Chapter 16 I stopped outside his door , took a deep breath like I was about to skydive without a parachute , and knocked No going back now . Not unless I fancied throwing myself down the stairwell . [] The door swung o open almost immediately , leaving me zero time to panic or bolt There he was in a suit . A proper one . Not the kind you wear for a Zoom meeting or to make your ex jealous on Instagram , but the sort that whispered " money and I don't queue for anything , ever . " ] He looked like he was on his way out . Maybe a date . Probably with someone tall , elegant , and dangerously immune to carbs . ] Regret made a swift U - turn in my gut , and I took a tiny step back , already rethinking everything But then he gestured for me to wait . He was on the phone , looking very much like a man who closed deals before breakfast . He held up a hand , mouthed ' one second ', then pointed inside . I stepped into his flat , trying not to look too nosy while absolutely snooping about th It was a the same size and layout as mine , but the vibe was all different . [ ] Where mine screamed ' early twenties chaos with a side of IKEA regrets , his felt sleek , Understated . Expensive in that annoying way where you knew each item had a brand name that required a six - month waitlist and a blood oath Still , it didn't feel lived - in . No clutter , no mess , no personality . More hotel suite than home . Either he'd just moved in like I suspected , or he barely slept here . Which , fair enough . He didn't look like the type who needed more than four hours of sleep or any kind of throw cushion . Before I could finish my impromptu Cribs tour , he ended the call and turned to me eyebrow raised in question . Right . Time to stop gawping . I pulled out the cheque I'd written and held it out . For the shirt , " I said . " The one I sort of shredded during our , uh , you know , last time . He looked at the cheque . I don't need it . 1 know . But I do - Need to give it , I mean . " I set it on his glass coffee table . [] He didn't reply . And I suddenly had absolutely no idea what to do with my limbs . My arms were weird . My legs were traitors . The ulence swelled between us like a balloon full of awkward ] Then he moved closer . Just a step . Barely even that . But it was enough . " What's the real reason you came ? ' || I froze . Every muscle in my body tensed . Being this close , I was forcibly reminded of just how tall he was - and how much he radiated that very specific , very male sort of danger . That raw , unfiltered , primal energy that made my instincts twitch like I was standing in front of something wild and untamed . ] ] He wasn't doing anything . Just leaning in , breathing the same air . But my pulse was suddenly doing parkour in my neck and my mouth was dry . f you were Гасе 100 face with a leopard in the wild - well - fed , It wasn't fear , not exactly . It was that same instinctual thrill you'd get if y maybe , but still looking at you like it hadn't ruled out dessert . Even if there was glass between you and the claws , your body still clocked that you were in the presence of a predator . My palms were sweating . My knees had opinions about gravity . My fight - or - flight response was going through a full - blown crisis All because this man , this maybe - dangerous , possibly - rich , definitely - hot neighbour was looking at me . And here I was about to pitch the world's most deranged idea : fake marriage . Casual pretend engagement || Just your everyday hey , can you be my incredibly powerful and slightly terrifying fiancé so my parents will stop trying to marry me off to the highest bidder ? ] ] Yeah . No way this was going to come across as anything but completely unhinged . || To stall , I said , ' You mentioned a proposal that time .. back at the hotel ? I didn't really catch the details . ' || He raised an eyebrow . That's funny . Because I seem to remember I'm the one asking the questions right now , and you still haven't answered me.1 Right That My mouth opened , and before I could stop myself , the words just … spilled out . ' I want to marry you ́ There was a beat of silence . Then he blinked . [ ] " I mean - not really marry you , I added in a rush , the dam well and truly broken now . I mean yes , technically , but not romantically . It's fake . A cover . A bluff . A strategic performance . My parents - okay , my mum - has basically gone full villain - mode and is trying to auction me off to some obscenely wealthy fifty - year - old who owns like , half the shipping industry and is on the hunt for Wife Number Five , and if I don't show up with someone even richer and more terrifying , she's going to force me into some grotesque merger of souls and assets . I've got three days to conjure up a billionaire fiancé with serious scary man energy , and the list of available candidates is currently : you . " ] I finally paused to breathe , chest heaving like I'd just finished a sprint , which , emotionally speaking , I had He didn't say anything . Didn't laugh . Didn't call building security . Just studied me for a second like I was a crossword puzzle that had started solving itself . And then he nodded Alright , he said . I blinked at him . " Sorry - what ? Chapter 1 " Okay , " he repeated , like this sort of thing happened to him all the time . I'll do it . " I stared . My brain short - circuited so hard I half expected to smell burnt toast . Just like that ? He shrugged . ' My family's been on my back about finding a wife . I'm not interested in dating . Your proposal happens to solve my problem too . " Oh . ] He went on , In fact , that was what I was trying to bring up back at the hotel , before you left " ] I was speechless . [ ] T - this feels … surreal , " I said , blinking at him like he'd grown another head . I mean , me needing a fake flance at the exact same time you're in the market for a fake fiancée ? What are the odds- ? Wait , just to be clear , " I added hastily , it is a fake fiancée you are looking for , right ? Not a real one , I mean " C ( 0 )