LOGINAmelia pressed her lips together, her expression turning serious. "If you've both really thought this through, then I support you."She had always thought Jasper was kind and dependable, and Winona was easygoing and sensible. If the two of them ever did end up together for real, she thought they would actually make a good couple.Winona laughed. "Don't read too much into it. We're just helping each other get our families off our backs. It's temporary."She picked up her coffee and took a sip. "Once things die down, we'll have a nice, clean breakup.""Jasper's a good guy," Amelia stated seriously. "We've known him for years. You know what he's like. He's reliable, responsible, and he always shows up when his friends need him. Maybe you should actually think about it."Winona nearly spit out her coffee. She quickly set the cup down. "Don't even start. Jasper and I have been bickering and messing with each other since we were kids. At this point, he's basically one of the guys. The
Winona raised a brow, a teasing smile playing at her lips. "What, are you worried I'll get the wrong idea and think you have feelings for me? Is that why you're setting the rules now?"She knew Jasper was a gentleman, but she couldn't resist giving him a hard time.Jasper smiled. "Are you trying to take it the wrong way?"Then he added, "I can't have everyone thinking you're my fiancée and then not act like one. You deserve the same respect and consideration I'd give a real fiancée. That's the least I can do."He knew the engagement was only temporary, but he still had to think about Winona's reputation.If they were going to pretend, he wouldn't let the arrangement put her in an awkward position. That was where he drew the line, both as her fake fiancé and as her friend.Winona stopped teasing and nodded. "Alright. I'm in."She trusted Jasper to know where the boundaries were. Whatever he did, he would be thoughtful about it and never make her uncomfortable.After a moment, sh
Winona continued, "Besides, we already know each other. Neither of us would have to pretend to get along with some stranger. Sounds pretty convenient to me."Jasper looked at her, the amusement in his eyes slowly deepening.He knew she was probably joking, but he had to admit the idea was tempting.At the very least, it would get his family off his back and give him something else to focus on besides Amelia. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad arrangement."Are you serious?"He studied her, trying to tell whether she meant it.Winona's heart started beating faster. She looked away and kept her tone deliberately casual. "Of course, I'm joking. Like I'd actually marry you."Even so, the strange feeling in her chest didn't go away.Jasper didn't press her. He picked up the glass on his desk and took a sip. "You don't have to force yourself into anything. If you really don't want an arranged marriage, maybe you could try talking to your family.""Talking?" Winona shook her head. "
Winona paused, surprised to see Jasper there.She walked over and knocked lightly on the office door.Jasper looked up. Surprise flashed across his face when he saw her, followed by a faint smile. "Ms. Reid. What brings you here this late? Are you checking up on us?"Winona walked over to his desk and pulled out a chair. She glanced at the data running across his screen. "What are you doing here this late? Bad mood?"She asked without bothering to dance around it.Jasper paused, then quickly recovered and closed the program he was running. He looked at her with a hint of amusement. "Do I really look that fragile?"He lost a relationship that never really stood much of a chance. It hurt, but not enough to send him hiding at the office nursing a broken heart.Winona shrugged. "Who knows?"Jasper leaned back slightly. "You catch me working late once, and suddenly you think you've got me all figured out?"Jasper let out a helpless laugh, though there wasn't much humor in it. "
After Winona sent the "okay" sticker, her expression turned serious.As soon as the screen went dark, she let out a slow breath.She had always seen this situation more clearly than anyone.She watched Amelia struggle to build a life with Evelyn. She watched Jasper quietly stay by their side. And then she watched Christopher come back, little by little, until the three of them slowly found their way back to each other.Winona knew Amelia cared deeply about Jasper and relied on him, but what she felt had never been romantic love.That was exactly why Amelia's request put her in such an awkward position.[Talk to him for me.]It sounded simple, but Winona knew it wasn't.What was she supposed to tell Jasper? That Amelia's heart had always belonged to Christopher? That no matter how long he waited, he never really had a chance?Those words felt too cruel. Winona couldn't bring herself to say them.Jasper wasn't a fragile man. He was steady and perceptive, decisive at work, gentl
After Christopher finished cleaning up, he came back into the living room and looked at Amelia."I need to stop by the office and take care of a few things with the project."Amelia nodded without asking anything else. She knew Fighter 07 had reached a critical stage, and there was still Samantha's mess to deal with. He couldn't exactly stay away.Still, she couldn't help thinking about how late he worked the night before, and how he still spent the whole day with Evelyn.They stood a few feet apart in the middle of the living room, neither of them quite ready to move."If you need anything, call me." Christopher looked at her. "Anytime."Amelia lifted her eyes to meet his. A faint smile touched her lips. "Next time you see your doctor, take me with you."Christopher froze, clearly caught off guard.After a few seconds, he said, "It's not that serious. You don't need to come with me."He never wanted Amelia worrying about his condition.The pain of depression, the late-night
Nicole's face turned pale. "I have no idea where you got the data from, but the technology was developed singlehandedly by my team and me. There's no plagiarism to speak of. You're…you're slandering us!"Luke's heart turned cold.Amelia's data didn't look fake. This was confidential information
Amelia glanced at Nicole. "She's all tense from all the online comments."Winona shrugged. "If her conscience is clear, then I can only say that she has nothing to fear."Nicole's fear and paranoia seemed to hint at a guilty conscience."Christopher turned to look at you, and others called her a
Christopher said with a smile, "You won't rest till you see her in jail. You're angry at her because of me. You hate me, don't you?"Amelia's brows furrowed as she looked at him.Christopher tried to get to the crux of the matter. "Your anger might be appeased with her in jail. What plight do you
"I just don't want you bombarding or harassing me with calls," Amelia said. "If you have something urgent, you'll naturally find a way to contact me. Also, we won't have anything else to do with each other after this incident and after our agreement expires."They would go their separate ways and m







