LIORA

Before I could process what just happened, Everett Montague grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the elevator. Flynn tried to follow but the bodyguards blocked his path.

"Mr. Montague, please, I can explain,"Flynn called out.

Everett didn't even look back. We stepped into the elevator together and the doors closed on Flynn's panicked face. I stood there holding the ring box, my brain trying to catch up with my mouth. What the hell did I just do?

"I'm so sorry,"I blurted out. "I don't know what came over me. I just caught my boyfriend cheating and I wasn't thinking straight and I saw you and I just—"

"Proposed to a complete stranger in front of fifty witnesses?"Everett's lips twitched like he was holding back a laugh.

"Yes."My face burned with embarrassment. "I'm really sorry. You can just forget this happened. I'll tell everyone it was a joke or a prank or—"

"Why would I do that?"

I blinked at him. "What?"

The elevator doors opened on the top floor. Everett led me down a hallway with glass walls overlooking the city. We stopped at a massive conference room. He held the door open and gestured for me to go inside.

I hesitated. This man was a billionaire CEO. He could do anything to me right now and nobody would believe my side of the story. But he looked more amused than he would cause me danger, so I entered, my mind going a million thoughts per second.

"Sit,"he said.

I sat. He took the chair across from me.

"You just publicly proposed to me in my own building,"he said. "That takes either courage or insanity."

"Insanity,"I said, quickly. "I had no idea it was you. I just wanted Flynn to stop following me."

He smiled. "Tell me what happened."

I told him about planning the proposal for two months, buying the ring, booking the Maldives tickets, and walking into Flynn's office to find him with Sage. When I was done, I 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑡 better. It was like I had relived the entire scene.

"Flynn West,"Everett said, his voice cold now. "Your boyfriend is my executive assistant."

"I know. I'm the one who got him the job actually."I looked down at my hands. "My friend works in HR."

"Interesting."Everett pulled out his phone and typed something. "He's been impressing me lately with marketing concepts. I wondered where the sudden burst of talent came from."

My head snapped up. "What do you mean?"

"Those weren't his ideas, were they?"

The realization sunk in. So he wasn't just cheating on me. He also took credit for my ideas to get to the top. "I helped him with a few presentations. He said he wanted my input because I have a marketing degree and he valued my opinion."

"He stole your work and passed it off as his own."Everett's jaw tightened. "For how long?"

"Six months maybe?"My voice came out small. "He always asked me to look over his presentations. I thought I was being supportive."

"You were being used."

The words stung because they were true. I'd spent three years putting Flynn first, helping him succeed, sacrificing my own career advancement so he could shine.

I closed my eyes. This was the third time today I was shutting my tears in. "I'm an idiot,"I whispered.

"You're not an idiot. You trusted someone who didn't deserve it."Everett leaned forward. "But that proposal in the lobby? "That was perfect timing."His gray eyes met mine. "I have a proposition for you."

My stomach flipped. "What kind of proposition?"

"Let's do a fake engagement for three months. I want to avoid my parents' matchmaking attempts, I help you get revenge on Flynn."

I stared at him, my mouth hanging loose.

He tapped his fingers on the table. "My parents have been trying to marry me off to Diella Ashford for five years. She's from old money, well connected, everything they think I need in a wife. The problem is I don't love her. I don't even like her. But they won't stop pushing until I'm engaged to someone else."

I finally found my voice. "So you want to use me as a shield."

"And you want to make Flynn regret ever betraying you. This arrangement benefits both of us."

I should have said no. But the thought of Flynn seeing me with someone like Everett Montague, seeing me happy and successful while he rotted in his guilt, that thought was too tempting.

"What would this arrangement involve?"I asked carefully.

"They'll be a lot of public appearances. The media would be heavily invested. You would meet my family, and you'd need to move into my penthouse to make it convincing."

"This is insane,"was my reply.

A chuckle left his lips and I nearly melted. "You proposed to a stranger in a corporate lobby. If that's not insane, I don't know what else it is. Finally, You'd receive fifteen thousand dollars a month as compensation. After three months we have a quiet breakup and go our separate ways."

My mouth hung open again. I'd never seen that amount of money in my life before.

"Any questions?"

I shook my head.

"Any remarks?"

I leaned forward. "Don't you think this would be awkward since Flynn works for you?"

