Novels by Esswrites

My heart took a violent,plunge into my stomach as the heavy knocks echoed from the front door. Janice gave me a dramatic, wide eyed look, silently mouthing, “He’s here.”I took one final, grounding breath, smoothing down the luxurious fabric of the dress before walking out of my room. As I made my way down the staircase, my parents and Janice trailed closely behind me, practically radiating nervous excitement.When my dad pulled the front door open, the breath completely left my lungs.Ethan Vance stood on our porch, looking so devastatingly handsome it should have been illegal. He was wearing a custom tailored black tuxedo that hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, his dark hair expertly styled. For a fraction of a second, his composure completely faltered. His intense eyes locked onto me, sweeping down my length, and his jaw subtly tightened. He was completely breathless.But within a heartbeat, the smooth playboy persona slid right back into place, and he flashed a brilliant smile.

I slowly untied the silk ribbon and lifted the lid of the massive box. Resting inside was a breathtaking dinner dress, paired with a matching designer purse and a pair of elegant heels.Tucked into the folds of the fabric was another note.“It’s for a gala this evening, love. Please be my date. And before you even think about saying no, Cole will be there alongside your school’s hockey team. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss that. I’ll pick you up at seven. Ethan, your sweet boy.”I practically rolled my eyes at his parting words, but as I lifted the dress to examine it, my breath caught. It was exactly my style. More shocking, though, was the label,it was my exact dress size, and the shoes were a fit for my feet. How on earth did he find out?I picked up my phone and speed dialed Janice. It rang for a few seconds before she finally picked up, sounding completely breathless."Hey, girl," she gasped into the line.I rolled my eyes, instantly knowing what she had been up to. "Where ex

"Go ahead, I'm listening," I told him, crossing my arms over the table. "What are the rules?""Well..." he started, pausing briefly as the waitress returned with our order. She laid the plates down with a bright smile, and Ethan caught her eye, flashing her a quick, effortless wink. The girl immediately giggled, her cheeks flushing crimson before she walked away.The second she was out of earshot, Janice executed a perfect, exaggerated mimic of the waitress's high pitched giggle. We all burst into light laughter, the tension in the room instantly melting away.Ethan cleared his throat, his expression transitioning into something far more serious. He leaned forward, bracing his forearms against the table as his intense gaze locked onto mine. "Back to business. Look, I’m really delighted that you decided to give me a chance," he said, his tone entirely sincere. "I didn't want to bind you to a strict legal contract. I believe that if you truly wanted to say no, you would have,even though

​"Well, I'm just trying to pay back your kindness towards me," I told him, keeping my eyes locked on my reflection in the mirror, trying to steady myself.​"I'm flattered," Ethan’s smooth baritone hummed through the speaker. "So, what's your decision, love? Are you going to help me out or not?"​"I guess it's quite obvious from the first statement I made," I countered, crossing my arms.​"Feisty. I like it," he said, a loud, rich laugh vibrating down the line. "But I want to hear you say it."​"Why should I say it?" I asked, a sudden wave of heat rushing to my cheeks. Why was a silly phone call making me feel so suddenly shy?​"Come on," he chuckled, his tone teasing but laced with that effortless authority he always carried.​I took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll be your fake girlfriend."​"Yes! I knew you were going to accept my proposal. Actually, I was just sitting here waiting for your call," he said smoothly. "Besides, I knew you'd want to pay me back for my kindness."​Before I cou

The weekend had flown by in a blur, and a whole new week was already staring me in the face.​ Standing in front of the mirror, I quickly adjusted the collar of my school uniform. My thoughts kept drifting back to Ethan. A heavy wave of guilt settled deep in my chest. Sure, he had helped me get the ultimate revenge on Cole, but what he wanted in return was just too high a price to pay. I knew playing his girlfriend would secure his career defining Nike deal, but my own heart was at stake. I was already bruised; I couldn’t afford to be shattered.​ Before my thoughts could go any deeper, my phone vibrated sharply against the table.​“I’m outside, girl,” the text from Janice read.​I grabbed my school bag and hurried out the door.​"Hey, girl," Janice greeted me with a warm smile as I slid into the passenger seat.​"Hi, Janice," I murmured, leaning my head back against the headrest.​ She pulled out of the driveway and merged into the morning traffic, casting a worried side glance at me

​ I rushed downstairs without even glancing in a mirror, my heart hammering against my ribs. When I reached the living room, my jaw nearly hit the floor.​ There was Ethan Vance, looking effortlessly flawless in a casual designer shirt, completely engrossed in a conversation with my dad.​"Oh, here she is," my dad said, smiling warmly the moment I stepped into the room.​"I practically had to drag her out of bed," my mom added, sitting comfortably on the couch beside him.​ I stood there, hyper-aware of my wild morning hair and oversized pyjamas. I looked at Ethan, my face a mask of pure confusion. "What are you doing here?"​"Good morning to you too, love," Ethan said. He smiled, revealing a row of perfect, blindingly white teeth.​ My dad leaned forward, throwing a look between the two of us. "You didn't tell us your new boyfriend was this respectful, Katherine. We like this one infinitely better than that Cole guy."​ My mom nodded in agreement.​"Boyfriend?!" I choked out, my voic