you
really believe we can do that?"
"I want to believe it," he said.
She nodded slowly, unsure of how to
feel. She had spent so many days bracing for a fight, expecting cold remarks or
silent walls. Now he was saying he wanted peace. It almost didn't feel real.
"I need honesty, Dominic," she said
softly. "No more secrets. No more half-truths. If you want us to stop
pretending, I need to know I can trust you."
His jaw tensed for a moment, but he
didn't look away. "You're right. I haven't told you everything. But not because
I wanted to lie. I just… I'm not used to letting people in."
Elena gave a small, sad smile. "Well,
welcome to marriage."
He chuckled, the sound low but
genuine. "I guess I've got a lot to learn."
They sat there for a while longer,
drinking coffee, watching the leaves move in the breeze. For once, there were
no harsh words, no tension. Just quiet understanding.
Elena didn't know if she could trust
him yet. But maybe she could start trying.
Later That Day
Elena sat in the boardroom at Hart
Enterprises, flipping through a stack of reports. The numbers were still bad.
Too bad. But she had a plan. Or at least the beginning of one.
She looked up when the door opened.
Dominic stepped inside, carrying a file and a look of calm control.
"Are we still on for the meeting?" he
asked.
"Yes," she said, clearing her throat.
"Thank you for coming."
He sat down next to her, not across
like usual. It was a small change, but it meant something.
"I wanted to show you this," he said,
handing her the file. "It's a proposal. Something I've been working on."
Elena opened the file and started
reading. Her eyebrows slowly raised as she flipped through the pages.
"You want to partner with one of the
Vinton companies?" she asked.
"They're expanding fast, and they're
looking for allies in tech and design. Hart Enterprises still has a name. We
can use that."
She stared at the numbers. The deal
made sense. Too much sense.
"This could actually save us," she
whispered.
Dominic leaned a little closer.
"That's the plan."
She looked at him, really looked at
him. "Why are you doing this?"
His eyes locked onto hers. "Because I
meant what I said this morning. I'm done treating this marriage like a
contract. If there's even a small chance we can fix what's broken—personally
and professionally—I want to take it."
Elena's heart thudded in her chest.
This was real. He was trying.
And that scared her more than
anything.
That Evening
Elena didn't go home right away. She
took a walk through the city instead, needing time to think. The sun was
starting to set, casting a golden glow on the buildings. Everything looked
softer, calmer.
She stopped at a small coffee shop and
ordered tea. Sitting by the window, she watched the people pass by. So many
strangers with their own problems, their own stories.
She thought about her story. About how
everything had started with desperation and cold bargains. About the man she
had agreed to marry, and how he was slowly becoming someone else—someone she
didn't hate anymore.
Could she really fall for him?
She didn't know.
But she was thinking about it now.
That had to mean something.
Her phone buzzed. A message from
Dominic.
Dinner at home tonight? Just us. No
pressure.
She smiled, typing back.
I'll be there.
That Night
The dining room was warm and softly
lit. Dominic had ordered takeout, which made Elena laugh.
"No fancy chef tonight?" she teased as
he set the containers on the table.
"I figured we could try something
normal for once."
They sat across from each other, eating
quietly, but not awkwardly. It was… nice.
After dinner, they moved to the living
room. Dominic poured two glasses of wine and handed one to her.
"To common ground," he said, raising
his glass.
Elena touched hers to his. "To
something real."
They drank in silence, and then she
looked at him, her voice soft. "Do you ever regret it? The marriage?"
He didn't answer right away. "At
first, yes. I thought it would be a simple deal. But then… you weren't what I
expected."
She tilted her head. "And what did you
expect?"
He smirked slightly. "Someone weaker.
Someone I could control."
Elena raised an eyebrow.
"Disappointed?"
"Not at all," he said, his voice low.
"You challenged me. You still do."
Their eyes held for a long moment, the
air between them thick with something neither of them could name.
"I don't want to fight anymore," she
whispered.
"Then don't," he replied.
The silence that followed was heavy
but not uncomfortable. Elena stood up, setting her glass down.
"I should go to bed."
Dominic stood too, nodding. "Of
course."
But as she turned to leave, he took a
step closer.
"Elena," he said.
She paused.
"I know we said no pressure, but… if
you ever need someone, I want you to know you can come to me. Not as your
business partner. Not even as your husband. Just… as someone who cares."
Her breath caught.
She nodded, then walked away, her
heart racing. Upstairs, she leaned against her bedroom door, trying to breathe.
Everything was changing. Slowly,
painfully, but it was.
And she wasn't sure if she was ready
for it.
But she was still here.
Still fighting.
Still hoping.