LOGINShare
Chapter 19
Last Updated:
2025-05-07 21:19:04The silence between us was oppressive.
Like that moment right before the dentist drills your tooth. Or a movie villain says, "I’ve been expecting you." I stared at my fork. Ethan Reynolds sat across from me, looking exactly like the kind of man who’d build a private bunker for fun. Or file a restraining order because someone breathed too loud. And now, I was stuck here. Again.My phone vibrated against the table. Once. Twice. Then it wouldn't stop.
DING. DING. DING.
Ethan raised a brow. “You seem to be receiving a lot of messages. Feel free to respond.”
His tone was neutral, but I heard it. That subtle, clipped sharpness like he was two seconds from tossing my phone into a vat of lava.“I-I’m fine,” I said, clutching it like a lifeline. Which, ironically, it wasn’t.
Another ping.
Then another.Drama Queen: Sorry, Harper.
Drama Queen: Your CEO said he had to see you again. Just apologize for everything. The makeup’s perfect. HE WON’T recognize you’re his employee!My blood pressure hit the roof.
‘Femme fatale makeup again?! No wonder she spent ten minutes just on my eyeliner!’Drama Queen: I’ve committed a deadly sin… but I want to live. WITH THE MAN I LOVE.
‘LOVE?! YOU WANT TO LIVE?? I WILL BURY YOU IN THAT DRESS.’
I shoved my phone face-down.Ethan took another sip of wine, deadpan. “So. You do this for a living?”
I stiffened. “W-What?”“This. Blind date mercenary role you seem to be playing.”
I laughed awkwardly. “Oh! Right. Yeah… I mean, technically... yes?” Great. Now I sounded like I ran an underground dating scam.His stare didn’t waver. “So, you lied to me.”
The guilt hit fast. “There were circumstances.”“Enlighten me.”
“My parents own a small restaurant—don’t laugh—it’s a family thing. But bird flu hit, chicken prices went nuts, and our orders dried up. Rent was due. I panicked. Riley offered money. I said yes.”
I took a gulp of water. “That’s it.”Ethan was quiet. Calculating. He tapped his finger on the wine glass like he was doing math in his head.
“What’s your going rate?”I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Your rate. Hourly? Per date? Do you offer discounts for long-term contracts?”
Was he serious?!
“No, it’s not—this wasn’t about money.”“So, you did it for fun?” he challenged.
“No! Well—sort of! It was for ...., well, I mean …”
‘Ughhh, I can’t tell him for friendship, then he’d know that riley and I are acquaintedHe tilted his head. “So... six figures?”
“What?!”
“Three? Five? Maybe ten million?”
I choked on air. “SIX HUNDRED.”
He blinked. “Thousand?”
I shrunk in my seat. “Hundred. Six hundred dollars.”
Ethan stared at me like I’d confessed to selling my soul for a pair of concert tickets. “You impersonated someone. Lied. Risked everything. For six hundred dollars?”
“I—look! That’s not fair. I didn’t plan on any of this!”
It was a favor. A last-minute one. I didn’t think it would turn into a full-blown… marriage proposal.“Before the date,” he said slowly, “you claimed to be sleeping with other men.”
I slapped my hands over my face. “That was a joke! I’ve liked the same guy since I was twenty!”
I peeked through my fingers. “And no, it wasn’t you.”He raised a brow. “From a… humanistic standpoint?”
My face burst into flames. “I panicked, okay? I didn’t want to be picked apart like meat at a farmers market. And anyway, I never disliked you.”
Levi placed his hands together. “So you’re saying you liked me.”
“I’m saying I didn’t dislike you.”
“Same thing.”
“No, it’s not—!”
“Then let us proceed.”
I blinked. “Proceed with what exactly?”
“Marriage.”
“MARRIAGE?!”
He looked genuinely confused. “You said I was amazing. You didn’t dislike me. That’s enough.”
His expression was unreadable—except for the tiny smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Like he enjoyed watching me short-circuit.“Is there a problem?”
YES, YOU’RE THE PROBLEM.
I nearly knocked over my water glass. “Even if I did lie, even if this whole thing is a mess, you can’t seriously think—”
“I like efficiency.”
“I like people who aren’t emotionally unhinged!”
“I’m not.”
“You literally just proposed to a complete stranger because she ate steak with you once!”
“I’m proposing to the woman I went on a date with. I promised I would marry whoever showed up. That was you.”
I flailed. “But I’m not her!”
“You were there. You sat across from me. That’s enough.”
“That’s not how real life works!”
“Why not?” he asked flatly. “In this sacred democracy?”
