Chapter 005

Alina's eyes widened, her heart racing as she stared into those eyes, the noise around her fading.

"Aiden Blackwood?" someone gasped from the crowd.

"It's truly him!"

"What's he doing at a party like this?"

The whispers grew louder, and that was when Alina finally understood; the man she had just lied about, the powerful and untouchable Aiden Blackwood, was now standing right in front of her.

Was she doomed after this?

Her eyes traveled up to meet his, and her breath hitched again. He was more breathtaking than Kelvin—tall, and sharp-featured. She looked down quickly, forcing herself to stand upright.

"Mr. Blackwood," Kelvin began with a strained voice, trying to recover his composure. "Word has it you don’t interfere in matters like this. Why are you covering up a lie?"

Aiden’s eyes flickered over to him. The corner of his lips lifted into a cool smile, but his eyes stayed cold. He looked amused… in a dangerous way.

"I don’t actually know you," he said, voice low and unbothered. "But since you’re so invested in how I met my woman, let me clear the air."

The room fell silent.

"I met her at The Blooming Nest flower shop," he said smoothly, giving Alina a soft look. "I was just there to buy flowers. Then I saw her—the most beautiful one in the place. I got interested, so I went after her. Got a problem with that?"

Kelvin’s mouth opened to argue, but Jennifer chimed in, skeptical. "Anyone can claim that. She works there. It could be a made-up story."

Aiden’s jaw tightened. He was already irritated. If it weren’t for his grandma nagging him to settle down, and his assistant dragging him to this miserable party, these fools would’ve learned their place a lot sooner.

Still, Alina had just handed him the perfect excuse to finally get the old woman off his back… and he wasn’t about to waste it.

He turned to Alina and stepped closer, closing the space between them.

Then, he looked straight at Kelvin.

“Watch closely,” he said, voice low and cold. “This is what we’ve been doing behind your back for the past few months.”

And then, before Kelvin, or Alina, could react, Aiden claimed her lips.

The room gasped.

Alina’s eyes flew open in shock. What… what was he doing?

But then his hand settled on her waist, firm and possessive, and his lips moved against hers with ease.

"If you're going to lie, then make it believable," he murmured against her mouth.

Alina’s heart thundered. What choice did she have now?

Her hands instinctively reached for his back, steadying herself as she kissed him back. Just enough. Just convincingly enough.

When he finally pulled back, he scanned her face, his voice quieter this time...almost too intimate.

"You need to stop coming to places like this. Why here, when you have me?"

"I…" Alina started, but her voice failed her.

"Stop making me worry too much," Aiden interrupted softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Alina blinked, speechless. What was happening?

Before she could process another thought, he bent and swept her off her feet, cradling her in his arms.

The crowd parted.

Lorraine stood rooted in place, her mouth slightly ajar. It felt like her spirit had departed from her body.

Meanwhile, Alina’s brain completely shut down the moment her feet left the ground. One second she was being mocked and backed into a corner, the next, she was in the arms of Aiden freaking Blackwood, a man she only knew from news headlines and scandalous business gossip.

"What the hell is happening?" she whispered, barely audible.

Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as he carried her with ease past the gaping crowd. Everyone moved aside like he was royalty. Maybe he was.

She could feel her pulse thudding in her ears. Her cheeks burned. And her heart? It felt like it had jumped right out of her chest.

They reached a sleek, black Bentley and a suited man opened the door right on cue, and Aiden gently slid her inside before joining her.

Silence filled the car.

Alina blinked as it started moving. Her palms were sweaty, and her throat dry. The tension in the air wasn’t angry; it was the kind that made her very aware of how close he was, how good he smelled, and just how insanely attractive he looked.

"Are you gonna keep looking like you’ve seen a ghost?" Aiden asked casually, eyes still fixed on the road ahead.

Alina jolted. "W-Why did you help me?"

Aiden leaned back, resting his arm along the back of her seat. "Because you lied."

"What?"

"You said you were seeing me. That put me in a very... interesting situation, flower girl."

"Since when do you know me?"

"I don't," he said simply. "I only saw you by chance while driving past that shop. You were smiling so wide it irritated me."

She blinked. He had also lied... to save her?

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

He turned to her then, one brow raised. "I was supposed to bring a girlfriend to my grandmother’s birthday next weekend. And you just volunteered."

"I didn’t!" she exclaimed, horrified.

"You called me your fiancé in front of those people. Sounds like volunteering to me."

"That was..." she hesitated, biting her lip. "That was a mistake."

"Well," he smirked, "then we’re both making one now. And since we’re in it, we may as well play it right. I’ll clean up your lie, you clean up mine.”

"Isn’t it wrong to just… impose that on me?"

"I kissed you in front of everyone. Do you want me to go back and tell them it was fake?" He asked, raising a brow, already irritated.

Alina froze.

Aiden leaned closer, voice dropping. "Then you'll become the laughingstock."

She bit her lip, mind spinning. She had no idea who this man really was beyond the rumors, but one thing was clear; he didn’t ask for permission. He took what he needed.

And somehow... he made it look like a favor.

"So," he said, relaxing, "we’re going to act like a couple until next weekend. You’ll smile, say ‘yes, honey’ when needed, and charm the hell out of my grandma. I’ll handle the rest."

"After that?" she asked.

He glanced at her. "We’ll go back to being strangers."

Her heart squeezed strangely at that. Why?

"...What’s your grandma like?"

"You’ll get all the details." He didn’t look up, fingers scrolling through his iPad.

"Oh."

They sat in silence for a while until she finally turned to him. "I’ll do it."

"Deal, then."

"It’s Alina. My name—Alina."

He gave a distracted hum in reply as she turned to gaze out the window.

"I can do it," she whispered to herself. Maybe this insane lie was the beginning of something even crazier.

And maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad pretending to be Aiden Blackwood’s fiancée, even if it was just for a week.

Her fist clenched in her lap.

"I promise you one week of hell, Kelvin. I’ll use every second to destroy you."