I lean back slightly, watching her. “And what’s that?”
“My siblings.”
Her tone is cool, but her fingers tighten slightly against the table, betraying the stakes for her. This isn’t just business for her. This is life or death.
I watch her, waiting.
Her fingers press against the smooth surface of my desk, her posture controlled—but not naturally. It’s the kind of stillness that comes from effort, from keeping something at bay.
Nerves.
She’s nervous.
Cute.
Not that I should find it fucking cute. Not that I should be noticing the way her hands grip each other slightly when I don’t respond immediately or the way her throat works as she swallows.
I tilt my head, deliberately slow. “Your siblings.”
She clears her throat. “Yes. They stay with me.”
I arch a brow. “You understand the contract states you’ll reside with me.”
She nods, hands tightening. “I understand that. But Julian is 17, and Lila is 14. They can’t be left on their own.”
“Your uncle and aunt seem perfectly willing to take them in,” I say, watching her carefully.
Her expression darkens. “That’s not an option.”
Ah. There it is. The fire that flares up in her when it comes to her family. The same fire that probably landed her in my office in the first place.
I lean back, studying her. “So you want to amend the contract?”
She swallows again, clearly expecting a fight. “Yes.”
“Fine.”
Silence.
Her lips part slightly, her brain struggling to catch up. “What?”
“Fine,” I repeat, grabbing my phone and dialing.
She blinks, visibly thrown. “Just like that?”
“Just like that.” I press the phone to my ear, waiting for the line to pick up.
“You—you don’t even know what I’m asking for.”
I meet her wide-eyed stare, unimpressed. “You want them taken care of. It’s a non-issue.”
A click on the line.
“Mr. Belov,” a crisp voice answers, the speakerphone amplifying his even tone through the room.
“Ivan, amend the contract,” I say, my eyes still on Bella. “Ms. Marquez’s siblings will receive full tuition, housing, and living expenses at the best institutions until they’re of age to work. Julian, 17—prep school for his final year, then university. Lila, 14—boarding school, then the same.”
A brief pause, then: “Understood. I’ll have the revisions finalized within the hour.”
