Fake Fiancé Turned Real

I composed myself and put on a mask of sweet, spoiled innocence as I pushed open the door to the private room. The moment the door swung open, the roaring laughter inside instantly died.

When Jacob Grey saw me, a flash of panic crossed his eyes, but it was quickly masked by his usual, deeply affectionate facade.

“Nat, what took you so long?”

He walked over, naturally reaching out to take my hand.

I resisted the urge to pull away, letting him hold it. In fact, I even leaned against his shoulder and said sweetly, “Overtime ran a little late today. What was everyone chatting about that made you all laugh?”

Ruby Meyer sat opposite us, holding a glass of red wine. There was a triumphant smugness hidden in her eyes.

“We were just talking about Jake’s past,” she said in a coy voice. “Nat, you have no idea. Back in our school days, Jake was the ultimate heartthrob. His suitors would practically line the street, but his standards were so high that he didn’t care for any of them.”

With that, she shot me a loaded look.

“Who would’ve thought that a wealthy heiress like you would be the one to snag him in the end?”

If this had been before, I would’ve felt jealous over that subtle claim of ownership, and I probably would have picked a fight with Jacob. Yet now, I felt like I was watching two monkeys fight over a banana.

I let out a soft chuckle. Slipping my hand out of Jacob’s grasp, I picked up a glass of water from the table and took a sip.

“Well, of course. After all, the Hill family just offered far too much to pass up.” My tone was rather nonchalant.

The room instantly fell dead silent. Jacob’s face froze for a second, his expression shifting.

“Nat, what do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what it sounds like,” I replied, blinking at him innocently. “Didn’t my dad just invest in your project? Don’t tell me it wasn’t because of me?”

Jacob’s pride was clearly hurt. He hated nothing more than people suggesting he relied on the Hill family.

Frowning, his tone turned cold. “Natalie, I thought you understood me. I got that investment based on my own merit, not through a relationship.”

“Right, you’re the most capable one here.” I nodded dismissively, too lazy to argue.

Seeing this, Ruby quickly stepped in to smooth things over while subtly taking a jab at me. “Nat, Jake has been under a lot of stress lately. You shouldn’t use money to pressure him like this. He has a lot of pride, and you’re going to hurt his feelings.”

“Oh?”

I turned my gaze toward Ruby, looking her up and down. Finally, my eyes landed on the necklace she was wearing, the very one Jacob had gifted her just last week.

“Since you’re so considerate, Miss Meyer, why don’t you cover the tens of millions of dollars in his funding gap instead?”

Ruby’s face turned pale, and she bit her lip, silenced.

Jacob stood up abruptly. He grabbed my wrist and tried very hard to suppress his anger.

“Natalie, what is wrong with you today? Do you have to make everyone miserable?” he snapped.

Looking at his face, the face of a man who desperately wanted the money but still wanted to play the noble saint, my illusion of him shattered.

I calmly brushed his hand away as I replied, “I’m a little tired, so I’ll head out first. Enjoy your dinner.”

With that, I walked out of the room, shutting his stunned expression behind the door.

At the entrance of the pub, I stood quietly for two seconds. Then, I pulled the expensive watch I had bought for Jacob out of my bag and casually tossed it into a nearby trash can. It landed with a dull thud among the leftovers, just like my ridiculous relationship over the past few years.

For Jacob’s sake, I had engaged in screaming matches with my father and moved out of my family home. My credit cards had been cut off, and I had forced myself to learn how to be an ordinary girl. I took the subway, ate at cheap diners, and cooked for him in a tiny 500-square-foot studio.

I had thought I was fighting for love and standing up against the tyranny of my father. However, as it turned out, I was nothing more than a clown in their script.

My father had spent an eight-figure sum to hire a man specifically to disgust me and crush my illusions of romance. For that, he truly was a scheming capitalist.