2

RYAN 

I adjusted the cufflinks on my tailored blazers as I strode down the lavish hallway leading to the ship's grand ballroom. I barely looked at the elaborate decorations lining the ship's corridor or the ocean view spilling through the floor-to-ceiling windows. For others, the Celestial Harmony represented luxury, romance and the perfect escape for the New Year. For me, it was a glorified office.

The holiday season held no special value for me. Christmas? New Year? They were just dates on the calendar, interrupting my tightly controlled schedule. Normally, I would have been buried in my work, finalising deals from the comfort of my office. But this time, my biggest client, Mr. Gregory Langston, had thrown a wrench into my plans.

“It’s a perfect opportunity to celebrate our partnership, Mr. Ryan,” Langston had said over the phone, his voice warm but firm. “My beautiful wife and I will be there, and I expect you to bring your girlfriend, the one you’ve talked so much about over the years.”

I had swallowed hard, masking the panic with my usual charm. “Of course, Mr. Langston. She would love to be there, she wouldn’t miss it.”

What I had failed to mention was that the girlfriend in question didn’t exist.

Over the years, during the early stages of my partnership with Mr Langston. I had fabricated a lie, claiming the existence of a serious relationship just to impress him. Mr Langston was an older man who valued stability and responsibility, traits I knew Langston associated with a committed relationship. It was a strategic lie, one that had opened doors for my business, but now, it was threatening to blow up in my face.

“Fuck this,” I muttered as I boarded the cruise. I had one goal in mind: to find someone, anyone who could convincingly play the role of a long-term girlfriend for the duration of the trip. Time was running out and I couldn’t afford for my client to suspect anything.

I scanned the deck, my sharp blue eyes assessing every woman I passed. Some were too young, others too old, and most of them were with their families or significant partners. None of them fitted the image I had carefully painted for Langston: smart, elegant and beautiful.

Then I saw her.

I had been leaning casually against the bar on the upper deck, nursing a glass of bourbon when the commotion caught my attention. A woman stood near the railing, her shoulders squared and her voice rising in sharp, angry tones.

“What’s going on,” I muttered to the bartender, who had paused mid-pour to watch the scene unfold.

“Looks like her boyfriend’s in trouble,” the bartender replied with a chuckle.

I watched, intrigued as the woman, dressed in a flowing sundress that highlighted her figure, gestured wildly toward a man who looked utterly panicked. Her voice carried over the soft hum of the crowd, but it was the expression on her face that held my attention. Hurt. Rage. Betrayal. 

The boyfriend mumbled something, his hands raised in a hostile manner, but the woman wasn't having any of it. She turned to her heels and walked away, leaving the young man standing there, looking like he had just lost a war.

My mind whirred. She was beautiful, no doubt about it. Her sun-kissed skin glowed under the sun and her dark hair framed her gorgeous face even in anger. But more than that, she had fire.

I watched as she retreated to the railing, gripping it tightly with her white-knuckled hands while she stared out at the ocean. Alone. 

She’s perfect.

She was exactly the kind of woman I had always described and bragged about to Mr. Langston; fierce, bold and beautiful. I took a long breath, downed the rest of my drink, straightened my blazer and made my way to where she was.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this. This is madness, Ryan,” I mumbled under my breath as I approached the woman. I was never nervous about anything, but here I was scrambling for the right words. A lot was riding on this.

When I got to where she was, I kept my tone light and casual. “Rough night?”

She turned her head sharply, her eyes flashing with anger. “Look, I am not in the mood for any pleasantries,” she said in a harsh tone.

“Fair enough,” I said, leaning against the railing a few feet away. I allowed a moment of silence to pass before speaking again. “But I couldn’t help but notice the little scene back there. Is that your boyfriend?’

“Ex-boyfriend,” she snapped, her voice laced with anger.

I smirked. “Ah. Well, congratulations on dodging that bullet,” I said in a sarcastic tone.

Her glare softened a bit and she let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah. Lucky me.”

I watched her for a moment, weighing my options. She was clearly upset, it was obvious, but I needed to act fast. If I let her wallow for long, she might retreat to her cabin and I would lose my chance.

“Look,” I began, turning to face her fully. “I know we don’t know each other, but I have a good proposition that would be great for you.”

“A proposition?” she muttered, her eyes shot up.

“Don’t worry,” I said, holding my hands up in a mocking surrender. “It’s nothing shady. It’s just unconventional.”

Her curiosity piqued. “I’m listening,” she said, folding her arms.

I took a deep breath and began to launch into my pitch. “I need a girlfriend. A fake one. Just for this cruise.”

Her mouth fell open. “What?!”

“I know it sounds crazy, but I am serious,” I said quickly. “There’s a man I need to impress, a client. He’s under the impression that I’m in a stable re; relationship and now he wants to meet my girlfriend.”

“And you think I’m going to do it?’ she said in a high tone.

I shrugged. “Well, why not? You’re already here, you’re beautiful and clearly, you have a reason to want revenge on your ex. I’m offering you the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone here.”

She hesitated, her eyes searching mine for any sign of deceit. “Why me? And what’s in it for me?”

“Revenge,” I said simply. “I’ll make sure your boyfriend…”

“Ex,” she interrupted.

“Apologies. I’ll make sure he knows what he lost. We’ll laugh, dance and have the time of our lives. Trust me, he’ll hate himself by the end of the trip.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she began to consider my offer. I held my breath, knowing this was my only shot.

