My Ex Husbands First Day As His Fake Fiancee

"Miss Monroe, Mr. Knight said if you are one minute late, your contract is over."

I was not late. I stood in lobby of Knight Holdings at 7:58 AM, old bag tight in hands, cheap shoes wet from rain.

Whole lobby went quiet when I walked in.

Everyone looked at me. Yesterday I was nobody, crying woman in boardroom. Yesterday I said yes to being Adrian Knight's fake fiancee while ex-husband Jason was dragged out by security after he gave me divorce papers as a birthday gift in Boardroom A. Now everyone knew my name. Scarlett Monroe. Woman billionaire boss claimed.

Receptionist whispered to another. A man in suit stopped typing to stare. The security guard at main elevator looked away fast when I looked at him. My old bag — the same one I used when I worked two jobs for Jason's MBA — felt heavier. My cheap dress, washed too many times, stuck to my legs from rain.

"Miss Monroe?"

I turned. Woman from HR, forties, perfect black suit, perfect smile, eyes checking cheap dress from shoes to hair. She held a tablet with my photo on it. Yesterday's photo. Crying.

"I am Linda, HR Director. Come with me. Mr. Knight left clear orders for you."

Her voice was professional but not cold. She had been told to be nice to me. Because I belonged to him now.

I followed her past main elevators. Not to main elevator everyone uses. This one was hidden behind frosted glass, with gold keyhole. Only CEO could use it. Only his.

"This one needs gold key," Linda said, pressing card. "Only Mr. Knight and now you. First rule — you never use main elevator again. Only Mr. Knight's private. Second rule, you are not just assistant. You are his fiancee. So look like it."

The elevator opened silent. Inside smelled like cedar, his cologne from yesterday. My heart beat too fast.

"Mr. Knight arrived at 5 AM," Linda said as doors closed. "He checked your file. He said if anyone makes you cry today, they are fired. So please, Scarlett, don't cry. I like my job."

I almost laughed, but tears burned. Thirty, divorced, no family after parents died in car accident five years ago, no money after burying name Evans to Monroe to survive loan sharks from fifty thousand for second mother's cancer. Yesterday I was nobody. Today richest man in Manhattan said I belong to him.

Elevator stopped at 44th floor. Not 45th where my office should be. Doors opened to room like small luxury store. Three racks of expensive clothes, shoes lined like art, and lady waiting with makeup case. Thirty thousand budget sign on mirror.

"I am Sofia, stylist," lady said, Spanish accent warm. "Mr. Knight ordered full wardrobe. Thirty thousand budget. No arguments. He sent your size at 6 AM."

"I don't need this, I just need work," I whispered, old bag tighter. "I am thirty, divorced, need job, not dresses."

Linda laughed soft. "Scarlett, you sit next to richest man in Manhattan on 45th floor, window over Manhattan. You cannot wear that old dress that is wet from rain. If you argue, he will come down himself from 45th floor. He hates waiting."

For thirty minutes they changed everything. Sofia pulled cheap dress off gently, like she knew it was my only good one. Gave me cream silk blouse that felt like water, black pencil skirt that fit perfectly around waist and hips, black heels that made legs longer. Fixed brown hair that I always tied cheap into soft waves over shoulders. Light makeup — not heavy like Tina's — just enough to show my brown eyes, my lips.

In mirror, I did not see sad divorced woman from yesterday, crying in boardroom with divorce papers in hand. Saw stronger Scarlett. Elegant. Like woman who could belong to Adrian Knight.

"Much better," Linda said, eyes satisfied. "Now you look like you belong to him. Much better than Tina Lopez."

Tina. Jason's secretary. Woman wearing my 【entity-Dior¦canonical_name=Dior】 lipstick yesterday.

"Office next to Mr. Knight's on 45th floor," Linda continued, leading me to private elevator again. "He wanted you close. Exclusive, only his. He said glass walls so he can see you are safe. He said if Jason Miller comes, call him directly, not security."

My office huge. Bigger than old apartment with Jason where leaking roof kept us awake. Glass desk, new laptop already open with my name Scarlett Monroe - Executive Assistant to CEO, fresh white flowers, window over whole Manhattan. Right next to Adrian's office. I could see his office through glass — black desk, no photos, only one gold key on desk.

At 8:05 AM, lobby called on new phone.

"Miss Monroe, Mr. Jason Miller here to see you. Says he is your husband. Says urgent."

Blood went cold. Old bag on new glass desk looked cheap again.

Before I could answer, private elevator dinged — not main, private — and Jason walked onto 45th floor. Security behind him, but he pushed past, breath heavy. Cheap suit wrinkled, eyes red, no sleep. Same suit he wore yesterday when he gave me divorce papers.

"Scarlett! We need talk!" he shouted. Whole 45th floor looked up from desks. Assistants stood. "You cannot be engaged to my boss! People downstairs say you slept with Knight for job! That you are gold digger!"

