The Cousin

“You didn’t tell me you had a cousin trying to take your company,” Jessica said the moment they got in the car.

“It wasn’t relevant before.” Christian’s eyes stayed fixed on the road, his hands tight on the wheel.

“It’s relevant now. He’s coming to our wedding, Christian.”

“I’m aware.”

Jessica turned in her seat to face him. “Tell me what’s going on. All of it. If I’m about to walk into some family war wearing your grandmother’s ring, I deserve to know what I’m walking into.”

Christian was quiet for a long moment. Then he sighed, and some of the coldness left his shoulders.

“Matt is my father’s brother’s son,” he said. “When my father died, he left his shares of the company split between me and Matt. Equal parts. But my grandfather has the final say on who takes full control when he passes.”

“And he’s choosing based on the wedding?”

“He’s choosing based on who he believes will protect the family,” Christian said. “Matt has been trying to prove I’m cold, heartless, unfit to run a family business. He tells my grandfather I only care about money and power.”

“And getting married proves you’re not heartless?”

“It proves I’m capable of loving something more than the company.” Christian’s jaw tightened. “Which is exactly why Matt will try to expose us the second he gets the chance.”

Jessica’s stomach twisted. “Expose us how?”

“However he can.” Christian glanced at her. “He’s smart. He’ll watch everything. Every touch, every look, every word. If he senses this marriage isn’t real, he’ll tell my grandfather, and then everything falls apart. Not just for me. For you too.”

“For me?”

“You signed a contract for two million dollars,” Christian said. “If this falls apart before the year is up, you get nothing.”

Jessica sat back in her seat, her mind spinning. This was supposed to be simple. Marry a stranger, act happy for a year, walk away rich. Now there was a dying grandfather who actually cared about her, a family company on the line, and a cousin who wanted to destroy everything.

“There’s something else,” Christian said quietly.

“What?”

“Matt knows Barry.”

Jessica’s blood went cold. “What?”

“They went to school together. Business partners on a few deals. If Matt finds out you were engaged to a man I fired in public last night, he’ll use it as proof this whole thing is fake.”

“How would he even find that out? Half that city was probably already talking about it before we even left the gala.”

“Exactly.” Christian’s knuckles were white on the wheel now. “It’s already spreading. Someone posted a video from last night. It’s everywhere.”

He handed her his phone without looking away from the road. Jessica’s stomach dropped as she watched the video, already at two million views. Faith throwing the champagne. Barry’s cold, embarrassed face. And then Christian, walking through the crowd like he owned the whole world.

The comments were brutal.

Who is this random woman and why is Christian Ford suddenly engaged to her?

This has to be fake. Nobody falls in love in one night.

Bet she’s just after his money.

Jessica set the phone down, her hands shaking slightly. “They’re already calling me a gold digger.”

“They’ll stop the moment they see how happy we are,” Christian said.

“We’re not happy. We’re strangers who signed a piece of paper twelve hours ago.”

Christian pulled the car into a long driveway, stopping in front of a large house with tall glass windows. He turned to face her fully, his gray eyes steady.

“Then we make them believe otherwise,” he said. “Starting now.”

“How?”

“Matt just texted me. He’s already in the city. He wants to meet tonight. Dinner. All of us.”

Jessica’s heart dropped. “Tonight? I haven’t even unpacked.”

“There’s no time to unpack,” Christian said. “Get dressed. We leave in two hours.”

The restaurant was the kind of place where the food cost more than Jessica’s old monthly rent. She sat stiffly beside Christian, watching the door, waiting for the man who wanted to destroy everything.

Matt arrived exactly on time, and the moment Jessica saw him, she understood why Christian was worried.

He looked like Christian’s darker twin. Same sharp jaw, same tall build, but his eyes held something colder, hungrier. He smiled as he approached the table, but it never reached his eyes.

“Cousin,” Matt said, sliding into the seat across from them. “And this must be the famous fiancee. The one everyone’s talking about.”

“Jessica,” she said, holding out her hand.

Matt took it slowly, his grip lingering a second too long. “Jessica. I’ve heard so much about you already. All in the last twelve hours.”

“News travels fast,” Christian said flatly.

“Especially juicy news.” Matt’s smile widened. “Tell me, Jessica. How does it feel to go from engaged to one man to engaged to his boss in the same night?”

The table went silent. Jessica felt Christian tense beside her.

“It feels like I finally found someone who doesn’t lie to me,” Jessica said evenly, holding Matt’s stare.

“Interesting choice of words,” Matt said, leaning back. “Considering how quickly this whole thing came together.”

“Some things don’t need time,” Christian said, his voice sharp. “You should try honesty sometime, Matt. It might improve your relationships too.”

Matt’s smile flickered, just for a second. “Careful, cousin. Grandfather already suspects you’re rushing this for the company. Don’t give him more reasons to doubt you.”

“Grandfather trusts me,” Christian said.

“Grandfather is dying,” Matt shot back, his voice suddenly cold. “And dying men make emotional choices. That doesn’t mean they’re the right ones.”

Jessica felt anger rise in her chest, hot and fast. “You’re talking about handing over a family business like it’s a game. That man back there loves both of you. He’s scared, and he’s trying to make sure his family stays together before he goes. Maybe try remembering that instead of scheming over dinner.”

Matt’s eyes snapped to her, surprised.

Christian turned to look at her too, something unreadable in his expression.

For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Matt leaned back, his smile returning, but colder now.

“She’s got fire,” he said to Christian. “I’ll give her that.” He turned back to Jessica. “But fire burns out fast, sweetheart. Especially when it’s built on a lie.”

He raised his glass in a mock toast.

“See you both at the wedding,” Matt said. “I can’t wait to see how long this little act of yours lasts.”