Chapter 03

Leonard and Vivian were together.

I still blamed myself for letting her deceive me for so long.

Now my lie forced me to act. I needed to restore my reputation, and the only way to do that was to appear in public with a man everyone believed was my boyfriend, an important, wealthy man.

The engagement party was tomorrow, and I still hadn’t found the man to play the part. I doubted any decent man would agree to be seen with a woman like me, but it was too late to back out. Everyone on campus was talking about it.

I went into my room, trying to focus, but my phone lit up with a new notification:

“Premium Escort Services. Find your perfect match for exclusive events.”

I grabbed my phone. I had signed up for that days ago, in a moment of despair. Immediately, I wrote down the address and started getting ready.

I grabbed my bag and stuffed inside the card with all my savings. I didn’t check references or verify the website’s safety. Not only that, but I only looked at the address and the money I would spend. It didn’t matter if it cost fifteen thousand dollars; I needed to end this, to prove to Leonard, Vivian, and everyone else that I wasn’t the slut they said I was.

I walked off campus. The starry night caught me by surprise. The door opened, and while I looked up at the sky, I didn’t notice Vivian standing ahead; I bumped right into her. Her face, half-hidden in the shadows, made me cover my mouth to keep from screaming.

She looked me in the eye. That should have frightened her, but it didn’t.

“Where are you going?” she raised an eyebrow. “You never leave campus.”

I felt her gaze burn on me. A strange sensation hit me: Vivian was watching me.

“We’re not friends anymore, so I don’t have to explain anything.”

I looked up at her—your thick lashes fluttering, incredulous at what she had just heard. Something dangerous stirred inside me, and my face flushed hot as embers. I turned my body, ready to leave, when Vivian grabbed my arm hard.

Her nails dug into my skin, scraping it.

“Imagine the rumors tomorrow about what you do when you sneak off campus at night.”

She was threatening me again. It was foolish to challenge her. Confronting the dean’s niece could lead to the university expelling me.

I shrugged, avoiding an immediate response, when Leonard’s voice broke through Vivian’s intentions. Looking into his eyes was still painful, and my hands trembled when Vivian released me. I noticed my skin bleeding, burning.

“Hi, my love,” Vivian threw herself into his arms, and Leonard smiled. “Can you believe Roberta wants to leave the university? She’s meeting her rich boyfriend.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I looked again at the man I still loved. His gaze was so cold that a death sentence would have hurt less than his disdain. Leonard laughed; he didn’t believe I could have a boyfriend. No one did, but I was ready to prove them wrong.

“You’re right, I’m going to see him,” My tone was soft, as always, but faltering. “It would be terrible if I couldn’t attend your engagement party with my boyfriend. You’re dying to meet him.”

Vivian went silent, exchanging looks with Leonard. He rolled his eyes, tired of being there. He placed his arm around Vivian’s waist. My heart pounded with pain. I shouldn’t have been hurting for a man who rejected me and helped destroy me, but love like that wasn’t easy to forget.

“Tomorrow we’ll see if there’s any man in this city brave enough to date you, or if you’re just making up this story to cover the mistake you made.”

It took me a few seconds to realize Leonard was talking to me. His voice was so dry when he spoke to me. My face must have revealed what I felt, because Vivian spoke next:

“No one will ever know you went out; after all, we have no idea what you’re plotting.”

She laughed, studying me from head to toe before finally walking away. As they drifted farther from me, my knees weakened. Leonard opened his arms, and Vivian slipped between them. He pulled her close and kissed her lips.

It hurt like knives piercing my chest. Tears blurred my vision. I had to live with this every day, and I had no idea when the pain would stop.

I turned my feet back toward the street, focusing only on my mission. Likewise, I barely remembered the last time I had stepped beyond those walls. I had been so focused on studying that I forgot there was life outside and that I needed to live it. The driver I had called was already waiting outside. City lights flashed in my eyes; the streets buzzed with movement. The driver gave me a strange look as I sat in the car.

The vehicle stopped in front of a luxury hotel downtown. The neon sign glowed brightly.

“The Sovereign Lounge.”

My heart froze.

Was I really going to do this? Pay a fortune to a man I didn’t know to pretend to be my boyfriend?

I was one step away from backing out. I could make up an excuse to Vivian. But if I backed out, ruin would befall me forever. I took a deep breath and got out of the car, smiling at the driver to hide my trembling hands.

I adjusted my glasses, which kept slipping down my thin face. My faded Converse and the old dress that reached below my knees made me feel like a freak. But there was no time to dwell on that.

I walked timidly into the lounge, glancing around. Instead of an agency, I found a luxury bar filled with business executives in suits and women dressed to impress.

My heart raced. I cleared my throat and approached the best-dressed man near the check-in counter, the hotel receptionist.

“I want an escort,” my voice came out hoarse and weak.

He turned, surprise flickering in his eyes. He quickly masked it with professional composure and cleared his throat.

“For what kind of event? And for how many days?”

“For an engagement party,” I said, gaining a little confidence. “I want the most expensive man you have.”

My eyes narrowed past the attendant, landing on a man leaning against the wall, checking his phone. He wasn’t wearing a suit, but his black shirt looked tailor made, and the watch on his wrist gleamed with discreet luxury. He had an air of danger—of power. Furthermore, he was the most handsome man I had ever seen.

He lifted his gaze and met mine.

“I want that man,” I pointed toward him. “I’ll pay for him to pretend to be my boyfriend for a month.”