Fake Date, Real Fate

He leaned back in his chair, looking over the new contract we had just signed, he looked up at me and spoke as casually as if we were discussing the weather.

"Since you’re now like my girlfriend," he said, "we’re going to have to put a little show on for the media. Starting today."

The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the N(o)vᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt

I blinked. "Today?"

"Yes. Cancel all my meetings. We’ll be out the rest of the day."

I dropped my jaw. "What? But, sir, we have the department heads’ meeting in an hour. And you have the strategy review with the board—"

"uh, reschedule it."

He didn’t even flinch, he just looked down at his phone as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Just like that. Like it was no big deal to wipe out an entire day full of important meetings.

I stared at him for one more second, trying not to let the shock settle too hard on my face. "You’re serious?"

He finally looked at me then. ""Dead serious. This has to look real, Miss Miller. That means media presence, public appearances. We start with the charity auction this afternoon. Somewhere fancy, somewhere everyone will see us."

Before I could fully turn to leave, his voice stopped me again—calm, commanding.

"And Miss Miller," he added without looking up, "once you’re done rescheduling everything, meet me in the car."