Chapter 6

Teyara Moon

Seconds stretched into what felt like agonizing hours, neither of us uttering a single word.

Finally, Jax let out a sharp, mocking scoff. He dragged both hands through his hair, pacing the perimeter of my bedroom like a wanted criminal.

“Teyara…” he breathed, causing my features to instantly harden.

“Don’t you dare call me that,” I hissed, my jaw clenching tightly.

He exhaled a heavy sigh.

“Teyara, it really is you.”

“My name is Sandra,” I shot back, a calculated, icy smile crossing my lips.

“How could I have been so incredibly dense not to recognize you the moment you walked into that venue?”

“Well, you're certainly accurate about the first part of that sentence,” I countered, rolling my eyes in blatant disgust. “But just out of pure curiosity, how exactly did you piece it together?” I asked, carelessly tossing my handbag onto the mattress.

“I hired a private investigator to run a background check on you. Think about it—you're supposed to be playing the role of my partner, so I needed to verify your background and character. My P.I. literally just called me with the results. I didn’t believe him at first; I actually told him to double-check his data. But then I looked down and noticed one of your old university photos sitting right there on the sofa.”

I let out a quiet sigh, rubbing my temples.

Now I’m the idiot in this scenario, I muttered silently to myself.

“Teyara… please tell me you're only involved in this line of work because it’s me. This isn't actually your career, is it?”

I clicked my tongue against my teeth in irritation.

“It’s amusing that you think I would still do anything out of the goodness of my heart for you,” I snapped.

“Then why?”

“Because my family doesn't possess the kind of endless safety net yours does, Jax. A woman has to secure her financial future somehow.”

His brows knit together in a judgmental line.

“So you transformed yourself into a prostitute, only interested in fucking men?”

“Wow. A mere ten minutes ago, you were perfectly ecstatic to walk out the door with ‘this’ prostitute,” I roared, pointing a furious finger at my chest. “Jax, this revelation changes absolutely nothing about our arrangement, and don't you dare call me a prostitute

Do not suddenly alter your perspective or try to be chivalrous just because you know my true identity, because I certainly won't be extending you that courtesy.

To me, you are still the exact same motherfucking bastard I had the absolute misfortune of dating in college. The only difference now is that you're a paycheck I have to tolerate because I need the capital.”

I delivered the entire speech in a single, breathless wave.

“Teyara,” he murmured softly, a strange weight in his voice.

“Jax, act as if this little reunion never occurred so we can proceed with meeting your parents.”

I snatched my handbag back up.

“I’ll save you the agony of having to explain to them how our relationship imploded years ago and why I’m suddenly back in the picture. They won't spot me beneath this disguise.”

I grabbed the high-quality wig, pulling it securely over my natural hair and adjusting the strands in the mirror.

“Were you ever planning on telling me the truth?” his voice sounded oddly strained, almost hurt.

“Jax! You do not possess a single right to demand a fucking explanation from me. You forfeited that luxury the moment you ruined my reputation, and you have absolutely no inkling of the hell I had to navigate in the aftermath.”

I fought to keep my voice steady, but the emotional strain caused it to crack on the final syllable.

“Like I stated, I am a woman who requires capital, and you are a man who requires a temporary partner. Let’s bury this pathetic past exactly where it belongs and move forward!”

My sudden shout caught him entirely off guard, a flash of alarm crossing his face.

“Let’s go,” I commanded, stepping past him to lead the way down the stairs while he followed quietly in my wake.

The drive to his family estate ended all too quickly, and pulling into the grand driveway brought a suffocating wave of nostalgia.

During our university holidays, we used to split our time between my parents' place and this mansion. We used to spend hours right here, curled up on the sofa watching movies.

Everything had been flawless, and his parents had been wonderful to me—until Jax systematically destroyed it all.

The vehicle glided to a halt, and I opened my door immediately, not waiting for him.

“Just a heads-up, my parents might seem a bit distant or hostile initially. They completely disapproved of any woman I associated with after you,” he muttered, clearing his throat.

I let out a harsh scoff.

“Did you actually possess the courage to tell them the truth about why we parted ways, or did you manufacture some pathetic, face-saving lie?”

I was entirely convinced it was a fabrication; Jax was never man enough to own up to his betrayals.

“I told them the exact truth. That’s precisely why they swore they would never support me being with anyone else—even if it couldn't be you.”

The admission threw me completely off balance for a fraction of a second.

I had absolutely not anticipated that level of honesty from him.

I felt his intense gaze anchoring to me as we approached the grand entrance.

“Nanny Rhoda,” Jax greeted warmly as the front door opened.

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to prevent a massive smile from breaking across my face.

