She Agreed to Be a Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée… Then He Fell for Her for Real
Chapter 2
The first rule of their arrangement was simple.
They had to convince everyone they were in love.
That turned out to be harder than Emma expected.
Alexander was brilliant in boardrooms.
He could negotiate billion-dollar deals without blinking.
But romance?
He was hopeless.
Their first staged dinner ended in disaster.
Alexander sat across from Emma in an expensive restaurant.
He looked at her.
She looked at him.
Neither spoke.
Finally, Emma sighed.
“You’re supposed to look like you like me.”
“I do.”
“No.”
He frowned.
“I said I do.”
“You look like you’re calculating the cost of dinner.”
Alexander glanced at the menu.
“It is expensive.”
Emma laughed.
“You really are terrible at this.”
The waiter approached.
“Would you like wine?”
Alexander answered immediately.
“No.”
Emma looked at him.
“Why?”
“You don’t drink.”
She paused.
“How do you know?”
“I read your file.”
“Right.”
She smiled.
“You really need to stop saying that.”
Alexander almost laughed.
It was the first time Emma saw him genuinely smile.
And it changed his face.
He suddenly looked younger.
Less guarded.
More human.
After dinner, they walked through Central Park.
Alexander kept a careful distance.
Emma noticed.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me.”
“I’m not.”
“You look terrified.”
“I’m trying not to break the rules.”
Emma smiled.
“You know, pretending to be engaged doesn’t mean you have to act like you’re attending a funeral.”
He laughed.
Actually laughed.
Emma stared.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You laughed.”
“So?”
“I didn’t think you knew how.”
He rolled his eyes.
For the first time that evening, they walked naturally.
They talked.
Emma told him about her mother.
Her childhood.
Her dream of opening an event company.
Alexander told her about growing up under his grandmother’s strict expectations.
He never mentioned his father.
Emma noticed.
She didn’t push.
At the apartment, Alexander showed her the guest bedroom.
“You’ll stay here.”
Emma nodded.
“Good.”
He hesitated.
“Emma?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For agreeing to this.”
She smiled.
“Just remember the million dollars.”
“I won’t.”
She walked into her room.
Alexander remained in the hallway.
For some reason, he couldn’t stop smiling.
The next morning, a photograph appeared online.
Alexander Sterling holding Emma’s hand.
The headline read:
BILLIONAIRE CEO FINALLY OFF THE MARKET?
Emma stared at the screen.
“This is going to be a disaster.”
Alexander looked at her.
“Probably.”
But neither of them noticed the other headline.
One that would appear later that afternoon.
WHO IS ALEXANDER STERLING’S MYSTERY FIANCÉE?
