002

Amelia's POV

My hands tightened around my phone as I turned towards the man sitting beside me. A faint smile tugged at his lips, and I immediately fought the urge to cry.

I pressed my palm against my forehead, cursing inwardly. It was all Annie's fault. How had I managed to get myself into such a mess?

The moment the plane landed, I was ready to get off. I grabbed my handbag and waited impatiently as the other passengers began filing out.

Once we stepped off the plane, I followed the crowd through the airport, deliberately keeping my distance from the man beside me. We went through immigration, collected our luggage, and eventually made our way towards the arrival hall.

Outside, a cab was already waiting with my name displayed on a sign.

I climbed into the back seat, leaving as much space as possible between myself and my unwanted companion. For the entire journey, I kept rehearsing how I would explain this situation without making myself sound like someone who had kidnapped a stranger.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to calm my nerves. I had brought a stranger onto a plane, handed him my bank card, and shared my personal information with him. The last thing I needed was for him to report me to the police.

Soon, the car came to a halt. I stepped out, and he followed closely behind. As I stood before my father's house, memories of the past came flooding back. Everything looked exactly as I remembered. Not a single thing seemed to have changed.

Then my mother's voice rang out from the front porch.

“It's Amelia! She's here!”

She hurried towards me, followed by my father, brother, and sister. They gathered at the entrance, their attention fixed on me.

Then Sebastian appeared behind them. He slipped an arm around Aurora's waist and placed a kiss on her cheek.

Before I could react, a warm hand settled around my waist and pulled me closer. I gasped, and every pair of eyes immediately shifted towards the man standing beside me.

“Amelia, who is he?” my mother asked, looking between us. I parted my lips to answer, but he spoke first.

“I'm her fiancé,” he announced calmly.

I turned to him, my brows drawing together. Our eyes met, but instead of explaining himself, he gave me a wink.

Everyone fell silent. My sister's jaw practically dropped.

“There is absolutely no way Amelia could get someone this handsome,” Aurora muttered. The comment stung more than I cared to admit. I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat as she tightened her arms around Sebastian, as though she wanted to mark her territory and remind me that he was hers.

“He looks familiar,” my brother said, stepping closer. I let out a nervous laugh, hoping to dismiss his suspicion before he could think too much about it.

“He's not. He's just an ordinary person. Stop exaggerating things.” My brother shook his head and pulled out his phone.

“I know what I'm saying. I've seen him somewhere before.” I watched him scroll through his screen, growing increasingly uneasy. A few seconds later, his eyes widened. He glanced at the stranger beside me, then back at his phone. He raised his head.

“Alexander Brooks?”

Before I could ask what he meant, he pushed his phone right in front of my face.

“Look!” My eyes fell on the screen, and my entire body went still.

There he was, standing confidently in the photograph, dressed in an expensive suit. Beneath his picture were the words:

ALEXANDER BROOKS — BILLIONAIRE BUSINESS TYCOON AND OWNER OF THE BROOKS EMPIRE, A BUSINESS EMPIRE WHOSE INFLUENCE EXTENDS ACROSS NEARLY HALF THE CITY.

I blinked, then examined the screen again.

Oh, God, it was him. The same man I had mistaken for Daniel Hayes. The same man I had practically dragged onto a plane and handed my bank card to.

My legs weakened beneath me. I had been treating a stranger like someone I had hired, giving him my personal details and bringing him into my family home. And now I was looking at a man whose name carried that much influence. I couldn't even begin to imagine how badly this could go for me.

I tried to steady myself, but before I could lose my balance, Alexander's hand tightened around my waist, holding me firmly against him.

“Easy, love, I don't want you falling,” he murmured. I lifted my head towards him.

He was smiling. It was the unsettling smile of someone watching a situation spiral out of control while finding the whole thing amusing. A shiver ran down my spine.

How could he possibly be smiling at a time like this? “Maybe he's an impostor,” Aurora said, folding her arms.

I forced an awkward smile while my brother turned towards her. “I know what I'm saying. I've been trying so hard to get in contact with this man, and I've never even had the chance to meet him. Yet Amelia has brought him right to our doorstep.”