He waved dismissively. "Oh, about that. He's getting a transfer to the site office in Chicago. He'll be far from both of us." His voice was cold.

"I need to think about it,"I said.

"Take your time."Everett stood up. "But not too much time. My mother is already calling about meeting my mystery fiancée. News travels fast in this building."

Before I could respond, someone pounded on the conference room door.

"Liora, please. I need to talk to you. Mr. Montague, please let me explain."

I sighed. Flynn.

Everett looked at me. "Do you want me to have security remove him?"

I looked at the door. Flynn at the other side, begging for another chance because he saw that I piqued his boss interest, then I looked back at Everett Montague with his expensive suit and amused gray eyes and completely insane proposal.

"I accept your deal,"I said.

"Excellent."He walked to the door and opened it. Flynn stumbled inside.

"Liora, thank God. Listen to me. Sage means nothing. It was a stupid mistake. I love you. I want to marry you. Please don't do this."

Never have I ever met a more confused bloody liar.

Flynn gestured wildly at Everett. "You don't even know him. This is crazy. You're just upset and acting out but we can fix this…"

"I said yes,"Everett interrupted. " We're engaged."

Flynn's mouth fell open. "You can't be serious."

Everett's hand circled around my waist and pulled me against him. "Isn't that right, darling?"

My heart hammered in my chest. This was really happening. I was really doing this. "Yes,"I managed to say. "We're engaged."

"Liora, you're being ridiculous,"Flynn snapped. "You met him five minutes ago. This is insane."

"You're right,"I said. "It is insane. But you know what else is insane? Finding out the man I loved for three years has been cheating on me for months while stealing my work to advance his own career."

Flynn's face went pale. "I didn't—"

"Save it. We're done. I'm moving on." My eyes landed on Everett's lips.

Everett's hand tightened on my waist. Then he did something I didn't expect. He leaned down and kissed me.

It was supposed to be for show. But the moment his lips touched mine, electricity shot through my entire body. My hands came up to his chest, feeling the expensive fabric of his suit, the solid chest underneath.

I wanted more of him, and he pushed me closer to him to deepen the kiss. My entire body was on fire.

Flynn's face crumbled. "Liora—"

"The engagement announcement goes out tomorrow,"Everett said, his voice cold again. His hand never left my waist. "Clear your desk, Flynn. You're transferred to the Chicago office. Effective immediately."

Flynn's mouth opened and closed. No words came out. He looked at me one last time, his eyes pleading. I looked away.

"Get out,"Everett said.

Flynn left. The door slammed behind him.

I stood there in Everett Montague's arms, my lips still tingling from the kiss, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might explode. What did I just agree to?

Everett's hand was still on my waist. His thumb moved in small circles against my hip, sending shivers up my spine. "Pack your things,"he said, his voice low. "You're moving in tonight."

"Tonight?"My voice came out breathless.

"We need to make this convincing. The faster we move, the more real it looks."His gray eyes met mine. "Unless you've changed your mind?"

"I haven't changed my mind,"I said.

"Good."Everett finally stepped back, breaking the contact between us. "I'll send a car for you at seven. Pack light. You can buy whatever else you need."

"Okay,"I whispered.

He walked to the door, then paused. "And Liora, Welcome to the family."

Then he was gone and I was alone in the conference room, my lips still tingling, my heart still racing, wondering what the hell I just got myself into.

LIORA

Later that day, I shared my location with Everett because his publicist texted me via Instagram, and that meant I couldn't talk to Everett directly but through his publicist. He sent a car by seven in the night and by that time I'd packed my favourite clothes into two suitcases. The driver came out to meet me and he helped me offload the suitcases in the trunk of the car. He didn't speak to me as he opened the door for me.

The drive to our destination took twenty minutes, and I knew because I was checking the watch every time, anxiety eating up at my insides about the fact that I was going to share the same living quarters with a man I barely knew. We pulled up to a building in the financial district, the skyscraper so tall I couldn't see the end of it. The doorman opened my door before I could reach for the handle.

"Miss Jovan,"he said. "Mr. Montague is expecting you."

Everything inside gleamed of wealth, and I swallowed. I've never been around so many expensive things before. The elevator required a key card to reach the penthouse. The doorman swiped it for me and the doors closed.

