Chapter 1:THE PROPOSAL

Giulia Romano learned two things at 9:17am on a Monday: 1) Her brother had forgotten to tell their boss he was quitting. 2) That boss was Marco Bianchi, the man who broke her heart at 17.

The elevator doors slid open on the 42nd floor of Bianchi Towers, Milan. Glass, steel, and the smell of money hit her face. Giulia clutched her brother Luca’s resignation letter like a shield.

“Mr. Bianchi’s office is this way,” the secretary said. “But he’s in a mood. Board meeting went bad.”

Giulia swallowed. She was only here to drop the letter. Leave. Pretend Marco Bianchi was just “Luca’s boss” and not the boy who kissed her behind the school hall 8 years ago, then left for London without a word.

His office door was open. Marco stood at the floor-to-ceiling window, back to her. Same broad shoulders. Same tailored suit that probably cost more than her rent. He’d been 19 and reckless then. Now he looked 27 and dangerous.

“Mr. Bianchi?” Her voice came out smaller than she wanted.

He turned. Those dark eyes landed on her face. Recognition flickered. Then his jaw tightened.

“Giulia.” Not a question. A statement. “What are you doing here?”

“Luca asked me to deliver this.” She held out the envelope. “He resigned. Family emergency in Naples. He couldn’t come himself.”

Marco took the letter but didn’t open it. “He’s leaving me two weeks before the Meridian merger. Without notice.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” She shifted her weight. “I should go—”

“No.” He stepped closer. He still smelled like cedar and cologne. “You’re going to sit down.”

“I’m not his assistant.”

“You’re family. And family cleans up messes.” He gestured to the chair across from his desk. “Tell me why my best project manager is abandoning me.”

So Giulia sat. And told him about their mom’s stroke, the hospital bills, how Luca was the only one who could move back home. Marco listened, arms crossed, face unreadable. When she finished, he was quiet for a long time.

“This merger is worth 4 billion euro,” he said finally. “If I lose it, the board replaces me. My grandfather’s company. Gone.”

Giulia stood up. “I’m sorry about that. Really. But I can’t help—”

“You can.” He cut her off. “My grandfather is flying in from London Friday. He thinks I’m engaged. It was a lie I told him 3 months ago to get him off my back about marriage.”

Giulia blinked. “Okay… and?”

“And he’ll cancel the Meridian deal if he thinks I’m unstable. Unmarried. Undisciplined.” Marco’s eyes were sharp, calculating. “I need a fiancée for 30 days. Someone he’ll believe.”

The air left the room. “You want me to pretend to be engaged to you?”

“You’re Luca’s sister. You’re young, presentable, and you have no reason to say yes to me… which makes you believable.” He named a figure. Her breath caught. “That’s for 30 days. You show up at 3 events. We hold hands for photos. At the end, we ‘break up amicably’. No one gets hurt.”

Giulia laughed, but it came out shaky. “You think I’d do that? After what you did to me?”

“What I did?” He finally looked hurt. “I was 19, Giulia. I thought I was protecting you from my family.”

“By disappearing?” Her voice cracked. “You don’t get to pretend that didn’t happen.”

Marco exhaled. He looked tired, suddenly, under all that CEO armor. “I know. And I’m asking anyway. Because I’m desperate. Because you’re the only person my grandfather will believe isn’t a gold digger.”

Her phone buzzed. Hospital. Mom’s medication bill due today. €35,000 she didn’t have.

Giulia stared at the resignation letter in his hand. At his face. At the ghost of the boy who taught her how to drive.

“Fine,” she whispered. “30 days. But we set rules.”

Marco’s mouth twitched. Almost a smile. “I’m listening.”

“No kissing. No touching unless it’s for photos. And the second your grandfather signs that deal, we’re done.”

He extended his hand. “Deal, Giulia.”

She shook it. His palm was warm. Too warm. For 3 seconds she forgot she was 24 and he was her ex and older brother’s boss who broke her heart.

Then she pulled away. “When do we start?”

“Friday. 7pm. Gala at Hotel Principe di Savoia.” He finally opened Luca’s letter. “And Giulia? Try not to hate me too much. I’ll need you to look in love.”

She walked out before he could see her hands shaking. 30 days. How hard could it be to lie to an old man?

Very hard, it turned out.

Especially when Marco Bianchi looked at her like he never stopped.