The late afternoon sun filtered through the curtains of Grant’s study, casting a golden hue over the silver frame of the wedding photo. He leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the mahogany desk as he traced the frame’s edge.
Grant stared down at the warm smile on his wife, Julia’s face. He couldn’t believe it had been nearly one year since they’d wed. Nearly one year since they’d signed a contract binding them together for that same period.
A sigh escaped him, heavy with thoughts of the near end of their contractual marriage. A tightness tugged at his chest, a mix of regret and unresolved longing that seemed to echo through his heart. They’d been through so much together in the year.
He remembered the initial days of awkwardness, which quickly became replaced by a comfortable easiness that had crept in unexpectedly. She was so easy to be open with, so kind and caring.
He’d expected to face problems together, and they had. From a murder charge to a secret son to a hostile board, he and Julia had faced them all down.
Each challenge they’d faced, from the legal battles to the family revelations, had woven a deeper bond between them, transforming impersonal respect into something profound–at least for him.
Now, he was about to confront his greatest challenge, and he would face it alone. The possibility of losing the woman he had grown to care for deeply weighed heavily on him. He hadn't anticipated developing these feelings, but they had taken root, running deep within him.
Grant’s gaze lingered on the photo, knowing that the looming contract deadline wasn’t just a date on the calendar, but a crossroads for what had unexpectedly become the most significant relationship of his life.
“Reflecting, sir?” Worthington asked as he wandered into the room and crossed to the drink cart.
Grant heaved a sigh as he took one last look at the wedding photo before he replaced it on his desk and accepted the bourbon Worthington offered him. “Something like that.”
“And what conclusions did you come to?”
