The Quiet Contract

Changed of Plan

Jennie POV

Three days has pass. Three blissful, chaotic, and entirely too addicting days with Lisa. We had fallen into an easy rhythm—playful mornings, intense workdays, and even more intense nights. Lisa had a way of making me forget the world outside, pulling me into her orbit until nothing else mattered.

But Lisa's newfound habit was becoming a problem.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, tilting my head to one side and groaning. The fresh hickey on my neck was dark and prominent, just above the collar of my blouse. It didn't help that I had a board meeting in less than an hour.

"Lisa!" I stormed into the bedroom where she was casually scrolling through her phone, completely unbothered.

She looked up, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Morning, baby."

I crossed my arms. "Don't 'morning, baby' me. Look at this!" I jabbed a finger at the offending mark on my neck.

Lisa's grin widened as she sat up on the bed. "Oh, that? Looks good on you."

"Lisa, I can't go to work like this!" I snapped, pulling the collar of my blouse higher to try and hide it. "Do you have any idea what people will say?"

Lisa shrugged, her nonchalant attitude only fueling my frustration. "They'll know you're taken. Isn't that the point?"

I glared at her, my hands balling into fists. "The point is not to have my personal life plastered across the office gossip channels! I'm a CEO, Lisa. I have a reputation to uphold."

She stood up, her expression shifting from playful to defensive. "Oh, so you're embarrassed that people know you're with me?"

I froze, her words hitting a nerve. "That's not what I said."

"That's exactly what it sounds like," she shot back, stepping closer. "You're fine with everything else—our nights, our mornings—but when it comes to people knowing, suddenly it's a problem."

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my voice steady. "Lisa, you're a CEO too. You know how the business world works. Do you really think walking into a meeting with a visible hickey is a good idea?"

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "I don't care what they think, Jennie. You're mine, and I want people to know it."

"That's not how it works!" I threw my hands up in exasperation. "This isn't about us, Lisa. It's about professionalism. Do you think I'd let you walk into one of your meetings like this?"

Lisa crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering. "Maybe I wouldn't mind. At least it shows I'm loved."

Her words stung, and I felt a surge of anger bubbling up. "This isn't about love, Lisa. It's about boundaries and respect. You can't just mark me up like I'm some territory you're staking a claim on!"

Lisa's jaw tightened, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. The air between us was thick with tension, our earlier bliss now a distant memory.

"You know what?" she finally said, her voice quieter but no less intense. "Maybe I went too far. But don't act like you don't love it when I do."

My cheeks flushed, and I hated how easily she could turn the tables on me. "That's not the point."

"Isn't it?" she challenged, her eyes boring into mine. "You don't have a problem when it's somewhere no one can see. So what's different now?"

I opened my mouth to respond but hesitated, the truth catching in my throat.

Lisa took a step closer, her voice softening. "Jennie, I get it. You're worried about appearances, your reputation. But I need to know... Are you ashamed of us? Of me?"