I stared at my reflection in the mirrored walls of the elevator. I looked exhausted from all the back and forth I had with Flynn on my Instagram. I had set out to block him from all social media platforms, but I couldn't text him again,and that's how we ended up tearing at each other. It hurt so bad, I loved him unequivocally for three years. My makeup was smudged from crying. My hair was a mess. I was about to move in with a billionaire looking like I'd been hit by a truck.

The elevator opened directly into the penthouse. I stepped out and my mouth fell open.

The space was massive. Floor to ceiling windows showed the entire city lit up like stars. It looked like a magazine spread, not a place where people actually lived.

"Miss Jovan."

I jumped. A woman in a gray suit stood at my back, her face stern it scared me.

"I'm Margaret, Mr. Montague's assistant. He's in a meeting but asked me to get you settled."She handed me a leather folder. "This is your contract. Please review and sign."

I opened the folder. The contract was five pages of legal language. I skimmed through it, my heart pounding.

Fifteen thousand dollars deposited monthly into an account in my name. All expenses covered including wardrobe, transportation, and personal needs.

There was a whole section about confidentiality. Another about what happened if either of us wanted to end it early. A clause about social media. Rules about public behavior.

"Do you have a pen?"I asked.

Margaret handed me one. I signed on the last page without reading the rest. What did it matter anyway? I'd already agreed to this insanity.

"Excellent."Margaret took the folder back. "Let me show you to your room."

She led me down a hallway. We passed a huge kitchen, a living room bigger than my entire apartment, a home office, and a gym. Finally she stopped at a door at the end of the hall.

"This is the master guest suite."She opened the door. "You'll have complete privacy. Mr. Montague's room is on the opposite side of the penthouse."

The bedroom was bigger than my old apartment. There was a king sized bed and a walk-in closet. I stared at everything in awe.

"The closet has been stocked with basics in your size,"Margaret said. How did he know my size?. "Mr. Montague will take you shopping tomorrow for anything else you need. Dinner is at seven. Breakfast is at eight. The kitchen is fully stocked, help yourself to anything. Do you have questions?"

There was about a million.I paused for a while before saying... "No."

"Then I'll leave you to settle in."She walked out, closing the door behind her.

I sat on the bed and looked around. I couldn't believe this was my life now. Few hours ago, I nearly proposed to my cheating boyfriend. Now I'm living in a penthouse that belonged to the richest bachelor in the city.

I unpacked my suitcases, which took all of ten minutes since I didn't own much. Then I showered in the giant bathroom and put on pajamas. It was only nine but I was exhausted.

Sleep didn't come. I lay in the massive bed staring at the ceiling, my mind racing. What would happen at dinner tomorrow? What would Everett's parents think of me? Who was this Diella woman?

At midnight I gave up. I left the bedroom and wandered through the penthouse. Everything was dark and quiet. I found the kitchen and opened the fridge looking for water.

"Can't sleep?"

I spun around, startled. Everett stood in the doorway wearing pajama pants and nothing else. My eyes strayed from his face, down to his 6 packs that gleamed with sweat --- it seemed like he was doing a night workout --- and to the v curve of his torso that tucked into the pajama pants. If I could squint a bit more, I could see the highlights of his muscular cock. I stared before I could stop myself, my tongue salivating.

He coughed and my eyes snapped back to him. The stare on his face told me that he knew I was undressing him with my eyes.

"Sorry,"I said, my face heating up. "I was just getting water." When I looked at the glass fridge, I could see that my face had turned tomato red.

He chuckled lightly. "It's okay. I have that effect on women." He stepped further into the room, and nodded to the cabinet above the sink. He walked past me and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. He poured himself a glass and leaned against the counter.

I got my water and stood there awkwardly. Should I go back to my room? Stay and make conversation? This was weird.

"You signed the contract,"Everett said.

"Yes."

"It was so soon, I didn't expect it. It should take you five days to read and understand all the classes in it. Well...except you didn't read it."

"Why does a fake engagement have to sound so complicated?."I took a sip of water.

He drank his whiskey. "My mother called. She wants to meet you."

My heart rate picked up. "When?"

"Tomorrow night. The driver would take you to their house." He looked at me. "She's excited and would ask a lot of questions. You have to be prepared. You have to sound like you are madly in love with me."

