Page 53 of My Only

“Yeah, thanks, Mia,” Hassani added, pulling out his phone the second it buzzed in his pocket.

“My pleasure, you two.” She nodded before walking off.

I turned to Hassani, smiling, excited that we’d finally have a living room that felt like ours.

But when I looked at him, I noticed something was off.

He stood frozen behind me, his eyes locked on his phone’s screen.

The smile fell from my lips. “Everything okay, baby?”

He lifted his gaze, his jaw dropping slightly.

“What?” I stepped closer. “What’s the matter?”

His voice was low, almost disbelieving. “I got it.”

“Got what?” I blinked. “The Greene Gardens Project?”

He nodded, slowly at first, then faster. “Yeah.”

I smiled big. “They agreed to 1.2 million?!”

“Nah.” He shook his head.

My smile melted.

“It’s for 2.5.”

I blinked. Hard.

This was the same man who, just a few months ago, wasn’t even sure he’d get a second meeting. The same man who doubted whether he was big enough to be in the same room as someone like Bryant Greene. And now? He wasn’t just in the room. He owned it.

“Wh-what?” I asked.

“I asked for more at our second meeting,” he explained, still staring at the phone screen. “Told them that after reviewing the plans and realizing the enormity of the project, my compensation would have to be higher for it to be fair. I… I negotiated for more—I never thought they’d approve it.”

“Wait.” I held up a trembling hand between us. “2.5 million… dollars?!”

“A year. And for the duration of the project,” he exhaled. “It’s unheard of. And way above the average for an architect salary. But… yeah.”

The excited scream burst out of me before I could stop it. I slapped a hand over my mouth. “Baby!”

I threw my arms around him, and Hassani lifted me off the ground in a spin.

“I’m so proud of you.” I hugged him tighter. “Congratulations!”

“Thank you, baby. Thank you,” he said, setting me down on my feet.

His grin stretched wide, lighting up his entire face, and it melted my heart.

Hassani had worked so hard for this. I’d watched him pour countless hours into proposals, take so many calls, stress over every detail. And now? It all paid off.

I glanced around the store and raised a hand when I noticed we had everyone’s attention.

I laughed. “I’m so sorry, y’all…” I called out.

Then I turned back to Hassani, wrapping my arms around his waist. Low and just for him, I whispered, “But my man is a multi-millionaire.”

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