Chapter One: First Meeting

Sasha strutted confidently as she made her way to her company’s fundraiser in the five-star hotel. Being one of the first people to arrive, she sat on a table in front. In a few hours, Tom McCarthy, the Chief Strategy Officer, would make the most important announcement of her career; she was about to be promoted from manager to director. For seven years, she had worked hard to earn the promotion, and tonight was her night.

The event scaled through slowly and then it was time for the new Director of Strategy to be announced. Tom McCarthy took to the stage to address the crowd. After his speech, he made the announcement.

“I am pleased to announce that the new Director of Strategy for Golden firm is none other than Mr. Gold Fletcher.”

As Mr. Fletcher made his way to the stage, Sasha felt her heart sink. How could this be? Everyone at work whispered that the promotion was hers. Tom McCarthy himself commended her at every given chance. He’d told her he couldn’t think of anyone who was better fit for the role. What went wrong?

Disappointed, she walked out of the hotel, fighting back the tears that stung the back of her eyes. A little walk and some fresh air should make her feel better. Luckily, the grand hotel had a lakeside view that spread out in front of it. She carefully made her way to the bridge that curved over the lake and into a garden, using the bright screen of her phone to make her way through the darkness.

As she reached the middle of the bridge, her phone rang. It was her younger sister whom she had told about the promotion. Surely, Tatiana was calling to congratulate her. She thought about ignoring the call because she knew that having to say out loud that she didn’t get the promotion would push her to tears, but she decided she would rather get it over with sooner than later.

“Hello?” She said as she answered the call.

“So?” Tatiana said from the other end of the phone. Her baby could be heard babbling in the background.

“So, I didn’t get it,” Sasha replied with an air of defeat.

“What?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t understand,” said Tatiana after a brief silence.

“Yeah, me neither.” Sasha used the back of her finger to dry a tear near her eye. “I was so sure I would get the promotion, but some new guy who just transferred here got it.”

“Sasha, I’m so sorry,” said Tatiana.

“I was really looking forward to this. I really thought that for once Mum and I would have something to talk about other than marriage.”

“Don’t tell me she still bothers you about getting married,” Tatiana said.

“She never stopped. At this point, I’m considering a fake marriage.”

Tatiana laughed. “You wouldn’t.”

“No, I’m serious. I’m seriously considering a lavender marriage.”

“You can’t,” Tatiana protested. She could hear the seriousness in her sister’s voice.

“Why not?” asked Sasha.

“I mean…what if you fall in love with someone else and want a real marriage?”

Sasha scuffed. “After my ex? I don’t think I ever will again.”

“But what about…the other stuff?”

“What stuff?”

“Dad’s debt,” said Tatiana. “You can’t just drag anyone into that, you know? And only someone who truly loves you would be willing to put up with that.”

“Oh,” said Sasha. “I didn’t think about that.” She sighed. “I wonder if we will ever get out of it. I wish I could have my home to myself without Mum nagging in my ear all day long. It’s why I needed this promotion. I need every extra income I can get.”

“I know. It’s been harder since Ruby,” confessed Tatiana. “Scott and I said to each other the other day that if we knew, we would have waited a few more years before having a baby. Now, a huge chunk of our income goes into paying off the debt and taking care of Ruby.”

“I’m so glad that Scott understands,” said Sasha.

“I know, right? I feel so lucky.”

“I have to go back now before anyone notices I’m missing. I’m clearly very cherished in this company,” Sasha said sarcastically.

“Try to be happy, okay? Someday, you’ll get what you deserve. I know it,” Tataiana said.

“Thanks.”

Sasha ended the call and inhaled deeply. A little weight had been lifted off her shoulder just by talking to her sister. And for a moment, her problems didn’t feel like hers alone. She turned around and stopped in her tracks.

At the foot of the bridge in the darkness, and with dim light pouring on its back, was a tall, broad-shouldered figure looking in her direction.

Since coming to America, Darnell had been to one soulless meeting after another. He preferred conversations about wines over those he’d had the past few days about hotels. But since his father passed away and he’d inherited his shares of all King Hotels, the largest luxury hotel conglomerate in the world, he was left to deal with the incomplete hotel budgets, unsigned hotel documents, and unresolved hotel plans. Everything about the hotels that his father left behind after he died were his now, both the wealth and the troubles.