"That, I can do. As long as she's not a scary woman."

He sighed.

"Also, Diella Ashford will be there."

That name, it sounded familiar. "The woman they want you to marry?"

His jaw tightened. "They invited her before I could stop them."

My stomach dropped. "So I'm meeting your parents and your supposed to be fiancée on the same night?"

"Welcome to my world."He drained his glass. "Diella knows about our engagement. My mother told her. She's not happy."

"Great." I set my water down. "This is going to be a disaster."

"Probably."Everett refilled his glass. "Why did you stay with Flynn for three years?"

The question caught me off guard. "What?"

"You're smart. You had to know he was using you."His gray eyes met mine. "So why stay?"

I looked down at my hands. "I thought if I supported him enough, put him first, eventually he'd do the same for me. That's how relationships work, right? You give and eventually you get back."

"That's not how it works."Everett's voice was quiet. "You give and they take. Then they take more, until there's nothing left of you."

I looked up at him, the pain in his voice made me a bit surprised.

"My parents."He swirled the whiskey in his glass. "My father gave everything to my mother. His time, his attention, his entire life. She took it all and still left him, destroying him in the divorce. He's never recovered."

He looked at me. "You deserved someone who put you first from the beginning, not someone who made you earn basic respect."

The words hit me deep. "Yeah. I guess I did."

Everett stepped closer. We were only a few feet apart now.

"We should establish boundaries,"he said. His hand came up, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His thumb brushed my cheek. "This is fake. We need to remember that."

My breath caught. "Right. Fake."

But neither of us moved away. His thumb was still on my cheek. My heart was hammering.

His phone buzzed on the counter. The moment shattered. Everett stepped back and grabbed his phone. His expression changed as he read the screen.

"What is it?"I asked.

"Diella."His jaw clenched. "She wants to have coffee tomorrow morning. Before the dinner."

My stomach dropped. "Why?"

"She wants to meet her competition."

"I'm not going,"I said immediately.

"She's been trying to marry me since we were teenagers. She's not going to let you go without a fight."He set his phone down. "Meet her. Let her say whatever she needs to say. Then come to dinner tomorrow and show her it doesn't matter."

"This is insane." I scoffed, shaking my head.

"You keep saying that."Everett's lips twitched. "But you're still here. If you go, I wouldn't stop you."

I thought about my tiny apartment, my minimum wage job, waking up everyday knowing that Flynn and Sage were still together.

"I'm staying,"I said finally, slamming the glass on the table.

Liora

This morning I had to meet up with Diella and knowing that she was my competition pushed me to dress my very best. The Cafe she chose was uptown, a very expensive diner, and I wasn't so sure I would be able to afford the coffee they served there.

Everett hasn't yet opened the account for me that he said he would.

When I walked into the cafe, Diella waved. My breath caught in my throat. She was absolutely stunning. I immediately wondered why Everett said he wasn't attracted to her. Taking a seat in front of her, I felt so small.

She smiled when she saw me. "Liora, how lovely to finally meet you."

I sat down across from her. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Of course," she signalled over to the waiter. " I wanted to meet the woman who captured Everett's attention, after my many failed attempts to."

The waiter came and Diella ordered some complicated coffee, I ordered black coffee, knowing I wouldn't even touch it. I don't drink black coffee, it was just the least expensive thing on the list.

"So," Diella started, landing her beautiful Hazel eyes on me. "Tell me about yourself. Where did you school at?"

"I went to State University. I had a marketing degree."

She clicked her teeth disapprovingly. "Well, I went to Yale and that's where I met Everett. His parents and mine were huge sponsors of the school so we became close."

I nodded my head, already seeing where all of this was going.

"Everett and I have such a special bond." She continued. "We share inside jokes, we have history and then Nuala is like a second mother to me. She calls me her daughter."

"That's nice."

"It is." She agreed. "So when this engagement came up, it was a surprise. He would have told me if he had a lover."

"Well, you're not exactly as close to Everett as you make it to be. He would have told you."

She stared at me, surprised I decided to be rude when she was civil. When she smiled again, it was evil. "Let me cut straight to the chase."

Better.

"Everett and I will end up together. Everyone expects it to happen, and if he is not willing, I will make it happen. This engagement of yours is only an obstacle but I would find ways to ruin it."