I nearly flipped the table. “YOU CAN’T JUST SHOUT ‘DEMOCRACY’ AND EXPECT THAT TO MAKE SENSE.”
He cut into his veal. Calm. Unbothered. Like he hadn’t just turned my life into a viral disaster waiting to happen.
“I’ll talk to my grandpa,” he said. “Let him know the engagement is back on. Just… with someone new.”
“You can’t.”
“I can.”
“No! I wasn’t supposed to be the one on that date! Who gets married like this?!”
“I do.”
“That’s not an answer!”
He leaned back, casually slicing through his meal. “You’re dramatic.”
“And you’re deranged!”
“You’re being emotional.”
“I’M BEING KIDNAPPED!”
The room quieted for the second time that night.
I dropped my voice and hissed, “You can’t actually think this is okay.”
“I don’t waste time,” he said. “I’m not interested in starting over. I chose you.”
My brain sputtered. “You chose me based on what? My lie count? My debt-to-income ratio?!”
He leaned forward. “You’re honest about being dishonest. Most people can’t even admit that.”
What kind of twisted compliment was that?
Then came the next line. Calm. Deliberate.
“One million. How does that sound?”
“…What?”
“As your payment.”
I choked. “For what?”
“I’d like to hire you. To act as my fiancée. Until the wedding. Maybe after.”
I gawked at him. “You’re offering me a job.”
“Yes. That’s how I resolve problems. With contracts.”
“I’m not some gig worker you can Venmo into marrying you!”
“Of course not. That would be unprofessional.”
I wanted to scream. Instead, I bit down on my napkin and whispered, “I’m in hell.”
He took another bite of food, clearly pleased. “So. Deal?”
I hesitated. Thought about rent. Thought about debt. Thought about the death glare Riley would give me if I ruined this now.
“…I’ll think about it.”
Ethan smiled, all quiet smugness.
“Wonderful. Then, shall we?”, he said gesturing at the food.I had lost all appetite at this point
Related chapters
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 1
The bar was loud, alive with the chatters, but Riley’s voice cut through the noise. “What if I told you I might have a way to solve all your problems?”..I blinked at her, stirring the melting ice in my glass. “Solve them how? cause unless you’ve got a time machine or a winning lottery ticket, I’m not buying it.”Her lips curved into a sly smile, the same one she made when she was about to do something crazy. “I need you to go on a blind date for me.”I stared at her, in disbelieve. “A blind date? Riley, have you finally lost your mind? I’ve had enough disasters in my life this week without adding ‘impersonating a rich heiress’ to the list, not to mention, your dad would kill you if he found out”Riley waved it off. “Please. Dad doesn’t care about me, he cares about the idea of me. He wants Riley Bennett, the perfect daughter, mingling with the perfect pedigree. Not Riley Bennett, the ‘rebellious heiress.’” She air-quoted with dramatic flair. “But I can’t keep doing this. I have a lif
Last Updated : 2024-11-27The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 2
Ethan’s POVI leaned back in my leather chair, a pen balanced between my fingers as I skimmed the latest projects. The numbers were strong, stronger than I’d expected, but my focus was slipping. Howard Reynolds, my grandfather and perpetual thorn in my side, had been waiting in the adjacent lounge for over five minutes.“Sir.” David, my assistant, cleared his throat. He was standing stiffly by the door, his tone calm but insistent. “The chairman is still waiting.”I didn't look up. “And?”David shifted uncomfortably. “He’s been known to lose patience.”That made me smirk. “He’s never had any.”The door burst open just as he spoke, and Howard strode in, his booming voice filling the room. “YOU ARROGANT RASCAL! HOW MANY HOURS ARE YOU PLANNIN’ TO KEEP ME WAITIN’?” His accent held the unmistakable edge of someone who had seen and conquered his share of New York’s toughest boardrooms.I glanced up, keeping my expression carefully neutral. “You’re early.”“Early, my ass.” He yanked off his
Last Updated : 2024-11-27The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 3
An hour later, I was sitting on a ridiculously plush couch in an obscenely dark high-end lounge that made me feel like a fraud against the shiny modernity of it all. I had my legs crossed and tried to look as sure of myself as I could manage, but my head was nothing short of buzzing. I took a quick glance around the clubby room, looking for the man who Kenneth Bennett, aka Riley’s dad, had tried to set her up with.Come on, Harper, I thought, it’s just one evening. You can do this.But as I tried to steel myself, my thoughts scattered again, and anxiety crept in. What if… he’s some pompous, middle-aged Wall Street type? Someone who thinks he can impress me with his vacation home in the Hamptons? I forced myself to take a deep breath. No. Think of the money. Do it for the loan…"Are you, by any chance, Riley Bennett?" a voice interrupted my thoughts.I glanced up and promptly forgot how to breathe. The shoes were so shiny they practically glowed in the dark, light spilling through spot