His grandfather still owned shares of the hotels. Those too would become Darnell’s when he passed away. That was how it worked in the King family. When an heir was no longer capable of handling the family business, he passed it down to the next in line, but held a small percentage of shares until his death. Then, when he too passed, his shares belonged to the new heir.

He’d been to all the countries in the world where they had hotels and was back to California where he started. It was here that he grew up as well, before he decided to start his wine business in Paris at the age of twenty-one.

His little brother, Joshua, had offered Darnell a room in his home, but he’d declined and chosen to stay at the hotel instead. He couldn’t stand the familial atmosphere of Joshua’s home. Grandfather always emphasized that it was important for a man to have a family. It was his first declaration to the world that he was fit to lead any business. After his father’s dead, Joshua had inherited his personal business; an advertising firm for high-end companies. Grandfather said Joshua could handle it so easily because he was a family man

Darnell took his grandfather’s statements with a grain of salt, because having a family always seemed like something done for show in the King family. Grandfather saw women outside of his marriage, and so did his father. Perhaps, even Joshua was the same too. Darnell couldn’t imagine being a part of something so polished and yet so fake, so he never bothered to have a real relationship and had no intention of getting married.

Until now.

Grandfather was sick and barely had two months to live. He’d given Darnell an ultimatum—to marry before his death or lose his share of the hotels. So, his search for a wife began. He needed to pay someone to play his wife before Grandfather passed. It wouldn’t be his first time paying women to be in a relationship with him to satisfy Grandfather.

He strolled out of the hotel and walked down to the lake. It was dark. He loved the darkness. Joshua always joked that it matched his closed off personality.

The lake area was his favorite place as a child. He had memories of his family having picnics there and looking like a perfectly happy family. Just him, his mother, his father, and Joshua—until he realized it was nothing more than a façade.

As he neared the bridge, he heard the voice of a woman coming from the top. He waited by the foot in hopes that she would leave after her phone call as she looked dressed for the party at the hotel.

She started talking about wanting a fake marriage and caught his attention. It was as though the universe had guided him there on purpose to help fulfill his desire. She was perfect for three reasons—she was desperate, needed money and was a nobody. He wanted a secret wedding, and it’ll be easier to have when no one knew the woman he married.

She had ended her call and started back down the bridge. That was when it occurred to him that he’d never actually approached a woman romantically. She saw him and froze. He couldn’t make out her full face clearly, but one half of it caught the light and he could see that her curly hair was packed upwards. He realized she couldn’t see him clearly either and was afraid, so he mentally included fixing the lights around the lake to his list of things that needed fixing around the hotel.

“Hello,” he said, raising his hand. “I’m Darnell. Darnell King. I own the hotel,” he added, not to brag, but so that she could know that she was safe.

“Oh, Mr. King.” She’d seen him on the internet, but it was her first time meeting him in person. His father was the former owner of her firm that his brother now owns.

“Likewise, Miss.…”

“Peirce,” replied Sasha. “Sasha Peirce.”

“Miss Peirce,” Darnell repeated. “Could I have a word with you, Miss. Peirce?”

“Of course,” Sasha replied as she descended the bridge and finally stood next to him.

Even with her heels on, he towered over her. He was wearing a regular T-shirt and khaki pants but managed to make them appear fancy. His voice was deep but calm.

“So, what brings you out here?” he asked. “I figured you were one of the party people.”

They started walking back to the party.

“Yeah, it hasn’t been a great night for me. I didn’t get the promotion I thought I’d get. So, I needed somewhere to breathe,” she replied.

“My apologies,” he said. “But I’m glad I got to meet you. I’d love to make it up to you with dinner. Tomorrow evening. What do you say?”

He was handsome. Gorgeous even. But she knew of his shenanigans and not to be fooled by his faux gentlemanliness. He was the King who people gossiped was different from the rest of his family. He was no family man, and none of his relationships had lasted more than a month. Maybe, it was her insecurity, or the fact that she’d been dying to have a man on her since her ex who’d broken her heart so badly that she’d felt no excitement ever since, but she decided she wanted to see where this went.

“I’d love to,” she replied.

“Great,” he said. “I’ll be at the hotel’s restaurant at six.”

“I’ll see you then.” She smiled.

He watched her walk into the party before turning around to leave.

Small diamond face, slim figure, sparkling almond eyes, thick curly hair, long legs. She was just perfect to play his wife. Perfect enough that everyone would believe they were great together. After all, that was all that mattered—how it looked on the outside.

All he had to do now was convince La Belle to become his wife within a month.