Finally, she extended her hand to me. “Fine. But I have my rules.”

“Name anything,” I said, taking her hand in mine. 

“If I don’t like how this is going. I’m out. No questions asked.”

“Deal.”

“And no funny business,” she added immediately, her eyes narrowing.

My lips twisted into a smirk. “You have my word.”

For the first time, I saw her smile, just a small curve of her lips but it was enough to make my chest tighten unexpectedly.

“I’m Ava,” she said.

“I’m Ryan,” I replied.

As we shook hands. I couldn't help but feel the spark of excitement. This plan was risky but it just might work. As I looked into her determined eyes, I found myself wondering what this deal would lead to.

The next day came too suddenly and I was to meet with Mr. Langston for dinner in the evening. I wondered if Ava was still in with our deal or if she had changed her mind.

I was towelling off after a quick shower when I heard the soft beep of the cabin door unlocking. My muscles tensed up for half a second before I remembered I had given Ava the access card.

She was punctual, I would give it to her.

Footsteps padded across the carpet followed by the faint scraps of luggage wheels. I wrapped a towel tightly around my waist and leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, watching her as she stood in the middle of the room.

“You’re here,” I said casually.

Ava looked up, her gaze landing on me and quickly darting them away. “You’re undressed,” she muttered, turning her back to me.

I smirked. “You’re the one who showed up in my cabin unannounced.”

“Unannounced?” she snapped. “You gave me the key.”

Fair enough. I grabbed a shirt and a pair of slacks from my bag and headed back to the bathroom to change. “Give me two minutes,” I said over my shoulder.

By the time I returned, she was perched on the edge of the bed, her suitcase open beside her. She pulled out a sleek black dress and held it up.

“This is going to be weird,” she mumbled.

I leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “Living together for a few days?”

“Pretending to be madly in love with this total stranger I just met,” she corrected, shooting me a dry look.

I laughed. “You’ll survive. We just have to sell it, that's all. No one is going to question us if we play our role well.”   

“And how do you propose we do that?” she asked, raising her eyebrow.

“We need to know enough about each other to make it believable,” I said, moving to sit across from her. “Basic stuff. Who we are, what we do, how we met…..things real couples should know.”

She nodded. “Alright. What do you want to know?” she asked, folding her arms.

“Start with the basics. What do you do?”

“I’m a photographer,” she replied. “Mostly freelance. Weddings, events, some editorial works. I’ve been saving up to open my own studio but…it’s taking a lot of time.”

“Hmmmm. Ambitious,” I said, nodding approvingly. “What about family?”

“My mum and I are close,” she said softly. “My dad died a few years ago. It’s just the two of us now.”

I nodded, filling that away. “Alright. My turn. I work in business management as a team manager.”

It wasn't the whole truth, but it would do. There was no need to complicate things with details about being the CEO of a billion-dollar company.

“Anf what about your family?” she asked, tilting her head.

“My parents are retired. They travel a lot now. I've also got an older sister. She’s married with kids.”

She nodded. “Anything else that I need to know?”

I smirked. “I hate pineapple on pizza, I’m unbeatable at poker and I have a soft spot for bourbon. You?”

“I’m allergic to shellfish, I binge true crime podcasts and I cry during cheesy romance movies,” she said, her lips twitching into a small circle.

“Good to know,” I said, standing. “Are you ready for tonight?”

She looked down at her dress and then back at me. “I’m ready.”

By the time we left the cabin in the evening, Ava was already dressed to kill. The black dress clung to her like a second skin, and for a second, I found myself wondering how someone like her boyfriend could be so dumb enough to let her go.

Her arm slipped through mine as we walked toward the lounge and she tilted her head toward me. “Do I look convincing?”

“You look perfect,” I said honestly. 

Her cheeks flushed and I couldn't help but smile. We were almost at the lounge when I spotted Mr Langston near the bar. His sharp grey suit stood even among the crowd of well-dressed passengers.

“Alright,” I muttered to Ava. “That’s him over there. Follow my lead and….”

“Ryan!”

I cursed under my breath as Langston turned and started walking toward us. 

As he got close, Ava grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the nearest wall.

“What are you….”

She cut me off by pressing her lips to mine.

For a split second, my brain stopped working. Her hands slid up to tangle in my hair and the warmth of her lips sent a jolt straight through me.

My instincts kicked in immediately. My hands settled on her waist, pulling her closer and I leaned into the kiss, matching her intensity. It was supposed to be for show, but it felt….real. Too real.

Finall,y when she pulled away, her cheeks were already flushed, her breathing uneven.

“Sorry,” she whispered, her eyes turning toward Langston. “It was a necessary evil.”

I blinked, my mind still on the kiss. “No need to apologize. That was effective.” I said, clearing my throat.

Langston approached us, his grin widening. “Ryan! This must be your girlfriend.” 

I forced myself to focus, slipping back to my usual charm. “Gregory,” I said warmly, shaking his hand. “It’s great to see you.”

Langston turned to Ava, his eyes gleaming. “Ryan has told me so much about you. You’re even lovelier in person.”

“Thank you,” Ava said with a polite smile. “Ryan has told me so much about you too. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

As Langston beamed at her, I shot a quick glance at Ava. She had played her part perfectly and I owed her that. 

But as Langston continued to talk, I couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss and a confusing realization that I had wanted it to last longer.