Chapter 8 When the contract’s up
Serena watched Kaia walk out, looking straight stunned.
Is she just kidding, or is she really gone?
XXXXX
+2 Bonus
“Luna, you gotta be more careful,” Alden said, keeping it soft. “You know your health isn’t up to par. Why not move into Graves Manor?”
Big fat tears started rolling from Luna’s bambi eyes, dripping right onto Alden’s hand.
Watching her cry like that hit different–had Alden’s chest feeling tight.
“Luna, I didn’t mean to come at you like that…” he said, his voice laced with remorse.
Luna sniffed, wiping her face with her sleeve. “I get it, Alden. I know I’m no good at taking care of myself. But what choice do I have?” Her voice went all quiet. “You’re the only one in this whole family who actually cares about me.”
Alden dropped the cotton swab he’d been holding and pulled her in close. “Hey, cut the waterworks. I was being too tough just now. Listen–from here on out, nobody’s gonna mess with you. I got you.”
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****
&
+2 Bonus
Early in the morning, Kaia made a beeline for the law firm.
Rachel Hartley, her assistant, caught her at the door. “Thank God you’re here! Jude’s about to lose it. He’s banking on you to sort out the mess. Vanessa and Warren really screwed up that court case yesterday.”
Kaia gave her an okay gesture and knocked on the conference room door.
“Come in!” a voice barked from inside.
She walked in to find Vanessa Redmond and Warren Wright looking like kicked puppies, while Jude Halston was ready to breathe fire.
“Finally! Kaia, how did that Starshine Capital guarantee contract hearing go yesterday?” Jude asked.
Kaia dropped into a chair. “Smooth as silk. They’re down to
settle.”
“Now that’s how it’s done! Maybe if you two took notes, I wouldn’t need these damn blood pressure meds.
“All right, you two can leave. Kaia, stick around.” He gestured to
the door.
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+3
After they got out, Kaia took a deep breath. “Jude, I’ve got something to run by you.”
+2 Bonus
Jude always had extra patience for this star lawyer on his team.
“Shoot,” he said.
“That legal–counsel service contract with Alfly Entertainment’s about to expire at the end of this month. Thinking of handing it over to Warren or Vanessa. What’s your take, Jude?”
Alfly Entertainment was just another piece of the Graves Group empire, with Alden running the show.
Now that they’d broken up, Kaia didn’t want anything to do with him anymore.
Jude’s face scrunched up. “You landed Alfly yourself, and now you want to pass it on? Are you in your right mind today?”
Alfly Entertainment might be small potatoes, but the Graves Group backing it? That was the real gold mine.
Jude had actually called her in hoping to network with Graves Group bigwigs.
If their firm could lock down even one contract with Graves
Group’s main operation, they’d be swimming in cash for years.
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Only industry insiders knew about Kaia and Alden’s engagement. Regular folks outside New York’s elite circles had no clue she was supposed to marry into the Graves family, let alone that she was the heiress of Domley Tech.
“Jude, I know what I’m saying. To be honest, I only got Alfly because my ex pulled strings. Now we’re done, it’s weird if I stay on.”
This was news to Jude–first time hearing her boyfriend had anything to do with Alfly Entertainment.
“But… aren’t you two getting married?” he frowned.
Kaia cracked a bitter smile. “Not anymore.”
Jude drummed his fingers, thinking. “Alright. I’ll handle it when the contract’s up.”
*****
By eleven–thirty, Kaia finished her work and checked her phone.
Zero messages from Alden. Typical.
She let out a soft scoff, hardly surprised.
“Still going for a light lunch today, Kaia? God, you’re already skin and bones. Not like you need to squeeze into a wedding dress anymore,” her coworker called out.
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Kaia’s face lit up with a smile. “Diel’s over. What are you guys getting? Count me in.”
“Well, well! Look who’s finally breaking her three–month health kick,” someone teased.
“Nothing to break. Just no wedding dress to worry about anymore. Come on, let’s move before the elevator gets packed,” Kaia urged.
Her coworkers traded looks.
No wedding dress? Isn’t she supposed to get hitched this month?
*****
Alden had crashed on the living room couch after staying up all night talking to Luna.
With his beloved sister snoozing in the bedroom just about 30 feet away, he’d slept more soundly than he ever had.
When he finally woke up, it was already noon.
And that’s when it hit him–he was supposed to get his marriage license today.
Alden grabbed his phone, bracing for Kaia’s angry texts, but
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found nothing. Just some messages from his buddies.
His head throbbed as he rubbed his temples.
+2 Bonus
He got up real quiet, trying not to wake Luna, who was still knocked out in the next room. After scribbling a quick note for her, he bolted back to the villa.
Heart racing, he practically flew up the stairs and burst through the door.