My jaw clenched. "You seem very confident."

"She nonchalantly shrugged. "You know that if his parents don't ship the engagement, it won't happen. All I need to do is just talk to them."

I laughed. "What do you mean it won't happen? It just happened. Besides I'm pretty sure that if Everett was easily swayed by his parents, he'd have been with you by now. Don't you think so?"

I grabbed my bag so I could stand up and leave, but then the waiter bustled over with a tray of our coffee.

"You'd have to pay for your drink, Liora."

"How much is it?" I asked the waiter as I opened my purse.

"50 dollars."

I spun my head up so fast, I thought my neck would break. " I saw five dollars on the menu." I grabbed the menu and the fifty dollars stared back at me ominously.

"If you stay behind and let us finish this conversation, I will pay for your bill." She said with an amused chuckle. I had no choice but to sit down.

She leaned forward. "I'm very interested as to how you met Everett. You both are worlds apart."

I thought about lying but what was the point? " In the lobby, and I proposed to him."

She was so shocked, she choked on her drink. " You proposed to him in public. Oh darling. He loves a good joke and must have humored you."

I gave her a cocky smile. "Yet here I am, with a ring in my finger. Whereas you, who have been pining him for years, have nothing to show for it."

Her smile turned cold. " Listen, I like you. You're feisty, I like a good sport, but for your safety, I'm giving you one last chance to break up with Everett gracefully. Tell him that you're not meant for his world. I'll make sure you get a generous settlement and everyone wins."

"I don't want to. You can't do anything to me, I'm under his protection."

"Then I'll have to make things very difficult. I don't want to but I will. Everett is mine." She stood up, smoothing her dress, then she slid a 50 dollar note over to me. "Think about it. You have until tonight's dinner."

She walked out, leaving me sitting there with my untouched coffee.

Everett's parents lived in a mansion in the suburbs. The house was huge with columns and a circular driveway. I felt sick looking at it.

"Relax," Everett said as we pulled up. "It's just dinner."

"With your parents who hate me and Diella who wants me dead."

"My mother doesn't hate you. She's just disappointed you're not Diella." He squeezed my hand. "Remember. We're in love. Madly, stupidly in love."

"Right. In love."

We walked inside. A woman rushed forward immediately. She had auburn hair and green eyes and looked like she'd never had a bad day in her life.

"Everett, darling." She hugged him. Then she turned to me. "And you must be Liora. How wonderful to finally meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Montague."

"Call me Nuala, please." She looked me over, her smile tight. "What a surprise this engagement was. It was so sudden."

"When you know, you know," Everett said.

A man appeared behind Nuala. He was tall, had gray hair, and same cold eyes as his son. Zyler Montague. He looked at me like I was something stuck to his shoe.

"So this is her," he spat.

"Dad. Be nice."

"I'm always nice." Zyler walked past us toward the dining room. "Let's eat. I have a conference call at nine."

We followed him. The dining room was bigger than my apartment. It had a long table with twelve chairs. Only five were set.

"I hope you don't mind," Nuala said. "I invited Diella. She's practically family."

Diella walked in right on cue. She'd changed into a black dress that hugged every curve. She smiled at Everett. "Hello, darling."

She sat next to him. I sat on his other side. Nuala sat at the head of the table. Zyler at the other end.

Dinner started. Nuala asked questions about how we met. Everett lied smoothly. Diella kept touching his arm, laughing too loud at things he said. She wanted to be noticed by him, she was getting the attention. Zyler said nothing, he just watched me with those cold eyes.

Under the table, Everett grabbed my hand and squeezed. His thumb stroked my palm in small circles that made my breath catch.

As Diella noticed our joined hands, her smile froze.

"So tell us, Liora," Zyler said, his voice sharp. "What exactly do you do at my son's company?"

Before I could answer, Diella laughed. "Oh, didn't you hear? She was dating Flynn West, Everett's assistant. Until she caught him cheating and proposed to Everett in the lobby. It was quite the spectacle."

The table went silent. Nuala's eyes widened. Zyler's face darkened.

"Is this true?" he demanded, looking at Everett.

Everett's grip on my hand tightened. "Yes," he said calmly. "And I said yes because I wanted to."