When Contracts Turn to Forbidden Kisses Chapter 17

Amelia

The next morning, I sat at the breakfast table, watching Ethan take a slow sip of his coffee. His face was a blank slate behind the steam rising from the mug. He was dressed in a sharp navy blue shirt that hugged his broad shoulders, but there was nothing relaxed about him. Tension practically radiated off him.

“Those two punks who jumped you,” he said, setting his mug down with a deliberate clink. “They’re gone. Vanished after getting a fat payout. All we’ve got is a wire transfer to some shady Cayman Islands account.”

I nodded, trying to keep my cool, but my stomach twisted into knots. The coffee in my fancy china cup trembled just a bit as my hand shook.

He continued, “Every call they made was through burner phones with voice changers. This wasn’t some random hit—it was planned down to the last detail.”

He stopped, his sharp blue eyes locking onto mine, watching for any crack in my expression. “I’m betting even the guys who attacked you don’t know who hired them. Whoever’s pulling the strings is careful. Real careful. They’ve left no tracks.”

What he didn’t say hung heavy between us. I knew exactly who was behind it: my father, Robert Thompson. He’d stop at nothing to get his hands on my mom’s inheritance. But knowing it and proving it? Two totally different things.

“Thanks for digging into it,” I said, forcing my voice to stay even.

I finished breakfast without another word, my mind spinning. Later that afternoon, I was in the hospital break room, rubbing my temples as exhaustion hit me like a wave. The sunlight streaming through the windows felt too bright, too harsh.

I couldn’t tell Ethan what I suspected. This marriage was just a temporary deal—three months and done. Dragging him into my family’s messed-up drama felt wrong. He’d already gone above and beyond our agreement by looking into the attack. And honestly, what would he think if he knew just how screwed up the Thompsons really are? Would he assume I was just using him—his money, his connections—to fix my own problems?

“Amelia, you okay? You look like something’s eating at you,” Jenny, the head nurse, said as she walked over, her eyes full of concern. She handed me a cup of warm water.

“Nah, I’m fine. Just wrapped up a tough delivery,” I lied, flashing a weak smile as I took the cup. My mind, though, was stuck on my father’s schemes.

Whatever Robert was up to, I had to deal with it on my own. I couldn’t lean on Ethan or anyone else, especially not when it came to protecting what my mom left me.

That evening, I’d just changed out of my scrubs when my phone buzzed. Seeing “Robert” on the screen made my heart jump into my throat. I took a deep breath and answered.

“Amelia, how’ve you been?” His voice dripped with that fake concern that always made my skin crawl.

“What do you want?” I kept my tone flat, not giving him an inch.

“Next week’s my birthday. I expect you at the party.” It wasn’t an invite—it was an order, classic Robert.

I gripped the phone tighter. “I’ll see if I can swing it.”

“Bring that new husband of yours,” he added, his voice suddenly sharp with disdain and a weird curiosity. “I’m dying to meet the guy who’s got my daughter so… wrapped up. Perfect chance to show off your new status to the family.”

I could hear the sneer in his words. To Robert, anyone I’d marry was trash, not worth his time. He had no clue who Ethan really was—and I planned to keep it that way.

“I got it,” I said, keeping my voice cold and short.

Just then, Ethan stepped out of his study. Our eyes met for a split second as he caught the end of my call. His face didn’t change, but I could feel his attention on me. Without a word, he headed to the kitchen, giving me space.

“Don’t let me down, Amelia,” Robert warned before hanging up.

I stared at the phone, my pulse racing. The silence in the apartment felt like it was closing in. Ethan had gone back to his study, but I knew he’d heard enough to figure out I was hiding something.

After making sure Ethan was still holed up in his study, I slipped into my bedroom and called Olivia.

“If you don’t show, your dad’s gonna spin it like you’re the ungrateful brat of the family in front of everyone,” Olivia said, her voice crackling through the speaker. “He’ll drag your name through the mud with every socialite in town. But if you do go…”

“If I go, I’m walking straight into their games and whatever traps they’ve got set,” I sighed, slumping against the headboard. “Liv, the worst part? My dad straight-up demanded I bring Ethan. This marriage is just a contract—if he comes, anyone with half a brain might pick up that something’s off with us.”

There was a pause on the line. Then Olivia let out a sharp, “Oh crap, I almost forgot you’re still keeping the whole fake marriage thing under wraps! That’s a mess.”

I thought back to Ethan’s unreadable look when he overheard the call. A wave of dread rolled over me.

“He probably won’t even agree to come, and honestly… I’m not sure I should pull him into this disaster.”

“What if he surprises you?” Olivia said softly. “He’s been helping with the attack stuff, hasn’t he?”

“That’s different. Probably just him being curious or doing his due diligence. But a family birthday party full of vultures looking for any weakness? Nobody signs up for that kind of hell on purpose.”

The Manhattan night sprawled out in front of me, endless and uncertain—just like the road ahead.

Whatever I decided about this birthday invite, one thing was clear: the walls I’d put up between this fake marriage and my family’s toxic mess were about to come crashing down.