No Escape From the Billionare's Contract

she could stand, the next told

the folder he had dropped in front of her. Her duffel rested on

c appearances without approval. And you actually wro

est. "This arrangement

ond refrigerator. It would o

ish. Beyond him, the windows showed the city spread out below, thousan

te life," she said. "But I have on

ired to fulfil a

ermission to experience

pression gave her no help, yet she noticed how hi

" he said. "It served our famili

een married, although no one at work treated

" she said, keep

asking whether the distance b

n't raised his voice, but the space after that

ld have changed what

repeat the arrangeme

he touched the folder. "Writing down that nobody c

nd leaving the marble. The conversation had

ement. The boundarie

come a set of instructions. Instead she closed the folder. Her family's debt had b

emporary partner, and I expect you to remembe

derstood," he said,

wall, a small camera faced the central gallery, and she wondered

g," he continued. "She manages the household. The

idden," Zariel said, r

r midnight. The cameras detect movement in the galle

ridor. "Does your house

tions and there wil

Which way to my a

toward the kitchen terminal. Lines of figures appe

crossed white canvases along the walls, art she would have neede

, with a metal handle that felt cool beneath

her footsteps quiet anyway, then caught herself doing it. Even here, after office hour

ood open on clothes chosen by someone who had never asked what she liked. G

ked faded against the linen. Zariel spread it over the corner

d recognize that

terminal. She wanted to stop hearing him, stop wondering w

oom and closed th

outside, followe

and, but the door stayed shut. She pushed harde

ed with her knuckle

gain, her palm slipping on the metal,

e door has locked

e. She struck the wood with her fist, then pr

permission to walk around, I am t

the hallway. She turned toward the bed, then back again,

She slid down against the door, holding her kne

home. Now she could not