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Which means all I have left is Plan C.
And Plan C goes by the name of Ruslan Oryolov.
The new contract. The baby clause.
The thought alone gives me hives. I get a concerned look from a passing intern, so I duck into the nearest restroom and splash some cold water on my neck.
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t already been considering Ruslan’s new contract. Especially after the conversation we had on Sienna’s would-be birthday. It was a lot, though, and the thought of something that big, that permanent, was terrifying enough for me to throw up an instinctive, automaticHell, no.
But now?
Now, I have another reason to consider it. A bigger, more important reason. Now, it’s not about personal choice—we’re talkingnecessity. We’re talkingsurvival.
And in the deepest recesses of my mind, where all my darkest secrets lie hidden away, one thought tunnels through to my consciousness.
I canhave my cake and eat it, too.
Because let’s face it: if I were to look at the list of things I want, saying “yes” to this amended contract is the only way to get them all.
Cue quick mental checklist:
I want custody of those kids.
I want to strip Ben of his parental rights.
I need enough money to do both those things.
I need enough money to provide for those children once I have them.
I’ve always wanted a family of my own.
I’ve never felt about a man the way I feel about Ruslan.
Signing his contract would give me all the above. Of course, the downside is that I’d be signing a contract to start a family with a man who isn’t even really my boyfriend. Who explicitly warned I’d never get all of him. And I’d be exchanging my body—again—for money.
It really is a slippery slope.
But as I stare at my reflection in the mirror, it occurs to me: I’m prepared to slide right down. I’m ready and willing to deal with whatever consequences await me at the bottom of this slope.
For the kids, if not for myself. They deserve everything I can give them.
Okay, Emma. It’s now or never.
Riding the high of my new resolve, I march towards Ruslan’s office. I don’t even knock before I enter—guns out, barrels blazing.
Ruslan takes one look at my face and throws a sharp “Out” at Kirill.
When the door closes behind Kirill, I face Ruslan and I putall my cards on the table. “I need to get my kids away from Ben. I probably should have done it a long time ago, but—well, you know why I didn’t. The thing is, I’m looking at a long, drawn-out custody battle because Ben’s not gonna give those kids up without a fight. And he’s probably gonna have my parents in his corner, which means I need to find the money to pay the best custody lawyer I can find.”
I’m not taking what you’d call a “normal amount of pauses.” I’m not taking what you’d call “a normal amount of breaths,” either. But now that I’ve started, I can’t stop.
“I know this is probably not what you wanted. Picking someone else would be a hell of a lot simpler. But you should know what you’re getting into, which is why I’m telling you all this up front. Going with me is gonna mean a fuck-ton of drama, a protracted court battle, and a hell of lot of tears. But—if you’re up for it, I am, too.”
The moment I stop talking, I’m engulfed in fear.
Way to sell yourself, Emma.
Ruslan’s expression is unreadable. There isn’t so much as a line on his forehead. He gets to his feet slowly and walks around his desk. “Was that your way of telling me you’re willing to sign my new contract?”
