Chapter 7

BECOMING MRS STERLING

Mia stared at the papers on the table, her fingers brushing lightly over the edge of the pen resting beside them. She didn't bother reading through the details. She hated being questioned, hated being challenged, and she was determined to prove she could handle whatever this contract entailed. Without hesitation, she picked up the pen.

She couldn't help but stare at the bold heading on the first document: "Contract between Mia Meyer and Stefan Sterling."

Opening the contract, without a flicker of hesitation, she pressed the pen to the paper and signed her name, her strokes fluid and deliberate.

One down..

Then her gaze shifted to the second set of papers, "the marriage contract." Her fingers froze on the pen for a moment as she stared at the title, her heart quickening. This wasn't just a formality. This wasn't just an ink on a paper. If she signed this, everything changed. If she signs this, she become Mia Sterling.

The thought sent a shiver through her, but she forced herself to take a deep breath. She couldn't afford doubt now. Not now.

Her grip on the pen tightened. Slowly, deliberately, she turned her focus to the signature line. Stefan signature sat besides where her's would be neatly, like a work of art. Her name would be here forever, printed neatly in ink, a symbol of the moment she chose to step into a new life. Mia inhaled deeply, steadying herself. Then, with precision, she signed her name, ensuring every loop and line was perfect. It had to be, it was going to be here for life.

The moment she lifted the pen, she felt the shift. It wasn't physical, but it was undeniable, like the weight of the decision had finally settled on her shoulders. She placed the pen down beside the papers, her gaze fixed on her neat signature for a brief moment before she lifted her head.

And there he was, Stefan. His dark eyes locked onto hers, his gaze sharp and unrelenting. He had been watching her the entire time. Not just looking, but studying her. His expression was unreadable, as it often was, but there was something in the way his brows were slightly drawn together, the faint tilt of his head. It wasn't quite amusement, nor was it approval. It was something far more complicated, maybe a mixture of scrutiny and intrigue.

Mia held his gaze, refusing to falter under the intensity. "What?" she asked, her tone even, though her chest felt tight.

Stefan leaned back in his chair, his fingers brushing against the surface of his coffee cup. "Nothing," he said simply, but his eyes never left hers. The corner of his mouth lifted in a faint smirk, almost as if he were daring her to dig deeper.

She wouldn't dig deeper, she wasn't here for that. She was here for herself only. Now, let the show begin.

Mia sat back in her chair, her mind sharp and focused as Stefan's words settled between them. "Keep this between us for now. Don't let your dad find out for now, till you leave his house." he had said. And he was right. There was no need for an explanation, she understood perfectly. Her father wasn't someone to take risks lightly, and if he knew what had happened, he would do everything in his power to drag her back into his world. She wasn't going to give him that chance.

She stood, smoothing the fabric of her dress as Mose finished slipping the signed contracts into his briefcase. Stefan watched her for a moment, his gaze steady, before he adjusted his jacket. "Make it quick, Mia," he said, his voice calm but firm.

She nodded, grabbing her coffee and finishing the last sip. "I'll take my car back to my father's place. I won't take long, I just need to pick up few of my things."

There was a flicker of amusement in Stefan's eyes, though he didn't say anything immediately. Instead, he gestured toward the door. "Be careful."

Mia smirked faintly, tilting her chin slightly. "Worried?"

Stefan's expression didn't shift much, but the smallest hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I'll see you when you're done."

Without another word, he turned and strode toward the door, Mose close behind him. The quiet click of the door left Mia alone with her thoughts. She glanced back at the table one last time, at the spot where the contracts had been moments before. Her signature was final, binding. This was real now.

Taking a deep breath, Mia grabbed her clutch and headed out, the sharp click of her heels echoing softly as she walked toward her car. She slid into the driver's seat, her hands gripping the wheel tightly for a moment as she stared straight ahead. The thought of returning to her father's house made her stomach twist. She wasn't scared, but she wasn't eager either.

Starting the engine, she eased the car out of its spot and into the street. The city moved around her, its usual buzz oddly muted in her ears. Her father's house loomed in her mind, a symbol of everything she was leaving behind. The empire, the expectations, the suffocating control, it would all stay here. She wasn't going back. This wasn't her world anymore. She had chosen something different, something bold, and the thought gave her a flicker of strength.

The drive felt longer than usual, her thoughts spinning as the miles passed. When she finally pulled into the driveway of her father's estate, she paused, her hands gripping the wheel tightly as she stared at the grand facade. It was familiar, but now it felt alien. She exhaled, steadying herself. She wasn't here to stay. She was here to leave.

Mia stepped out of the car, her heels clicking softly against the pavement as she made her way toward the front door. She hesitated for half a second, her hand hovering near the handle, before pushing the door open.

She expected the familiar air of quiet luxury, the faint hum of distant conversations, the scent of fresh flowers from the arrangements scattered throughout the house. What she didn't expect was the sight waiting for her just inside.

Mia froze, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes widened. Her pulse quickened, and her grip on the door tightened instinctively. She hadn't prepared for this. She couldn't have.