My contract love story

Surprise contorted Ashleigh’s features. This wasn’t how she envisioned her return.

“Where are they?” she pressed, urgency lacing her voice. Her colleagues pointed towards Mrs. Smith’s office before dispersing back to their duties.

A frantic rush of movement carried Ashleigh through the door, where she found Mrs. Smith mid-conversation on the phone. James and Fiona stood before her, fear etched on their faces. Relief flickered in their eyes upon seeing her. Ashleigh rushed towards them, engulfing them both in a tight hug.

“Ashleigh! We were worried sick!” Fiona exclaimed in a hushed whisper. “You disappeared the next morning, no message, no call, nothing!”

Remembering the abruptness of her departure, Ashleigh could only manage a weak smile.

“My apologies, Fiona. My leaving was… hasty. An emergency came up, and I had to rush out.”

James, unconvinced, raised an eyebrow. “At midnight? What kind of emergency couldn’t wait until morning? Besides, you were hammered and went straight to sleep after, or so Fiona says.”

Fiona chimed in, concern filling her voice. “Ashleigh, you can tell us whatever it is. Honestly. Jerry’s friend mentioned a man coming to pick you up in the dead of night. Who was that?”

Ashleigh’s surprise was genuine. She didn’t recall Reese being present when Adrian arrived. She strained to remember the conversation, but her memory drew a blank. Most likely, Adrian had introduced himself as her husband, and Reese decided to keep his identity under wraps. Now wasn’t the time to reveal that information to James and Fiona.

“Don’t lie to us,” James pressed, his voice firm.

“Fiona and I have noticed a shift in you lately. We figured you’d tell us when you were ready. You haven’t been staying with Mrs. Smith anymore, and even she seems clueless about your well-being. She didn’t even know about your college rejection until this Monday. How can an aunt know so little about her niece? Last week, you transferred a large sum from a card that wasn’t yours to fund Fiona’s trip. Plus, you bought a replica phone and switched them. It’s like you were trying to disappear.”

James’ words hammered at Ashleigh, panic rising in her chest. She desperately searched for a way to deflect the increasingly tense situation, but Mrs. Smith hanging up the phone saved her from formulating a response.

“That’s ridiculous, Mrs. Smith!” she exclaimed, the fury barely contained. But before she could launch into another protest, Fiona’s gentle hand on hers quelled the rising tide.

“Where do we go to wait for the meeting, Mrs. Smith?” Fiona inquired, her voice barely a whisper of concern.

Mrs. Smith, her face etched with worry, gestured towards the door. “On the executive floor, the conference room.” With that, Fiona and James exchanged a nervous glance before exiting, leaving Ashleigh and her aunt alone in the heavy silence.

“Why am I not facing the same consequences as them? We were all on that trip together,” Ashleigh finally demanded, her voice strained.

Mrs. Smith sighed deeply, her gaze holding a mixture of disappointment and resignation. “It’s an executive decision, Ashleigh. I was informed this morning at the Heads of Department meeting. You, of course, know why.”

“They had nothing to do with my actions! If anything, I stopped James from leaving mid-trip because of me.” Ashleigh’s voice rose in a desperate plea, but it fell on deaf ears.

“That’s not how Adrian sees it,” Mrs. Smith countered, her voice laced with a hint of anger.

“He came to my house, found out I’d lied about you being with me, then discovered you were neither at Fiona or James’s place for the get-together like you’d claimed you’d be. Three of you vanished. You know why this decision was made.”

Shame washed over Ashleigh, forcing her head down. “I-I’m sorry, Aunt,” she mumbled, the words barely audible. “I just… I thought you wouldn’t approve of my plan.”

“Ashleigh, “Those ‘little actions’ of yours have consequences.” Mrs. Smith said, her voice heavy.

“Imagine how I felt lying twice to Adrian. He wouldn’t listen to reason after that. Now, Fiona and James, who thought it was just a normal trip because of your lie, are facing the brunt of his anger. They could be unemployed by the end of the day!” Her words hit Ashleigh like a physical blow, the weight of responsibility crushing her.

“There’s a reason I warned you about needing patience with Adrian. It seems you haven’t heeded my advice,” Mrs. Smith concluded, leaving the air thick with a heavy silence.

Just like Mr. Atkinson’s words echoed in her mind, the realization of her short-sightedness slammed into Ashleigh, her lack of foresight had a ripple effect. She’d created this mess, and now it was her responsibility to fix it.

“The panel starts in thirty minutes, right? I’m going to see Adrian,” she announced, her voice firm with a newfound resolve.

Mrs. Smith raised an eyebrow. “Mr. Cagliari has been swamped since arriving this morning. I haven’t been able to reach him myself.”

Ashleigh wasn’t fazed. She knew Adrian’s tactics avoiding a confrontation until the deed was done.

“Then he’ll just have to accommodate me in these next minutes,” she declared, her jaw set. Grabbing her phone, she dialed a familiar number.

“Good morning, Mrs. Cagliari,” Mr. Turner’s voice came through the receiver.

“Good morning, Mr. Turner. I need to speak with Mr. Cagliari,” Ashleigh stated, her voice leaving no room for argument. A brief silence followed, then Mr. Turner’s voice returned, laced with hesitation.

“I apologize, Mrs. Cagliari, but the boss is unavailable right now. May I take a message?”

“I think my choice of words may have been unclear,” Ashleigh countered, a steely glint in her eyes. “Inform Mr. Cagliari that I’m coming to speak with him right now. He’d better be ready to see me when I get there.”

With a final click, she ended the call and marched out of her aunt’s office, a determined glint in her eyes. This mess was her creation, and she wouldn’t let her friends suffer the consequences.

With a resolute purpose, Ashleigh bypassed the regular elevators and headed straight for the reserved one. She didn’t care if a few heads turned. Reaching the executive floor, she marched towards the CEO’s office, her steps echoing in the silence.

Two imposing guards stood sentinel at the door. They blocked her path as she approached.

“Good morning, Miss,” one guard said curtly. “The CEO is unavailable for visitors at this time.”

Ashleigh rolled her eyes, her annoyance simmering. “Visitor? Seems your briefing was incomplete.”

Planting her feet firmly, she addressed them with a steely gaze. “Here’s the deal. Either one of you informs him I’m here and trust me, he’s very much aware or this gets messy. Your CEO would prefer the former, wouldn’t he?”

The guards exchanged a worried look. The tension crackled in the air before one of them, with a mumbled apology to his partner, darted inside the office. He emerged moments later, pushing the other guard aside with a curt, “Go take a break.” Ignoring their stunned expressions, Ashleigh took a deep breath and stepped into the opulent space.

The last time she’d been here, Adrian had been sprawled on the couch. Today, he sat regally behind his desk, a picture of power and control. As always, a hitch caught in her breath at his undeniable handsomeness. However, that was quickly eclipsed by the anger simmering just beneath the surface.

Mr. Turner, his assistant, stood near the window. He started towards her, but Ashleigh silenced him with a raised hand. Her gaze locked onto Adrian, who remained focused on his paperwork, deliberately ignoring her presence.

Silence stretched between them, thick with tension. Finally, Adrian looked up, dismissing Mr. Turner with a gesture. Now, it was just the two of them.

His dark eyes narrowed. “So, you’ve finally sobered up enough to grace me with your presence,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Ashleigh met his gaze head-on, unfazed. “I’m here about Fiona and James. Please reconsider firing them.”Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

A smirk played on Adrian’s lips. “Well, Mrs. Cagliari, that’s simply not an option. Unless, of course, you’d be willing to take their place.”