CHAPTER 5: FAKE RELATIONSHIP, REAL SPARKS.

Gloss POV

“Don’t refuse, unless you want to die tonight.”

“Now that I think about it, you really don’t have any choice.”

Those words still echoed in my ears like a curse. Dream’s silver eyes didn’t just look at me — they cut through me. My spine went stiff, my brain screamed to say no, to shout it, to fight back just for the satisfaction of it. But then my survival instincts hit me like a slap across the face.

The system chimed, cheerful and cruel as ever.

[Main Mission Activated: Become the CEO’s Shield.]

[Task: Accept Fake Relationship Proposal.]

[Reward: +15 Affection Points. Failure: Host Termination.]

Termination. Again.

My lips twitched into something that might have been a smile. “Fake boyfriend. Sure, I can do fake. I’m amazing at fake. My whole life is basically fake.”

Dream tilted his head slightly, his tone flat. “So you accept.”

“Do I even have a choice?”

“You don’t.”

“You made that clear,” I muttered. “Then yes, I accept.”

He gave a small nod, calm and satisfied, as if he’d just signed a contract instead of forcing me into a fake relationship.

By the time I stumbled back to my desk, I felt like someone who had just signed their own death warrant. Fake boyfriend to the coldest CEO in the city. Perfect. Ten out of ten plan for survival.

The system chimed again.

[Side Quest: Smile naturally when holding hands with the CEO. Reward: +2 Affection Points.]

I dropped my forehead onto the desk with a groan. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

[Affirmative. Host’s suffering is entertaining.]

“Unbelievable.”

By the next evening, I was standing in front of a mirror, wearing a suit so expensive I was scared to breathe too hard in it. Dream had sent it over himself. His assistant delivered it with a message that said, “CEO Lancaster says wear this. Don’t embarrass him.”

The suit fit like it had been made for me. I looked good. Better than good — terrifyingly good. For a second, I didn’t even recognize myself. I looked like someone who belonged in one of those glossy magazines I used to read in cafes before the staff kicked me out for nursing one cup of coffee too long.

The system popped up.

[Notice: Appearance upgraded. Charisma +3.]

I smirked at my reflection. “Look at me. Gloss Rivera, from broke nobody to designer boyfriend.”

Then I tried to strike a confident pose, slipped, and nearly fell flat on my face.

[System Note: Grace -1.]

“Shut up,” I muttered under my breath.

When I reached the lobby, Dream was already there, waiting. He wore a black suit so sharp it could slice through air. His eyes scanned me from head to toe, detached and unreadable.

“You’ll do,” he said simply.

“Wow, high praise,” I said dryly.

The gala was chaos wrapped in glitter. The air was thick with perfume, laughter, and money. Flashing cameras went off the second Dream stepped onto the red carpet. I stuck to his side because the system told me to.

[Mission: Hold the CEO’s arm confidently. Reward: +5 Affection Points.]

I smiled and linked my arm through his. “At least if I trip, I’ll drag you down with me.”

Dream didn’t even look at me. “Don’t test me.”

But to the cameras, we looked like the perfect couple.

Inside the ballroom, the noise dimmed but the attention didn’t. People turned their heads as we passed. Some gasped, others whispered.

“Is that his secretary?”

“No way.”

“They actually look… good together.”

I was ninety percent sure I heard someone whisper, “Daddy CEO and his toy boy.” I kept my smile in place, pretending I hadn’t heard it.

Dream’s relatives were the first to swoop in. They looked like they’d been waiting for this moment. His aunt, covered in diamonds, smiled politely but her eyes were sharp. “Dream, darling, you didn’t tell us you were bringing company.”

I bowed slightly. “Gloss Rivera. Secretary. Boyfriend. Fake—” I coughed, forcing a smile. “Sorry. Boyfriend.”

Dream’s fingers pinched my side so hard my vision blurred. I winced but kept smiling.

His uncle adjusted his tie and gave me a once-over. “So, where did you two meet?”

“Oh, you know,” I said quickly, “coffee spilled, eyes met, caffeine and destiny collided. Very romantic. He glared at me like he wanted to commit a crime, and I thought, wow, this is the man of my dreams. Or nightmares. It’s complicated.”

Aunt Diamond blinked. Uncle Sniff looked lost.

Dream’s grip tightened on my arm, but to my surprise, his relatives laughed.

“How refreshing,” his aunt said, smiling. “Someone with personality. You must be a handful for Dream.”

I grinned. “He’d die of boredom without me.”

Dream’s eye twitched, but he didn’t say a word.

The system chimed again.

[System Notice: Gala Survival +10.]

[Affection Points: +5.]

By the time dinner started, I was drunk on adrenaline. I hadn’t touched the champagne, but I felt high on my own boldness. Every person who tried to test me got swept up in my banter. I had the room laughing. For once, I wasn’t just surviving. I was shining.

Dream said almost nothing the entire night. His jaw was tight, his expression unreadable, but he didn’t stop me. He didn’t correct me. That silence meant something. It was his approval — or maybe surrender.

Either way, I had made it through.

The system sparkled across my vision.

[Mission Complete: Become the CEO’s Shield.]

[Reward: +15 Affection Points.]

I wanted to scream with joy. Instead, I excused myself to the bathroom and silently punched the air. “Yes! Who’s the cannon fodder now?”

[Reminder: You are still cannon fodder until proven otherwise.]

I groaned.

The car ride home was quiet. Too quiet. Dream sat beside me like a statue, his face turned toward the dark window. I leaned back into the seat, humming softly, my nerves finally settling.

“You know,” I said lightly, “for my first fake boyfriend gig, I think I did amazing. Ten out of ten. No refunds.”

Silence.

“Your aunt loved me. Your uncle tolerated me. I’d say I’m the best PR move you’ve ever made.”

Still silence.

I smiled to myself. “Come on, admit it. I saved your night.”

Suddenly, a cold hand clamped around my wrist. I gasped. Dream had turned, his silver eyes locked on me, sharp enough to draw blood. His grip tightened until my fingers went numb.

“Who taught you,” he said quietly, “to act like you’re really mine?”

The air in the car turned cold. My throat went dry, my pulse stopped. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. His voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through everything around us.

The system flickered across my vision.

[Warning: Danger Level — Extreme.]

And just like that, my brief taste of victory turned into fear.

My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I wanted to pull my wrist free, but his hand didn’t move. He just stared at me like he was peeling away every lie I’d ever told.

In that moment, I didn’t see the man who’d dragged me into a fake relationship. I saw the predator everyone warned me about.

And I realized, maybe surviving him wouldn’t be as easy as completing a mission.