I Know About Your Contract

"We do, indeed. However, I also needed to know if you had Saturday free."

Nicholas hadn't mentioned any plans, so I assumed he didn't have any. "I believe so. What do you want to do?"

"I wanted to properly thank you and wish you a happy early birthday. On Saturday, there are openings at a resort, so I thought I'd take Lorelei and you to a girl's spa day."

I jumped in my chair. "I won't argue with you on that. But you really don't have to do any of that. I would love to go. And perhaps after that, we can all return to my house and enjoy dinner?"

"That sounds wonderful. Geoffrey can meet us at your house for dinner, then. I will ask him."

"Since we're going to a spa, we could ask the men to go spend the day by themselves?"

Courtney laughed in response. "I am fine with that so long as there are no strippers involved."

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. If Nicholas didn't want his eyeballs gouged out, he best not even bring up the subject. "I was considering playing golf or shopping for a car as possibilities." I stopped when Courtney snorted. "Do you want me to call Lory and "

"That would be fantastic. Please call me later today or tomorrow so we can finalize the arrangements. I need to book those slots at the spa, too. It's too exclusive so they might get snatched up quickly."

"I'll get back to you soon. I am really excited about this."

As soon as we said goodbye, I called Lory.

"Hey, Willow." She appeared to be gasping for air.

"What are you up to? Are you in the middle of a workout?" I asked.

She gasped and giggled. "No."

She sounded off, for lack of a better term. Stranger than usual, I would say.

"Where are you right now?"

Although there were muddled sounds, I could make out a guy speaking to her in the backdrop.

"Just going to grab dinner."

At four o'clock in the afternoon. Dinner? She was definitely up to no good.

"What's going on, Lory? What are you keeping from me, and why?"

"Nothing. I have nothing to conceal." She sounded utterly unconvincing. "What's going on with you? How are the classes going?"

She attempted to change the topic, and I grew more suspicious. "The same as they were when we spoke a few days ago. Are you with someone?"

"Nobody."

She was such a liar!

"Okay, then. You don't have to tell me. I will find out one way or another." Maybe she had a boyfriend she was hiding from the world. "Actually, I was calling to ask if you had Sunday free. Courtney wants us three to go on a spa day and then we will come back here for dinner."

"Your house?"

"Yes. If you wish to sleep here after dinner, you can. For dinner, Courtney and Geoffrey will be present. I might ask Nicholas if he'll also invite Francis over. You two seemed to get along when you met at the wedding party."

She coughed in response.

"Are you alright?"

Before responding, she coughed a couple more times. "I'm sorry. My brain stopped working." Very strange. "Saturday sounds wonderful."

"Make sure you call Courtney because she is taking care of the bill."

"I will." More squeaks and giggles could be heard. "Willow, I have to hang up. I'll call you tomorrow to flesh out the details. I love you. Bye!"

She ended the phone call immediately, and I shook my head. She was up to something, but for the time being, I would let her keep her plans private.

The car pulled up to the house and I slid out and trudged up the stairs. I felt beyond tired and I had no idea why. Maybe it was the terribly hot and clammy weather.

I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of fall's chilly, crisp air.

A letter had been left on the counter next to an envelope when I stopped in the kitchen to get a bottle of juice from the refrigerator.

[Willow,

I left to do my weekly grocery shopping. Your courier sent this letter to you this morning. I should be home around six.

Laura.]

I took the envelope and found my maiden name scribbled on the front of it. I scowled as I opened it, unsure of what it might be.

The only writing was two brief sentences in the middle of a single white page.

[I know about the contract you signed with Nicholas. Soon enough, everyone else will be aware of it too.]

My limbs grew cold immediately.

Who had sent it and why?

About everything related to the contract that bound Nicholas and I together had been completely forgotten. Considering how much we cared for one another, it was essentially irrelevant. In fact, the only time it has come up in the past few weeks was when he suggested throwing it out completely.

After telling him I was okay with it, I proceeded to jump him.

I was unsure of whether he had ever gotten around to scrapping it or not.

I reached for my bag and got out my phone, dialing Nicholas as quickly as my trembling fingers could do so.

With each ring that went unanswered, my thoughts became more melancholy.

It might wreck everything if the contract came to light, even if Nicholas and I believed we were truly in love and happy. I ran to the bathroom when his voicemail message came on. The sinking feeling in my stomach added to my nausea.

I emptied the little contents of my stomach before returning to the kitchen to give him another call. I dabbed my perspiring face with a cool, damp cloth as the phone rang.

Still no response.

Damn it!

Perhaps something had happened to his batteries.

I grimaced and dialed his office number while shuddering at the sound of Julia's voice.

She answered, "RHI."

"I have to talk to Nicholas. I am his wife."

"Oh. I apologize. He requested that his meeting with Ms. Hewitt not be interrupted. I'm available to take messages." Her comments were made more difficult to the stomach by her phony, saccharine tone.

"No. Nevermind." Before returning to the bathroom, I hung up.

Miss Hewitt? Why was he meeting Rosemary?

I was now sobbing in addition to feeling under the weather. Nicholas had ignored my calls and was in a meeting with Rosemary. Of course, it was so important that he couldn't talk to his stupid wife, who had received a threatening letter.

I was a wreck.

I brushed my teeth and cleaned my face once more before making my way upstairs slowly. I removed my jeans, adjusted the air conditioning to a freezing setting, pulled the drapes closed, and climbed into bed.

I removed my jeans, adjusted the air conditioning to a freezing setting, pulled the drapes closed, and climbed into bed.

I wished this day had never happened.

Fortunately, I was exhausted enough to fall asleep quickly. Unfortunately, when Nicholas woke me up a few hours later, I was a drowsy and irate ticking time bomb.

"Willow?"

I moved away from him and pulled the blankets up over my head. Asshole.

The bed dipped and he curled up next to me. "What's wrong, Willow?"

"Leave me alone."

"Not till we speak. Your phone was off, why? I have been trying to reach you for hours."

I might have yelled as I threw the covers off me and turned to glare at him.

"My phone? My phone? You didn't pick up when I called you repeatedly. Even though I tried phoning your office number, that bitch said I couldn't disturb your meeting with Rosemary." I threw a pillow at him.

It fell far away from him.

My explosion caused his mouth to drop in surprise. "I forgot to turn it on after a meeting with the executive staff. When I turned it back on and saw your calls, I phoned you immediately."

I huffed and collapsed once more and turned away from him.

"Hey." He slid up beside me and encircled my body. "That wasn't a meeting with Rosemary. She barged in, babbling nonsense and I told her to get the fuck out. I never told Julia that I didn't want to be interrupted." He turned me to him and kissed my temple. "I will be having a serious talk with Julia tomorrow, I promise."

I rolled my eyes. I knew what his definition of a 'serious talk' was. I wanted Julia to have a discussion with my bare fists.

When I stayed mute, he sighed. "Is everything all right? Why did you call so many times? I was so anxious."

I grabbed the letter on my nightstand and hurled it at him.

He sat up, his arms around me leaving me feeling cold. "What on earth is this?"

I turned back over to face him when I heard the sincere fear in his voice. "It was delivered here this morning, according to Laura. I don't know anything beyond that."

He clutched onto his hair. "Fuck." He stayed still for a moment before looking at me again. I hardly had time to react before I was wrapped in his arms once again.