I missed her so much, I thought, suppressing a fierce urge to wrap my arms around the middle-aged woman who had once been a maternal figure to me.

“This is Sandra, my partner,” Jax introduced.

The housekeeper's eyes cataloged my appearance, and I steeled myself for the cold reception Jax had warned me about.

Instead, her features softened into a wide, incredibly welcoming smile.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” I said, returning the warmth.

“Your parents are waiting in the drawing room,” Rhoda informed us.

Without warning, Jax slid his hand down to rest firmly against the small of my back.

I physically flinched at the sudden contact, shooting him a lethal glare.

“My parents aren’t going to buy the narrative if I look terrified to let you touch me,” he whispered near my ear.

“Your parents aren't currently watching us in this hallway, are they?” I shot back under my breath, shaking off his hand.

He stepped ahead to guide the way, and I followed closely behind.

I knew the architectural layout of this estate like the back of my hand, but I had to choreograph my movements behind Jax to keep the facade intact.

Finally, his parents materialized from the adjoining room, their faces set in standard expressions of polite disapproval.

But the moment his mother locked eyes with me, her expression fractured into sudden bewilderment.

His father mirrored the exact same shock as he scrutinized my face beneath the wig.

“Good evening, ma’am. Good evening, sir,” I offered smoothly, but my greeting was met with stunned silence.

“Mom, Dad. This is Sandra, my girlfriend,” Jax reiterated.

Still, neither of them spoke.

“Forgive us, dear…” his mother finally breathed, letting out a heavy, emotional sigh. “You simply bear a striking resemblance to someone we used to care for deeply.”

I cleared my throat to ease the sudden tension, and Jax offered a calm, reassuring smile to his parents.

“Well, it truly is a pleasure to welcome you, Sandra,” his father added.

I wanted nothing more than to step forward and embrace them both, but the boundaries of my contract anchored me in place.

“The dining room is fully prepared for us, we should head in,” his father gestured.

I immediately turned to walk ahead, but caught my footing as my stomach plummeted.

Damn it, I thought, squeezing my eyes shut in sudden panic.

“Um, the dining area is down that corridor, correct?” I asked, turning back around.

His mother nodded slowly, her gaze shifting to a highly suspicious, analytical stare.

I masked my internal panic behind a bright, vacant smile as we all made our way to the table.

I swirled my fork through my pasta, eating at a calculated, deliberate pace while taking occasional glances at the family across from me.

I couldn't deny the painful truth: I genuinely missed this atmosphere.

I missed the tranquil, sophisticated dinners we used to share.

“So, Jax, give me an update on the firm's portfolio,” his father requested, turning his attention to his son.

I observed Jax closely.

I remembered exactly how deeply he revered his father, how his entire existence used to revolve around making the man proud. When it came to his father's approval, Jax would literally bend the world to avoid causing disappointment.

It made me wonder for the thousandth time how he had actually summoned the courage to confess his college sins to a man of such high principles.

“Well, we are actually on the precipice of acquiring a new commercial site very soon—the prime location right on the main avenue near our current sector.”

My fork slipped from my fingers, clattering loudly against the porcelain plate in sheer shock.

Jax was targeting the exact same commercial property I was trying to buy for my design label.

“Are you alright, Sandra?” he asked, his voice dripping with an irritatingly tender concern.

I forced my expression into a seamless, artificial smile.

“Perfectly fine,” I cleared my throat, my heart rate accelerating.

There is absolutely no way he is taking that land from me, I thought, a wave of cold agitation washing over me.

“Alright, let's leave the corporate talk at the office for one evening,” his mother intervened smoothly. “Tell me, Sandra, how exactly did your paths cross with Jax?”

A dangerous, wicked smirk played at the corners of my mouth before I turned my gaze entirely onto him.

Oh, this is going to be absolutely spectacular, I thought, tracing my tongue over my lower lip.

“Well, ma’am, it’s actually quite an entertaining story. Your son here was currently getting his ego—and his body—completely dismantled by a rather aggressive gentleman. He was receiving a truly magnificent beating in public, and I happened to be strolling past the alleyway, so I stepped in to rescue him.”

The expressions on his parents' faces were absolutely priceless.

“But that isn't even the most scandalous highlight,” I continued smoothly, clicking my tongue as their shock melted into sudden laughter. “He was actually receiving that beating because he accidentally walked in on two individuals engaging in an incredibly explicit, intimate encounter. Completely by mistake, of course.”

“Isn’t that exactly how it happened, honey?” I added sweetly, reaching over to lightly pinch his cheek.

Jax forced a tight, rigid smile, his entire face flushing a deep, embarrassed crimson.

The sight of his humiliation filled me with a sudden, intoxicating sense of victory.