Hazel wasn't one to worry, she never had anyone to worry about. But now, with a new relationship blooming, she had no choice but to let Valentine into her life, and that is what scared her.

Relationships to her were built on trust, but how could she do that when her whole relationship was built on a lie, the contract.

She wanted to trust Valentina, but the girl had her demons, and Hazel didn't know if she could handle them.

"Hazel?" Teagan mumbled, opening the door to her sister's bedroom in which she barely came out of. Her eyes scanned the room, it was remotely clean, yet it displayed no happiness after Valentine had left. "Another missed call?"

Hazel never met her sister's eyes, afraid of how she was to portrayed; dead, lifeless, melancholic. "She's in Manhattan." The younger sister knew it was wrong to hire a private investigator to figure out she was but she was worried, too worried for her own sake, and with money practically pouring out of her bank account, she used it selfishly. "She told me not to look for her, but I just had to."

Her sister looked at Hazel with such pity, such empathetic eyes. "You like this one don't you?" Teagan asked, receiving a slight nod. "She'll come back Hazel whenever she's ready. All she needs is time to find herself again."

Teagan somewhat calmed down her little sister, although she still had doubts about Valentina's soon return. Her mind wandered to what Valentina was doing, was there a possibility it was about her family or just her doubts about the contract relationship.

All of her questions would be answered soon, but she couldn't wait much longer. Almost three days without contact with Valentina was driving Hazel insane. She didn't realise how much she needed Valentina in order to function, it was hurting her to even think of a life with the girl.

In the little time, they've spent together, a relationship bloomed, an unexpected one. It was inevitable, yet they took their time to realise the connection they both shared. Hazel needed Valentina as much as Valentina needed her, except Valentina couldn't help but push Hazel away in an effort to isolate her old life, with her new.

The contract, in the beginning, was only set for a little less than three months, but Hazel wanted it to last forever, even if they needed to tell the truth eventually. The little facade the two played together would soon come to an end officially, but neither one of them wanted it to happen.

"I'll leave you alone again. Just please don't do anything rash." Teagan pleaded, her eyes wary of her sister's state of vulnerability. "I love you, Haze."

Hazel returned a weak smile back to her sister. "Love you too." She responded, her head lulling back down, looking at the phone which rested on the rug in front of her. With the door closing, she got one moment to think to herself and balance her choices.

Does she not need me? Perhaps she regrets even coming here.

With the door shut, Hazel felt like the walls were closing in, her time alone was boundless and her mind was racing with thoughts of Valentina. With barely a month of knowledge about the woman, not once had she ever read her file, well not completely to the point where it began to become personal.

She believed it was none of her business, yet some part of her wanted to figure out the mystery about the woman. Hazel was a woman of truth, she could not admit what she wanted to hide, so if she said she wasn't falling for Valentina, then she would be an awful liar.

Two days was all it took for Hazel to realise she liked the woman a lot, maybe too much for her sake. It highlighted her true feelings about Valentina, and her thoughts she tried blocking out before her departure.

What would happen to them after the contract was to end?

Maybe they'd end up together, or if their connection would fade over the decades to come. Or maybe, just maybe, they'll end up the happy couple they both dreamed to have.

It was selfish to want Valentina all to herself even if she was young for marriage, even if she had problems to deal with. But Hazel couldn't resist her, she was like a drug. And her addiction was worse as Valentina strayed away, it was affecting her.

All of these thoughts soon disappeared as her eyes fell into a black chamber, eyelids becoming heavy and her bed comforted her displeasure.

• • •

Hazel woke up abruptly, the light of her phone illuminated part of the room she slept in. On the phone displayed a short message, one from the person who she dearly missed.

The message sent was an address, nothing else.