Security grabbed his arms.

"Mr. Miller, you cannot be here, you were fired yesterday—" security started.

Then Tina appeared behind him, out of main elevator she shouldn't use. Red dress tight, my Dior lipstick perfect. She smirked at my new cream blouse.

"Scarlett, you think you are smart?" Tina sneered loud enough for floor to hear. "Sleeping with boss? Everyone knows you are just thirty-year-old divorced gold digger with no family, no money, old bag. Mr. Knight will get tired in one week and throw you out like Jason did."

I stood up. Hands shaking inside, but no tears. Not on first day as fake fiancee. Not in front of whole 45th floor. Not in front of Linda who liked her job.

"I am not sleeping with anyone, Tina," I said, voice low but clear. "And this Dior lipstick — you took from my desk yesterday? It looks cheap on you."

Tina's face twisted.

Jason pulled free from security. "Scarlett, please! I made mistake! Tina means nothing! It was one time! Tell Knight you made mistake! Come home! We can fix divorce papers! I tore them yesterday after he tore them! We can be husband and wife again!"

He tried to grab my hand across glass desk.

"Don't touch her."

Voice low, cold, deadly. Everyone froze. Even Tina stepped back.

Adrian Knight walked out of his office. Thirty-four, tall, broad shoulders in flawless black suit, dark hair perfectly cut, sharp jaw, ruthless grey eyes. Billionaire CEO. My ex-husband's boss. Man who wants me. Man who claimed me yesterday.

He walked straight to me, stood in front of me, between me and Jason. So close I smelled his cedar cologne from elevator. Placed hand on my lower back, possessive, protective, claiming me in front of everyone on 45th floor. Warm, large, exclusive.

"Mr. Miller," Adrian said calmly, but Jason stepped back two steps. Voice ice. "You are trespassing. You were fired yesterday for stealing company time. You have no right to touch my fiancee."

"She was my wife yesterday!" Jason's face red, veins. "You can't take her! She is mine! Three years!"

"I just did," Adrian said, ice colder, hand tightening on my back, pulling me closer to his side. "Scarlett Monroe is mine now. Exclusive. Only mine. She works for me. She lives with me. She belongs to me. No other man touches her. Especially not you who gave her divorce papers as gift."

He looked at Tina, eyes disgusted, like she was nothing.

"And you, Miss Lopez. Also fired yesterday. HR banned you from all Knight properties for stealing company lipstick and lying on resume. Security, escort them out. Ban them from all Knight properties. If they come again, call police."

Security pulled Jason and Tina away hard this time. Jason shouted my name, "Scarlett! Scarlett! Don't do this!" Tina screamed unfair, this is unfair, she slept her way up. Main elevator doors closed with ding.

Silence returned to 45th floor. Everyone quickly looked down at computers, pretending not to hear heart beating loud.

Adrian turned to me, hand still on lower back, not moving away.

"Are you okay?" Voice softer, only for me, grey eyes scanning my face for tears.

I nodded, but tears came anyway, one down cheek despite new makeup.

He sighed, thumb brushing tear away, possessive. "I told you I don't like criers, Scarlett. But exception today. First day."

Gave me handkerchief with initials AK embroidered gold, same initials as gold key.

"Come with me. I need to show you where you live for three months. After today, not safe to go back to old apartment where he knows address. You live with me now."

We went up in private gold key elevator to 60th floor. Penthouse. Doors opened and I gasped. Palace in sky. Floor to ceiling windows, Manhattan lights despite morning rain, marble floors, black sofas, no mess, no photos, only cedar smell.

"Guest room down hall," he said, leading me, hand still on back. "Next to mine. My rules: One, no men. No contact with Jason. Two, exclusive, only mine for three months. Fake fiancee but act real in public, kiss when needed, hold when needed. Three, tell me if anyone threatens you. I protect what is mine. I don't share."

Opened door. Guest room huge, king bed white sheets, closet already full of dresses in my size, cream, black, red, all new, all expensive.

"Tonight you sleep here," he said, eyes possessive, looking at me in cream blouse and black skirt that he bought. "Here safe. Here you belong to me."

Looked up at him. My ex-husband's boss wants me. First time in three years, felt safe being wanted, being claimed, being exclusive only his.

Then his phone rang, loud in penthouse silence.

"Mother? You landed? Now? I thought tomorrow."

Elegant woman's voice on speaker, British accent warm but commanding: "Adrian, darling, I landed early from London. I am at your penthouse lobby downstairs with your grandmother. We want to meet our future daughter-in-law tonight. Don't make us wait. Ten minutes, or we come up."

Heart stopped. His mother. Tonight. Not tomorrow. Tonight.

Adrian looked at me, jaw tight, grey eyes dark.

"She's here early. Are you ready to be mine in front of my mother, Scarlett?"

Elevator downstairs dinged.