CHAPTER 114 — TOTAL DINNER DRAMAMAYA’S POVWait…No freaking way.My breath snagged halfway up my throat.That face—those dark, unreadable eyes—sharp jawline, tailored black suit that fit like it was stitched directly onto his skin.Aleksander Thorn.Or, as my traumatized nervous system remembered him—the stranger who grabbed my waist in the middle of a boutique.My heels wobbled against the marble floor.This couldn’t be real.Out of all the people Damian could’ve picked for his ridiculous “pretend relationship” stunt, it had to be him?The man who thought I was someone else?Who practically caged me with his presence in public like he owned the air I breathed?God, the universe had jokes tonight.His gaze locked on mine the moment he stepped inside.The air shifted—tighter, heavier, like the room forgot how to circulate oxygen.For a long, blistering second, neither of us spoke.Then his jaw clenched, and that quiet, almost disbelieving voice rolled out, low and calm.“You.”My lip
CHAPTER 113 — THE DINNERMAYA'S POVI stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror, fingers grazing the smooth black fabric hugging my curves. Black. Always black. Always sharp. Always me. And yet… my heart refused to cooperate. It wasn’t even Aleksander I was nervous about. Nope. Not him. Not really.It was Grace. And Xves. And that goddamn tightrope I was walking between pretending I had a boyfriend and trying not to fall apart in front of everyone.Why was I feeling like this? Like what exactly? I asked myself.Grace was just… Grace. My friend, nothing more. And Xves… my bodyguard. My irritating, infuriating, infuriatingly perceptive bodyguard. He should have been stationed outside like I ordered—guards on every potential point of danger, perimeter secured—but no. He was going to be there. Everywhere. Watching. Judging. Maybe silently plotting to tell me how reckless I was... just as that pesky "Mr know it all" Damian had ordered.Speaking of the devil… my phone buzzed.I hes
CHAPTER 112 — JUST A FRIEND MAYA'S POVI blinked, heart skipping a beat. A visitor? At this hour? My mind ran through possibilities—Damian sending someone, a nosy journalist, security alert? No. My gut told me… something else. Something personal.I straightened my shoulders, trying to mask my racing thoughts with an air of control. “Who?” I demanded.The maid shifted uncomfortably, clearly nervous. “Uh… I wasn’t given a name, ma’am. Just… you should see them yourself.”I let out a slow breath, rubbing my temples. The words “see them yourself” echoed like a challenge. “Fine,” I said, my voice low but firm. “Lead the way.”I followed her down the hallway, each step echoing sharply against the polished marble floors. My heart pounded, not from fear, but anticipation. Every nerve in my body screamed caution. Act natural. Glamorous. Controlled. But my mind betrayed me, spinning scenarios, imagining the worst, rehearsing the lines I’d never get to say.We stopped at the parlor. The maid o
CHAPTER 111— PREPARE FOR HIM “Yes. That is exactly what you’re supposed to do. Not because I told you, not because the city will hate her, not because your reputation will recover—but because you, Larry Jonathan, deserve a life that isn’t defined by chaos and deceit.”I felt the words hit like a slap. Divorce her. Me. After everything. After the fights, the stolen moments, the mess I’d buried inside myself for years… she was telling me to cut it all off.“You’re telling me… you want me to…” My voice trailed off, heavy with disbelief.“Yes,” she said, voice cold but firm. “Larry. Cut the cord. Walk away. Stop dying a little each day for someone who would never do the same for you. Stop apologizing for a woman who thrives on breaking you down. Divorce Maya Jonathan. Today. Now. Before the world finishes what she started.”I swallowed hard. My mind screamed, my heart thumped like a drumline in war. I wanted to argue, to fight, to tell her I couldn’t, that I wouldn’t, that I… But the tru
CHAPTER 110 — CONFRONTATION AT THE ESTATELARRY’S POVThe office smelled of power. Expensive, cold, commanding power. Leather chairs, polished wood, floor-to-ceiling windows that glared at me with the city below like a jury of millions. I wasn’t afraid. Afraid of her? Please. I respected her—well, feared her, sure—but I wasn’t quaking in my shoes. Not yet.Miss Davenport sat behind the massive mahogany desk, legs crossed, hands folded over a stack of perfectly aligned papers. She didn’t even glance at me as I entered. She didn’t need to. Her presence filled the room like a storm.“Mr. Jonathan,” she said finally, eyes lifting just enough to scan me. Sharp. Cold. Smarter than anyone I’d ever had to deal with. “Do you have any idea what a spectacle you’ve made of yourself?”“I… I—” I started, but the words died in my throat. There was no talking over her. Not now, not ever.Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me. Spare me the excuses. I’ve seen enough headlines in my lifetime to know when a
CHAPTER 109— WALKING INTO FIRE MAYA'S POV "Fine. I’ll do it.But I swear… if this goes wrong—”“You won’t fail,” Damian interrupted quickly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Just follow the instructions. Keep it public. Keep it believable. The world will forget. And the story ends.”I tapped my phone screen, calling him back immediately. “Okay. I’ll do it,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “Tell me exactly what I need to do.”Damian’s reply was precise, efficient, and chillingly calm. “First… we stage the initial meeting. You’ll be seen together at the state charity gala. Cameras, photos, social media. Make it convincing. You’re a couple. Public appearances only. No personal interactions beyond what’s necessary. Keep it professional, glamorous, and controlled.”I swallowed hard. “And… after that?”“Then the story begins to shift,” he said, almost smug. “Photos of you laughing with him. Smiles. Headlines of the new ‘power couple.’ The public eats it up. Within a week, you