You're Mine Until the Contract Burns

Chapter 6 Signing the Contract

After a thorough examination, the doctor gave a reassuring smile. "It's nothing serious, but there's some head trauma. She may experience dizziness, nausea, and fatigue—what we call a concussion. She'll need to rest and should stay in the hospital for observation for a while."

Ella squeezed Sophia's hand, listening closely. "Thank you, Doctor!" Her heart, which had been in knots, finally began to relax. She smiled in relief and instinctively glanced at Carlos.

Carlos gave a quiet nod, his expression as detached as ever.

Sophia gently patted Ella's hand. "Go on, dear. Go home with Mr. Harrison. I'll be fine. Just be good, and I can rest easy."

Ella understood. Sophia was still worried about the future of the Field family.

She closed her eyes, feeling a wave of helplessness and sadness wash over her.

Sophia had been a victim of a forced marriage, sacrificing everything for the family.

And now, Ella was about to walk the same path. The thought of a marriage like that ignited a fire of defiance within her.

The ride home was silent. Carlos had no idea what was going through her mind, nor did he understand why she seemed so upset.

He grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him, his voice a little sharp. "I just took you to see your mother, and I've arranged for a professional medical team to look after her. What else do you want?"

Ella bristled at his tone, shrugging his hand off with irritation. "What's your problem?"

"You've been frowning the entire time. Who exactly are you giving that attitude to?"

"I... I've been frowning? Ha..." Ella was so frustrated she couldn't even form a full sentence. She wasn't upset with him; she was reflecting on Sophia's tragic life and wondering how she could resist this fate. But to him, all of that was just an attitude problem?

Carlos, for his part, couldn't understand why her emotions bothered him so much.

Ella turned her head away, biting back a sigh, and took a deep breath before facing him again. She managed to muster a forced, tight smile. "I think it's time we had a serious talk."

Back at the house, Ella sat across from Carlos, her eyes fixed on him. He was undeniably handsome, with an aristocratic, aloof air. He sat there without a word, exuding an aura of authority that could almost command respect.

Negotiating with someone like him took all of her courage. She straightened her back, trying to steady her nerves.

However, her body, with its undeniable curves, seemed to catch his attention more than her words.

Clearing her throat, she began. "Our positions are clear now. I need your financial backing, and you need my support in the form of a marriage. We're essentially business partners, not me begging you for something."

Carlos raised an eyebrow with a small smirk. "So? What are you suggesting?"

Ella didn't let his sarcasm bother her. "I want to set some ground rules. First, this marriage will be a contract, lasting one year. If, at the end of that year, you've gotten everything you want, the contract ends, and we go our separate ways."

Carlos shrugged lightly, seemingly unfazed. "And then?" He hadn't planned on spending forever with her, so there really wasn't much that bothered him.

"Second, during this year, there will be no physical relationship between us. I refuse to have s*x without love being at the foundation of it. And lastly, you will stop monitoring me. I expect mutual respect during this time."

Ella let out a breath, feeling a sense of clarity now that it was all on the table.

Carlos stared at her, his gaze unblinking, until she started to feel uneasy under the intensity of it.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke, "Fine."

"Just like that?" Ella looked at him, suspicious. Her instinct told her this man wasn't so easy to deal with.

Carlos stood up and spoke to Anthony, "Draft an agreement based on what she said. Bring it to the study tonight."

Anthony smiled politely, bowing his head. "Of course, sir." He couldn't help but think she was out of her depth here, facing off against a man like Carlos.

When the contract was finally handed to her, Ella noticed a few extra clauses, but most of them were within her limits. The terms she had laid out were mainly to bind him, but Carlos had added conditions for her to follow as well: the wedding must proceed smoothly, and the couple must present themselves as a loving pair in public until Harrison Holdings was fully transferred. If these conditions weren't met, the wedding would be delayed for a year, with further delays after that.

Though the idea of the wedding being delayed again left a bitter taste in her mouth, she figured it was still a fair trade. If she could endure this one-year contract, she would gain lifelong freedom. It was worth it.

"Ms. Field, if everything looks good, please sign. One copy for you, one for Mr. Harrison, and then the contract will be effective," Anthony said with polite courtesy, handing her a pen.

Ella glanced at Carlos, who had already signed without a second thought. Something in her gut told her something was off, but seeing him sign with such effortless confidence made her feel like the one dragging her feet.

With a sense of resignation, she signed her name, the pen cap hanging loosely from her lips as she did so.

Anthony chuckled lightly, still wearing that ever-polite smile as he took the pen from her.

"Did you just laugh?" Ella shot Anthony a suspicious look, her gaze flicking back to Carlos. What were these two up to? Why did she have the strange feeling something wasn't right?

"Ms. Field, I didn't laugh. It's just my naturally pleasant face," Anthony replied, moving back to stand beside Carlos.

Carlos twisted the pen cap in his hand, his voice cool. "Ms. Field, the wedding is next week. I hope you won't cause any more trouble. If you try to run away again, I'll delay the wedding and... impose a hefty fine for breach of contract."

A fine? Ella's eyes widened as she saw the last clause in the contract—eight hundred million dollars.

"You! You're a swindler!"