chapter four

​ I rushed downstairs without even glancing in a mirror, my heart hammering against my ribs. When I reached the living room, my jaw nearly hit the floor.

​ There was Ethan Vance, looking effortlessly flawless in a casual designer shirt, completely engrossed in a conversation with my dad.

​"Oh, here she is," my dad said, smiling warmly the moment I stepped into the room.

​"I practically had to drag her out of bed," my mom added, sitting comfortably on the couch beside him.

​ I stood there, hyper-aware of my wild morning hair and oversized pyjamas. I looked at Ethan, my face a mask of pure confusion. "What are you doing here?"

​"Good morning to you too, love," Ethan said. He smiled, revealing a row of perfect, blindingly white teeth.

​ My dad leaned forward, throwing a look between the two of us. "You didn't tell us your new boyfriend was this respectful, Katherine. We like this one infinitely better than that Cole guy."

​ My mom nodded in agreement.

​"Boyfriend?!" I choked out, my voice squeaking.

​"Yes, love," Ethan responded smoothly, his eyes dancing with pure mischief.

​ What on earth was going on in my house? I didn't waste another second. Before he could brainwash my parents any further, I marched over, grabbed him by his massive forearm, and dragged him up the staircase toward my room.

​ behind us, I could hear my parents giggling like teenagers.

​"They're so cute," my mom whispered loudly.

​"Very," my dad concluded.

​ The moment we cleared the door of my bedroom, I pulled him inside and slammed the door shut, locking it for good measure. I turned around, crossing my arms. "What are you doing here?"

​"Easy, Katherine. I just wanted to see you," he said easily. Without an invite, he walked over and tossed himself onto my bed, casually propping himself up on his elbows as he scanned the space. "Nice room."

​"I bet your bedroom is the size of my entire house," I muttered defensively.

​"Not quite," he chuckled, his gaze sliding up to lock onto mine. "You look beautiful this morning, by the way."

​ A sudden wave of heat rushed straight to my cheeks, but I fiercely ignored the compliment. I planted my hands on my waist. "Why did you want to see me, Ethan?"

​"Because I missed you," he said, breaking into a loud, rich laugh.

​"Well, none of this is funny. Can you please just go straight to the point? It's Saturday, and I desperately need to rest."

​"Okay, okay." Ethan raised his hands in a mock surrender. He sat up on the edge of the bed, his playful expression fading into something much more focused. "Remember last night when you asked how you could repay me?"

​"Yes," I said cautiously. "What about it?"

​"I've thought about what you can do for me. And trust me, it will benefit you just as much."

​"Benefit me? What exactly do you want, Ethan?"

​"It's simple. Last night at the game, people saw us together. By midnight, pictures of us were flying all over the internet." He pulled out his sleek phone and handed it to me.

​ Staring back at me on the screen was a high-quality photo from the VIP box. It captured the exact moment Ethan had leaned in to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. The lighting made it look incredibly intimate.

​"The media is loving us," Ethan explained as I stared at the screen. "Our chemistry, the look, all of it. They think we're the next big sports IT-couple. Look at the comments."

​ I scrolled down reluctantly. He wasn't lying. The internet was losing its mind over the mysterious girl next to the NHL’s golden boy.

​"Okay, but I don't really follow," I said, handing the phone back to him as a strange knot formed in my stomach. I hated the idea of my face being plastered across social media. "We aren't a thing."

​"I'm a professional athlete, Katherine. I can't keep being spotted by paparazzi with random girls. But the public loves you. My PR team thinks a stable relationship is exactly what I need right now to secure my next major endorsement with Nike,my father thinks I'm irresponsible for moving around with different girls and I want to change that." He leaned back, giving me a slow, calculated wink. "We should make this official. Don't you think?"

​"What do you mean, Ethan?"

​"Be my girlfriend, Katherine," he said. The playfulness was completely gone from his voice. He looked deadly serious.

​"What? It's just like the dream..."

​ The words slipped out of my mouth before my brain could stop them. My eyes widened in horror.

​Ethan’s smirk returned instantly, brighter than before. "Dream? I see. So you were dreaming about me last night?"

​"No! It's... I... never mind!" I stammered, my face burning like a furnace. I cleared my throat, trying to regain my dignity. "Why on earth do you want me to be your girlfriend?"

​"It doesn't have to be real," he reasoned, standing up from the bed. "We make a few public appearances, hold hands for the cameras, stuff like that. Like I said, it benefits you, too. Just imagine Cole's reaction when the official press release drops."

​I paused. The thought of Cole's ego being completely bruised was incredibly tempting. "Well... he might actually go crazy. But what happens when the deal is over? A public breakup?"

​"Technically, yes, to the public. But it won't affect us because it's just a business arrangement. A win-win," he said, stepping closer until he was towering over me. "In the end, you win. Cole loses."

​"I..." I swallowed hard, looking up at him.

​"So?" Ethan asked, his intense, piercing eyes searching mine for an answer. "What do you say?"

​ I took a deep breath, looking around my room, and then looked back at him. As much as I wanted revenge, a harsh wave of reality hit me. "I don't think it's going to work out."

​Ethan froze. "Why?"

​"No, Ethan. No," I said, taking a step back to create some distance between us. "I can't live a lie. Even if it ruins Cole, I just... I can't do it."

​A flash of genuine disappointment crossed Ethan’s handsome features. He let out a quiet breath. "I thought you said you wanted to repay me last night."

​"Well, ask for something else. I'll do anything else, but I can't do this."

​ Ethan stared at me for a long, silent moment. Finally, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek, black business card. He walked over to my nightstand and dropped it gently onto the surface.

​"I'll give you some time to think about it," he said quietly, heading toward the bedroom door. "Here's my card."

​ Without another word, he opened the door and walked out, leaving me alone in the sudden silence of my room.

​ I sank down onto the edge of my bed, staring at the black card. I knew he had thrown me a massive lifeline last night, and I genuinely wanted to repay his kindness... but a fake relationship with an NHL superstar was just too high of a price. Cole had already destroyed my trust. If I entered a fake relationship with a guy like Ethan, I was definitely going to end up catching real feelings and getting hurt. I couldn't risk my mental health like that.

​ But as I heard the front door click shut downstairs, a heavy weight settled over my chest.

​ What do I do now?