CHAPTER 7

Oliver's POV

"Oliver! Some girl named Elena is on your phone," Serena called out, her voice cutting through the steady pulse of the bass echoing in my living room. She was holding my phone out, a massive, amused smirk on her face. "Sounds pretty serious."

Julian chuckled from the bar, ice clinking loudly against his glass as he poured another drink. "Yeah, man. She sounded incredibly formal. What did she do, call to schedule a corporate auditing meeting? Who is she?"

I ignored the teasing, my chest tightening slightly as I stepped across the plush rug to take the phone from Serena's hand. I glanced at the screen. It was my personal line.

She's calling early, I thought, a wave of cold satisfaction washing over me.

"Excuse me for a second," I told the group, turning on my heel. I walked briskly toward the floor-to-ceiling glass doors, sliding one open and stepping out onto the quiet, humid terrace. The heavy glass clicked shut behind me, instantly drowning out the loud music and the laughter of the mini-party inside.

I lifted the phone to my ear, keeping my voice smooth and entirely unaffected. "Miss Golding. I didn't expect to hear from you until tomorrow morning."

"I read the papers, Mr. Wyatt," Elena’s voice came through the line. She sounded incredibly tired, but there was a sharp, steady edge to her tone that I hadn't expected. "I’m calling to tell you I accept. I’ll sign the contract."

I leaned against the terrace railing, looking out over the glowing Manhattan skyline. I wasn't surprised. Overhearing her desperate call in the stairwell this morning told me everything I needed to know about her financial ruin, but actually hearing her verbalize the consent made a massive weight lift off my shoulders.

"I knew you would," I replied smoothly, letting a trace of my usual arrogance slip into my tone. "You're a smart woman, Elena. You know an opportunity when you see one."

"But I have conditions," she shot back quickly, her voice hardening. "There are a few clauses in this document we need to discuss before I put my name on anything. I want them adjusted."

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Even when she was completely cornered and desperate to save her sister, she was still trying to negotiate with me. I had to admire her nerve. Most of the executives in my building would have swallowed their pride entirely, but she was still fighting.

"We can look over the details tomorrow morning in my office," I said, checking my watch. "Eight o'clock sharp. Bring the folder with you."

"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Wyatt."

"Goodnight, Elena."

The line went dead before she could say anything else. I lowered the device, staring at the blank screen for a brief second. Step one was officially complete. She was in the game.

I shoved the phone into my pocket, pushed the heavy sliding door open, and stepped back into the warmth of the penthouse. The small crowd of about ten people—mostly close childhood friends who knew me too well to buy a standard corporate PR spin—turned to look at me the second I re-entered.

Serena was still sitting on the edge of the leather sofa, swirling her champagne. "So, are you going to let us in on the mystery? Elena doesn't sound like your usual type, Oliver. Usually, your girls have names like Tiffany or Monique and sound a lot more excited to hear a woman answer your phone."

The group laughed again, throwing out casual jokes. They didn't know her, so it was all harmless teasing, but the timing was absolutely perfect. The board wanted a reformed family man, and my uncle Richard was practically counting down the hours until tomorrow afternoon’s emergency meeting to take my chair. If I wanted this fake marriage to work, I needed to start laying the groundwork right now, starting with the people who knew me best.

I walked over to the bar, picking up my own glass and letting a slow, deliberate smile play on my face.

"Actually," I said, waiting a beat until the laughter died down and I had the room's full attention. "She's not a business meeting."

Julian paused, the bottle of scotch hovering over his glass. "Don't tell me the great Oliver Wyatt actually has a secret girlfriend. Since when?"

"It's new," I said, keeping my tone perfectly grounded. I forced a touch of softness into my voice—a quiet, protective cadence I had never used in my life. "We met recently, and... I don't know, guys. She’s completely different from anyone I’ve ever been with. She’s just an everyday girl. Completely real, and she doesn't give a damn about my money, my startup, or my title."

Serena blinked, looking genuinely surprised. "Wait. Are you serious? You're actually caught up on a regular girl?"

"I am," I said, looking down at my drink as if I were being private about my feelings, letting them see a rare flash of vulnerability. "Honestly, she completely caught me off guard. I met her and it just... hit me. I think she might be the one. I'm actually thinking about settling down."

Julian stared at me for a long three seconds, searching my face for any sign of a joke, before a massive grin broke out across his features. He set the bottle down and walked over, clapping a heavy hand onto my shoulder.

"Holy hell, you're not joking," Julian laughed, shaking his head. "Look at your face. You're completely head over heels, aren't you? The notorious playboy has finally been tamed."

"Shut up, Julian," I muttered with a fake, embarrassed chuckle, playing the part flawlessly.

As the group erupted into excited murmurs, raising their glasses to toast to the shocking news, I took a slow sip of my drink and watched them through the rim. If my closest friends bought the story this easily, the board of directors wouldn't stand a chance tomorrow.

Elena Golding was going to save my company, and she didn't even know it yet.