The Causal Agreement: A Hundred Favors

this is just a bit of fun, Ethan. Don't be so serious." She looked down at Av

erence. He had made his wish. The power of the agreement settled over Ava, a heavy, invisible we

t her skin. She ignored the stares of the string quartet, who had stopped playing and w

se lying on the ground. One favor

the ground. She leaned down, the scent of dirt and roses filling he

arlett and lifted her

st Ava' s lips. "Good girl," she cooed, then turned to toss the ros

aid, his voice flat. "

alked to the elevator, her back straight. As the doors closed, she saw Ethan pull Scarl

ash returning with a vengeance. Her knees were scraped and bleeding. She methodically cleaned the wounds, her movem

. Just t

Ethan's assistant again. The wish

at noon. You are to wear the red dress from the gala last year. You will stand

ess Scarlett had always been jealous of. The pedestal was in the center of the five-story atri

t a tool for his new relationship, a way for

she walked into the lobby of Stone Industries. The whispers started immedia

ped onto the cold marble p

h tune echoed in the cavernous space. People filmed her with their phones. The news would

f home. The quiet forests. The si

n from the pedestal and walked out of the b

ht, Ethan call

espect. "Listen, I've been thinking. You're a hard worker. Scarlett is going to need a new personal

f the offer washing over her. He was offerin

r voice clear and cold. "Just give m

ion on the other end of the line. "

hun

her frame. She coughed into her hand and saw a bright speck of red on her

ignored it. It rang again. And again.

ha

for the last one," he said. "Don't want

where," she rasped