His excitement was so obvious that his eyes were practically welling up. I swallowed hard. Whenever I planned, things rarely went the way I expected, but this was ridiculous. The moment I decided to fake a relationship, I somehow ended up with a billionaire.

Was someone deliberately working against me? To make matters worse, Alexander wasn't even trying to correct anyone. He simply stood there, playing along as though being introduced as my fiancé was perfectly normal.

I attempted to move away, but his arm tightened around my waist, keeping me firmly in place. All I could do was force another awkward smile.

My father cleared his throat and stepped forward, extending his hand towards Alexander. The two men exchanged pleasantries before he invited us inside.

“We can have more introductions over dinner. You must have had a long journey, so go in and freshen up first.” I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Finally, someone had brought the conversation to an end.

As we walked inside, Alexander's hand remained around my waist. When I reached for my luggage, he offered to carry it. His sudden display of affection was making me increasingly nervous, and I pressed my lips together, trying not to show it.

“Amelia, I'm sorry. We didn't know you were coming with a visitor, so we only prepared one room,” my mother said, looking partially worried. For once, I found it amusing how quickly she had become concerned about my comfort.

“It's fine. I'll sleep on the couch in the living room,” I replied. Before my mother could respond, Alexander pulled me closer and planted a kiss on my cheek. My body stiffened at the unexpected gesture.

“Come on, baby. You can say that.” He turned towards my mother with a polite smile.

“Don't worry, ma'am. We'll manage with one room.” I opened my mouth to protest, but one look from him was enough to make me reconsider. I swallowed my objection, silently wondering what he was up to.

Once we entered the room, I dropped my bag and turned to face him.

“Why didn't you tell me I had picked up the wrong person at the airport?” I demanded, keeping my voice low. He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he removed his coat, placed it neatly on the bed, and settled into the wooden chair beside the window. He crossed one leg over the other before fixing his attention on me, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

“What's the fun in that? I'm enjoying this. It's been a while since I've had this kind of family drama.” My jaw dropped.

“Mr.—” I stopped, pressing my lips together as frustration threatened to spill over. “It's all Annie's fault. If she had shown me your picture, I wouldn't be in this mess. The universe has always been against me. I've never managed to do anything without something going wrong.”

I took a breath before continuing. “Please, I'll book you a flight back tomorrow morning. We can pretend none of this happened.”

He studied me briefly before standing. Reaching into his coat, he brought out his phone and a velvet box, placing both on the table.

“I understand. You saved me from a stressful day, and I'm here to have some fun. My business won't collapse because I'm away for three days.” I shook my head in disbelief. He clearly wasn't understanding me.

“No, you don't get it. You have to leave. I'll tell my family something came up and you had to return home.” He tilted his head slightly, his attention steady on me.

“Don't worry. I won't file any complaint. You're safe with me.” My shoulders finally relaxed, and I pressed a palm against my forehead.

“Thank goodness,” I muttered.

“However, I'm a businessman. We have to make an exchange.” He pointed towards the velvet box and his phone.

“There's a marriage document on my phone, and the box contains a wedding ring. I was on my way to pick up my arranged fiancée, but she abandoned me at the last minute. Then you came along and saved the day. So, I believe we can help each other.” I stared at him, trying to make sense of what he was proposing.

“I'm not sure if I understand what you mean, Mr. Alexander.” He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and tapped his fingers against the armrest.

“How about I go downstairs and tell your family that you paid me twenty-five thousand dollars to act as your fake fiancé?” He paused, stroking his jaw thoughtfully. “I remember your sister has been waiting for an opportunity to make you look foolish in front of your family. Do you really want to take that chance?”

I fell silent; he had a point. My eyes burned as I fought back the tears threatening to spill. I glared at him, barely containing my frustration. Somehow, I couldn't stop blaming Annie for putting me in this situation.

“What if I refuse?” I asked, still hoping there was a way out. He simply shrugged.

“Then you leave me no choice.” He stood and headed towards the door. My heart began pounding as he reached for the handle.

“I'll sign,” I muttered.

I quickly picked up his phone and signed the electronic document. He returned to the table, took the velvet box, and removed the ring, gently sliding it onto my finger.

“It wasn't so hard, wifey,” he whispered near my ear. I flinched, biting my lip as I stared at the ring.