Chapter 134 Signed Contract

Chapter 134 Signed Contract
Chapter one hundred and thirty Four

Valenticia’s POV

I woke up early, even though I barely slept at all. My head felt heavy, and my chest hurt from stress. The board’s message from last night kept ringing in my mind. They were ready to remove me as CEO. Everything I worked for was slipping out of my hands, and I felt powerless.

I sat up slowly and rubbed my face. I could still hear Nona’s weak voice from the hospital. I could still feel Dimitri’s arms around me. I could still see Stefan’s hurt eyes. Everything in my life was falling apart at the same time, and I didn’t know where to stand anymore.

My phone buzzed and when I checked,  It was Lucas.

With a short message attached.  “Time is almost up. We need to talk.”

I stared at the screen for a long moment. My heart beat fast, and my hands shook a little. His contract marriage offer kept repeating in my mind. It didn’t feel like love. It felt like a rescue rope I didn’t want to touch, but it was the only one left.

I walked to the living room and sat on the couch. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to breathe. Everything was too much. Nona was gone. My emotions with Stefan and Dimitri were a mess. Natasha’s lies were everywhere. The lawsuit tied to Stefan dragged my company into trouble. People online insulted me. Strangers threatened me. And the board wanted me out.

“I can’t fight all of this,” I whispered to myself.

I knew what I had to do, even though I hated it.

I picked up my phone and typed back:

“I will see you this morning.”

My hand shook after I hit send.

Lucas’s private office was quiet when I entered. He stood up from his desk when he saw me, his face steady and unreadable. He didn’t look surprised. It was like he already knew why I came.

“Valenticia,” he said in a calm tone.

“Let’s just get this over with,” I answered.

He nodded and opened a folder on his desk. There were many documents inside. He had everything prepared—contracts, legal protections, business agreements, PR strategy plans, and pages full of rules and conditions. He walked me through every part of it with a clear voice.

“This will protect you. This will shield your company. This will redirect the media. This will give you stability.”

I listened quietly. My chest tightened the whole time. I didn’t want this. But I also knew I had no choice if I wanted to keep my company alive.

When he passed me the pen, my fingers trembled. I took a long breath, forced my hand to stay firm, and signed the contract for marriage.

My name looked strange on the paper. It felt like I signed away a part of myself.

Lucas took the pen next and signed smoothly without hesitation.

“Done,” he said.

My heart dropped.

Lucas moved fast after that. He picked up his phone and called someone.

“Start the announcement,” he said.

A few minutes later, his PR team entered the office and began to show him drafts for the global engagement announcement. Lucas approved everything with short answers. I didn’t speak. I just watched the storm begin.

By the time I stepped outside the building, everything had already gone public.

My phone vibrated nonstop and when  I looked at the screen, the first headline made my knees weak. “Lucas Ryder and Valenticia Dykstra Announce Engagement.”

More messages came one after another:

“The new power couple of the business world.”

“A strategic union shakes the industry.”

“This may save Dykstra Enterprises from collapse.”

People started gathering outside the building with cameras. I covered part of my face with my hands, but flashes still hit me. Questions were shouted from every direction. I didn’t answer any of them. I just walked fast to my car and shut the door behind me.

Inside, I leaned my head back and tried to calm down.

My phone kept buzzing.

Friends.

Co-workers.

Business partners.

And board  members.

Everyone wanted to know if the news was true.

When the board called, the director spoke with excitement:

“Val, we need a meeting. Immediately. This changes everything.”

I didn’t want to talk. I just wanted quiet.

On the ride home, my assistant called too.

“Your company stock is rising again,” she said. “Investors are responding well to the engagement.”

I felt grateful, but at the same time, I felt sick.

Everything was happening too fast.

When I reached home, I locked the door behind me and went straight to my room. I sat on the bed and stared at the engagement announcement on my phone. There was a picture of Lucas and me standing next to each other, taken months ago at a business event. The media used it to look like we planned this for a long time.

I sighed and dropped the phone on the bed.

“I hope I did the right thing,” I whispered.

I touched the necklace Nona had given me years ago. My chest tightened again.

“I wish you were here,” I whispered.

I lay down and stared at the ceiling. The house felt too quiet. My body was tired, but my mind would not stop spinning.

I kept thinking of Stefan.

I thought of Dimitri.

I kept thinking of the kiss I shouldn’t have shared. I kept thinking of the confession I didn’t answer.

What would Stefan think of the announcement?

What would Dimitri think?

Would they hate me?

Would they blame me?

Would they understand?

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe.

Lucas was calm. He was stable. He didn’t judge me. He didn’t ask for love. He only wanted a partnership. He wanted a marriage that helped both of us survive the chaos.

Maybe that was exactly what I needed.

But a part of me still felt heavy and unsure.

Later that night, I stood by the window and looked at the empty street outside. The moonlight touched the buildings far away. Cars passed slowly. People walked by without knowing my life fell apart and rebuilt itself in one day.

“I hope this saves everything,” I whispered.

I hugged myself and breathed in slowly, trying to feel safe again.

That was when I noticed something strange.

A dark car slowed down near my house.

It stayed there for a moment.

Then it drove away.

I frowned but told myself I was just tired. My brain was already full of too many problems. I didn’t have space for one more.

I turned away from the window and sat on the bed again.

“I did what I had to do,” I said quietly.

I repeated it again and again until my eyes grew heavy.

When I finally lay down, my chest still felt tight, but sleep pulled me in.