Page 117 of The Contract

Her gaze drops to the box, and for the first time tonight, I catch the flicker of surprise in her expression.

Nestled in the velvet are the pair of diamond earrings, set in white gold—elegant, timeless, refined.

The moment stretches between us, tension thick in the air.

“Damien…” she exhales, her voice softer than before. “You didn’t have to?—”

“I know.” I cut her off, my tone steady. “But I wanted to.”

She hesitates, her fingers twitching as if she’s unsure whether to accept or refuse.

“Elena.” I lower my voice just slightly, letting it drop into something quieter, more coaxing. “Let me.”

She presses her lips together, and I know she’s about to agree before she even says it.

Finally, she reaches out, her fingers brushing the edge of the velvet.

And just as she’s about to lift them, I snap the box shut with a quick flick of my wrist.

She jumps slightly, her head snapping up, her eyes narrowing in exasperation.

“Seriously?” she huffs, crossing her arms.

I smirk. “Couldn’t resist.”

She tries to look unimpressed, but the corner of her mouth twitches, betraying the amusement lurking just beneath.

I open the box again, this time holding it steady as she picks up the earrings, her fingers tracing over the delicate settings.

She lifts them to her ears, securing each one, and the second she turns back to me, I swear the breath leaves my lungs.

They’re perfect.

Simple but striking, luminous against the soft glow of her skin, catching the light as she tilts her head slightly.

I take her in, from the gown to the way the diamonds gleam at her ears, and something deep inside me tightens.

She doesn’t need expensive jewelry to be beautiful.

But fuck, does she wear it well.

“How do they look?” she asks, and I realize I haven’t said a damn word.

I clear my throat, steadying myself. “Stunning.”

She watches me for a moment, something unreadable in her expression, before smoothing her hands over her dress.

“Well,” she says, tilting her head. “It seems we’re not curating a list of your admirable traits after all. And there is no merger event today.” Her eyes narrow in speculation. “So, are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

A slow smirk pulls at my lips. “You’ll see.”

She narrows her eyes further. “You’re not going to tell me?”

I offer my arm, my other hand placing the navy-blue box onto the counter. “It’s a surprise.”

She doesn’t argue this time.

With a small shake of her head, she slips her fingers around my arm, letting me lead her toward the elevator.

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