LOGINRhea’s POV“You are just one of them.”The words kept ringing in my head, even as we landed at the airport, even through the solo drive back home. I couldn’t shake them off. I had thought I was special, at least to some point. Even my whole charade had been for nothing.All the plans I’d made, to walk into the airport, talk to a few reporters, make the headlines again, ended in nothing. I’d had to cover my face with glasses and a mask and run straight into the car. My cute outfit, wasted.I sat alone in my room, eyes fixed on the moving clock, somehow wanting to believe it was all fake, that Mia was just doing everything she could to drive a wedge between us.I held onto that thought when I fell asleep, and I woke up still holding it. But this time Mia had flooded my inbox with more pictures, captioned: good morning, Mrs. Langston.She was mocking me.I woke up day after day waiting for him. No appearance. And Mia kept the pictures coming, tears rolling down my cheeks. Thankfully, I d
Rhea’s POVMy smile vanished instantly as I looked at the note.Hope you didn’t choke. Then, Mia.Despite the cold room, I felt a surge of heat, and my mouth went dry. Had this girl poisoned the food?I didn’t trust her. I couldn’t. I grabbed my phone, threw on the nearest gown, and went straight to the hospital.The language barrier was doing a number on me, and I was doing a number right back, but thanks to the translator, I managed to describe everything. After a series of tests, I was clean.I sat in the waiting room, cold air rushing through me, filled with rage now instead of fear. Mia was playing with fire.When I got home, I met a pissed Rowan. Apparently he’d been calling and I hadn’t picked up, all thanks to Mia’s cheap trick.“I’m sorry, I had to rush to the hospital.” The words had barely left my mouth when Rowan stood immediately, turning me around slowly.“Are you okay?” he asked, so much worry in his eyes.I didn’t know how to tell him I’d been tricked by Mia, so I jus
Rhea’s POVI told myself he was joking. I wanted that so badly I almost believed it.So I let the night carry me. The wine helped, Turkish wine has a way of making bad decisions feel like good ones, and I stopped counting glasses somewhere around the third.The slow songs gave way to something with a pulse. Rowan leaned over, mouth against my ear. “Now the party starts.”People rose around us like the music had pulled them up by invisible strings. I stayed seated, nodding along, until my song came on, and something in me just stood up before I’d decided to. My body remembered the beat before my brain caught up.Rowan watched me the whole time. Not politely. Like a man doing math on how much longer he could wait.I gave him a reason to stop waiting. I dropped low in front of him, worked my hips the way I hadn’t in years, came back up slow. He didn’t dance so much as he moved with the idea of me. When the song ended I turned for the table, thinking wine, thinking water, thinking anythi
Rhea’s POVI watched Mia walk away in shame while I turned around, the joy of victory bubbling within me. I picked my way around the hobby area like it might swallow me whole, already paranoid about reporters. I had started the chaos, but a press chase was not on my list of things to handle today, especially not in this gown.I scanned the crowd for Rowan. A familiar warmth wrapped around my waist before I even heard him.“Looking for me?” His voice was deep and steady; I recognized it without turning.“Yeah. I was.” I smiled.He led; I followed close. He opened the door with a gentleman’s courtesy and I stepped through feeling like a queen.“Where to?” I asked once we settled.“It’s a surprise.” He said, then gave my outfit a long, assessing look. “But first you need to change into something appropriate.”His “surprise” and the “appropriate” warning sent a cold thrill through me. Rowan’s surprises were rarely harmless. I sat tight and hoped for the best.Our first stop was a Turkish
Rhea’s POVWhen I woke up the next morning, my eyes were heavy and I lay there alone. I kinda noticed when Rowan left the room, he had given me a peck before he did.A smile crossed my face as I picked up my phone. It was buzzing nonstop with notifications. I had pulled an all-nighter. When Mia had her little setup going, I was already a step ahead of her.I had spoken to the same reporter before the dinner ended, and made her an offer. “Ever wondered what your career would look like announcing the most eligible bachelor is married?”The line sold it. Next thing, she was asking for details. I gave her a few and sent some pictures Lyra had taken playfully, the caption reading, “just saw you and your dear husband.” If only she knew her little joke was actually helping my cause now. I threw in a few pictures from our wedding too.I didn’t even need to pay her for that juicy story. My phone blowing up meant she had already uploaded it.I unlocked my phone to messages from every corner. R
Rhea’s POV“Hello, Mia,” I said before turning to face her. I knew that voice, that screeching voice laced with venom.She stood with her arms crossed, eyes moving down my body the way you’d check a receipt for overcharges. I didn’t flinch. I tossed my hair back and let her look her fill.“Hi sister-in-law, remember me?” The guy beside her broke the tension. I hadn’t even noticed him until he spoke—Liam, Rowan’s stepbrother. I’d seen him once, maybe twice.“Oh hi, Liam,” I said.“Surprised to see you here, old friend.” Mia’s mouth curled around the word friend like it tasted bad. “I smelled trash the second I walked in.”Me? Trash? “Why surprised? My husband is holding a celebration, of course I’d be present.” I said, my voice landing hard on the word husband while my hand played with my ring.I watched her expression tighten.“Speaking of trash.” I let my eyes travel her dress, gray bleeding into brown like a bruise healing wrong. “Somebody should fire your stylist before they show
AUTHOR’S POV After the disastrous dinner, Rowan apologized several times to Rhea.Rhea kept assuring him it was fine, even though her night had been completely ruined. Still… the image of Rowan standing up for her replayed in her mind again and again, vivid as if it had just happened.But days pas
AUTHOR’S POV The next morning Rhea woke up feeling exhausted but strangely excited.She had dreamed about Rowan again.Blushing slightly, she hurried to get dressed for school. She found Lyra by the lockers and pulled her aside by the elbow.“I have to tell you something.”Lyra gave her the look.
AUTHOR’S POV“Erhm… nothing,” Rhea replied quickly, trying to keep her eyes from drifting to the pillow.“I sure heard something,” Mr. Rowan said as he stepped fully into the room, his eyes darting around curiously.Rhea’s stomach dropped. “I don’t… I don’t hear anything.”Rowan began walking close
Rhea’s POVOne minute I was with my father, answering his questions about boyfriends. Next, I was seated in Mr. Rowan Langston’s office, my hands clasped tightly in my lap as I waited for him.According to my dad, Rowan needed a fake bride. Someone discreet. Clean. No drama. No ill intentions. One







