The Solution

Chapter 5

Bryan’s POV

“But dad, it was an accident.”

My father’s eyes narrowed across the desk. “Accident? You call that an accident? You’re disgusting as shit. Fucking a guy?”

I stayed in the chair opposite him and forced my voice to stay even. “It was one night. It got out of hand.”

“Out of hand?” He leaned forward, both palms flat on the wood. “You left a woman standing at the altar so you could stick your dick in some man. You know what that makes you look like? A pussy. Why the hell would any real man leave a woman for that? Explain it to me.”

“I already told you it will not happen again.”

“Of course it won’t happen. Cause I’ve got a solution for you.”

The words made me slowly uncross my legs. “And what’s that?”

“You’re getting married.”

I let out a short breath that was almost a laugh. “Dad…? I don’t think Alice or her parents would accept that.”

“Alice?” He rubbed his temples like the name itself irritated him. “They’d be stupid to accept you back and I’d be crazy to try and speak to them after the bs you pulled.”

“We’ve given them ten percent of our shares. What other way would they want me to apologize to them?”

“Sometimes I wonder how you’re still my favourite son.” He dropped his hands and looked straight at me. “Listen carefully. This is not a real marriage in the way you’re thinking. It is a contract. One hundred days. Public appearances, shared living, the whole clean image until the scandal dies. I have already arranged the girl. Her name is Catherine Ortega. You will play the part, you will smile for cameras, and you will not embarrass this family again. At the end of the hundred days the contract ends unless both sides agree to continue.”

I stared at him. “Is this some sort of joke? I don’t even know her.”

“Well you should’ve thought of that before you went to stick your dick into some guy’s manhole. Good Lord I’d need a drag to get over that.”

“You’re never going to let go of that are you?”

“No.”

The telephone on his desk rang. He picked it up, listened for two seconds, then nodded. “Good. Good. She’s here now. Let her in.”

The door opened. The woman who stepped inside looked nothing like the polished socialites who usually walked these halls. Her clothes were plain and carefully chosen, the kind that tried to look formal without the money to back it up. She hesitated for half a second before coming further into the room. I watched her the way I watched every outsider who entered this office. She did not belong here and she knew it. That much was obvious from the way her eyes moved over the furniture and then dropped to the floor.

My father gestured toward the empty chair beside mine. “Sit.”

She sat. Her hands went straight to her lap and started fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve. I kept my eyes on her profile and felt the familiar curl of irritation in my chest. This was the solution. This awkward stranger.

“Good. Bryan, this is Catherine Ortega, your partner for the next hundred days under contract and Cat, Bryan Walter. You will appear as a couple in public and share the penthouse for the duration. You guys shake hands or whatever.”

She turned toward me and extended her hand. I looked at it, then at her face, and made no move to take it.

“No thank you. And dad? I’m definitely not going to marry Pat.”

“It’s Cat.” Her voice was quiet but clear.

“Yeah I don’t care.”

My father’s tone hardened. “That is no way to talk to the woman who is about to save your public image. And if you don’t accept the contract as it stands, you might as well kiss your position in this company goodbye.”

I met his eyes. “Really?”

“You don’t want to mess with me do you?”

The silence stretched long enough to make the point. I let out a slow breath, turned my head toward the woman beside me, and forced the word out with every bit of sarcasm I had.

“Welcome, w-IFE.”

The last syllable dragged on purpose. She did not react beyond a small tightening of her mouth.

The door opened again before anyone could speak. Darson stepped in like he had been waiting for the exact right moment. His gaze moved from me to the woman and then to our father. A slow smile spread across his face.

“Did I walk in on something important?”

My father answered without looking at him. “Yes. You will be meeting Catherine properly later. She is Bryan’s partner under the new arrangement. We will introduce her to the rest of the family this week.”

Darson’s chuckle was soft and sharp at the same time. “Oh really? What a fast way to cover the scandal.”

Catherine turned her head. “What scandal?”

Darson’s eyes lit up with pure enjoyment. “Oh you didn’t hear, darling? Your husband-to-be here ditched his actual bride at the altar because he was busy with another man. Video and everything. Very public. Very messy.”

Her expression shifted, but only slightly. She did not gasp or look shocked the way most people would. She simply absorbed the information and kept her face controlled.

“Darson.” My voice came out harder than I intended.

He held up both hands in mock surrender, still looking at her. “What? Let me fill our new bride in on everything. Looking at you I actually like you, so listen carefully. If you know what’s good for you, don’t fall for this douchebag. He is not worth the trouble.”

I stood up. The chair scraped back. Darson did not step away. We were close enough that the tension sat thick between us.

“Don’t stick your nose into my business.”

“I won’t, brother. Just watch your back.”

He gave Catherine one last look with his smile still in place, then turned and walked out. The door clicked shut behind him.

I dropped back into the chair. My father continued as if the interruption had been nothing more than mild weather.

“The paperwork will be ready in three days. You will both be present. After that you move into the penthouse and begin the public side of the contract. You can get out of my office now.”

I stood without another word. Catherine rose a second later and we walked out into the hallway side by side but with enough space between us for another person. She tried to speak once the door closed.

“Bryan, about the—”

“Don’t speak to me.”

I kept walking. Her footsteps stopped behind me after a few seconds. I did not look back, because the only thing in my head was the contract, the hundred days, and every possible way I could cut myself free from this arrangement before it locked around my neck for good.