007

Valerie’s POV

I should have known the day was going to be a disaster the moment I stepped out of the bedroom.

The mansion was eerily quiet as I walked down the grand hallway, my bare feet making no sound against the polished marble floors. It was almost unsettling—like the calm before a thunderstorm.

I had barely made it to the dining room when I saw Ryan sitting at the head of the table, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, flipping through his phone as he sipped his coffee. He looked completely at ease, as if today wasn’t the day we were about to turn the entire world upside down.

I, on the other hand, felt like I was about to walk into an ambush.

"You’re finally down," he said without looking up from his phone.

"Unfortunately," I muttered under my breath as I pulled out a chair.

He smirked. "You sound excited."

"I’m thrilled," I deadpanned, grabbing a piece of toast.

Ryan finally looked up, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You’ll survive."

"Easy for you to say," I shot back. "You’re used to public scrutiny. I’m not."

He leaned back in his chair, studying me like I was an interesting puzzle. "You’ll get used to it."

I sighed, taking a bite of my toast. "That seems to be your answer to everything."

"Because it’s true." He set his phone down, his gaze turning more serious. "Our engagement announcement goes live in an hour. After that, the world will be watching us."

I forced myself to swallow my food. "What exactly happens after the announcement?"

Ryan took a sip of his coffee. "There will be speculation, of course. Reporters will dig into your past, trying to find out who you are. There will be questions about how we met, about our relationship timeline. Some people will believe it. Others will think it’s a PR stunt."

I frowned. "And what do we do?"

"We act like a couple madly in love," he said simply.

I exhaled slowly, gripping my coffee cup tighter. "And if people start digging too much?"

Ryan’s expression darkened slightly. "They won’t find anything I don’t want them to."

Something about the way he said it sent a shiver down my spine.

Before I could ask what he meant, his phone vibrated again. He glanced at the screen, then stood up. "Your stylist should be here soon. Get ready. We have somewhere to be."

I blinked. "Where exactly are we going?"

He smirked. "You’ll see."

---

I should have guessed it wasn’t going to be something simple.

Two hours later, I was stepping out of a sleek black car, my arm looped through Ryan’s as dozens of camera flashes exploded around us.

My heart was pounding.

The engagement announcement had gone live barely an hour ago, and now we were standing in front of an exclusive high-end restaurant, where—according to Ryan—several important people would be dining.

Meaning this was our first official appearance as a couple.

"Smile," Ryan murmured in my ear as he waved at the cameras.

I forced my lips into a smile, though my stomach was a mess of nerves.

"Act natural," he added, his voice smooth and composed.

Easy for him to say.

Still, I tried. I leaned into him slightly, playing the part of the doting fiancée as he guided me inside.

The restaurant was stunning—soft golden lighting, expensive chandeliers, and elegantly dressed guests. It was the kind of place I had only ever seen in magazines.

A waiter led us to a private table near the center, where a few familiar faces were already seated.

"Ryan!" A blonde woman in a red dress beamed at him as we approached. "And this must be Valerie."

Ryan’s grip on my waist tightened slightly. "Yes. Valerie, this is Celeste Hawthorne."

I recognized her immediately. She was a socialite, the daughter of a wealthy business mogul, and a regular in gossip columns.

Celeste’s blue eyes scanned me from head to toe before she smiled. "I must say, you’re not what I expected."

I raised a brow. "And what exactly did you expect?"

She chuckled, taking a sip of her wine. "Someone… different."

I had no idea if that was meant as a compliment or an insult, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it because a familiar voice interrupted.

"Ryan, you never mentioned you were engaged."

I turned to find a man approaching our table, his sharp gaze locked onto Ryan.

Ryan’s entire demeanor shifted. His jaw tightened, his expression unreadable.

"Daniel," he said smoothly.

I glanced between them, sensing the tension crackling in the air.

Daniel.

It took me a second to place the name, but then it clicked—Daniel Mercer. The CEO of Mercer Enterprises. A rival. A powerful man in his own right.

And judging by the way he was looking at me, he was very, very interested in Ryan’s sudden engagement.

I swallowed.

"Quite the surprise," Daniel said, his lips curving into a smirk. "I didn’t take you for the marrying type, Ryan."

Ryan’s fingers brushed against mine under the table—a silent reminder to stay calm.

"People change," he said smoothly.

Daniel’s gaze flickered to me. "And you, Miss Bennett… How exactly did you win Ryan Devante’s heart?"

The way he said it sent a chill down my spine.

I forced a smile. "It wasn’t that hard."

Ryan smirked beside me. "She’s quite unforgettable."

Daniel chuckled. "I’m sure she is."

There was something in his tone that made me uneasy, but before I could dwell on it, Celeste leaned forward, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"Tell us," she said sweetly. "How did you two meet?"

Oh, shit.

I hesitated for a fraction of a second before Ryan spoke.

"It was fate," he said smoothly.

Celeste raised a brow. "Fate?"

Ryan’s lips curled. "I saw her across the room at a charity gala, and I knew I had to have her."

My breath caught in my throat.

That wasn’t what we had discussed.

Celeste laughed. "That sounds very unlike you, Ryan."

Ryan’s grip on my hand tightened slightly. "Maybe she changed me."

His words sent a shiver down my spine, and for a second, I almost believed them.

Daniel was still watching me closely, and I got the sense that he wasn’t convinced.

"Fascinating," he murmured. "And tell me, Valerie… What do you love most about Ryan?"

I stiffened.

I should have expected that question, but somehow it still caught me off guard.

Ryan’s fingers brushed against mine again—silent reassurance.

I swallowed, forcing myself to smile. "His confidence."

It was the safest answer I could think of.

Daniel’s lips twitched. "Of course."

He didn’t believe me.

And I had a sinking feeling that Daniel Mercer wasn’t the type of man to let things go easily.

---

By the time we left the restaurant, I was exhausted.

Ryan led me outside, where more cameras flashed as we walked to the car.

The second we were inside, I let out a breath.

"That was intense," I muttered.

Ryan smirked. "You handled it well."

I shot him a glare. "Next time, a little heads-up about your fake backstory would be nice."

"You adapted," he said simply.

I rolled my eyes. "Who the hell was Daniel Mercer?"

Ryan’s smirk faded. "Someone you should stay away from."

I frowned. "Why?"

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached over, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Because he doesn’t believe this engagement," Ryan murmured.

A chill ran down my spine.

"And people like Daniel," he continued, his voice low, "always dig until they find the truth."

I swallowed hard.

I had a bad feeling about this.

And for the first time since agreeing to this deal, I wondered if I had just made the biggest mistake of my life.