Last Updated : 2024-11-27The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 4
The GlowMira Corporation was buzzing with anticipation. The new CEO was set to start this week, and everyone seemed to be in a frenzy getting the office in tip-top shape. While I was trying to focus on the endless pile of tasks at my desk, everyone else was scrambling around, perfecting every tiny detail. Jean and Marco balanced on chairs, struggling to hang a massive “Welcome, GlowMira’s Newest CEO!” banner across the lobby entrance.“Stop complaining and just get it done!” Connor hollered as he passed by, giving Sasha an exasperated look while she grumbled, pushing a mop across the polished floor.“But why are we here on a Saturday?” Sasha pouted, scowling as she scrubbed harder. Rumors were already circulating that the new CEO was a bit of a neat freak, insisting everything be meticulously organized.Jean shuffled past, barely able to keep his eyes open. “Just here for the overtime…”But then my phone buzzed on my desk and I had to stop myself from doing a little happy dance as I g
Last Updated : 2024-11-27The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 5
Riley’s apartment was its usual mix of chaos and charm. Sleek, designer furniture was scattered with the evidence of her daily life: unopened packages stacked by the wall, a lone stiletto abandoned under the coffee table, and a throw draped across the couch like an afterthought. I walked in, uninvited as always, dropped my bag on her floor and face planted onto her fancy pillows.“Kill me now,” I groaned into the throw pillow.Riley’s voice floated from the kitchen. “Kill you? Never. You’re my primary source of entertainment.”I lifted my head just enough to glare at her. “Great. Glad my misery serves a purpose.”She appeared with a steaming mug of tea in one hand, the picture of unbothered luxury, and perched on the armrest near my head. “Rough day?”“Try rough life.” I rolled over, lying on my back. “You have no idea what I’ve been through today.”She smirked and sipped her tea. “I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.”“Oh! I’m telling you,” I said sitting up and throwing my arms
Last Updated : 2025-01-06The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 6
Monday morning at GlowMira Corporation was buzzing with more chaos than usual. The air was so tense you could almost feel it as everyone ran around trying to get their work done in time for the new CEO’s big reveal. It was mandatory—a company-wide conference. Everybody, and I mean everybody, had to report to the main hall and see the guy who had already managed to upend the office without even showing his face.I was running on two hours of sleep and sheer spite. The conversations around me were a blend of guesses and nerves.“Do you think he’s going to be like his grandfather?” Marco mused aloud, balancing a precarious tower of paperwork on his desk.“Let’s hope not,” Sasha muttered. “Howard Reynolds is terrifying. I’d rather not work under a younger, scarier version of him.”“Maybe he’ll be a laid-back rich kid,” Marco suggested.Sasha rolled her eyes. “In what world do laid-back rich kids take over companies like GlowMira? Get real.”I didn’t chime in, too focused on suppressing th
Last Updated : 2025-01-28The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 7
Harper’s POVMondays were already a nightmare, but this was definitely a horror movie. After the spectacle' of the conference where the new CEO hadn’t even bothered to show up, the entire office was still buzzing with gossip.Actually, come to think of it, the only thing worse than an intimidating boss was a mysterious one. Except for the fact that almost everyone seemed to be getting off on having a CEO who stuck around as nothing more than an urban legend, and I was drowning under a pile of work my manager hadn’t even apologized about yet.“Harper, I need these reports reviewed and summarized by noon,” he had said before vanishing like a ghost.That was two hours ago. I was still only halfway through.I sighed, stretching my arms before standing up. I needed coffee. Badly. I picked up my coffee mug and headed down the hall to the break room, hoping that the caffeine would help with both of the above.The break room was mercifully empty when I arrived. I poured myself a cup of coffee
Last Updated : 2025-01-29The CEO’s Temporary Bride Ckspter 8
The next morning, I was at my desk, trying everything possible to focus on my work when my phone buzzed.Ethan Reynolds.I nearly choked on my coffee.No. Absolutely not. This can’t real.I stared hard at the screen as if I could change the words that were displayed on it before I answered“Marry me.”I froze.The words hit me like a ton of bricks. Wait a second, did he just ...?My fingers tightened around my phone, almost snapping it in half. “I’m sorry, WHAT?!”Silence. Then, with his usual maddening calm:“I said, marry me.”My chair screeched as I bolted upright. “M-Marry—” I choked, knocking my coffee dangerously close to my laptop.Connor, my coworker, peeked over the cubicle. “Harper, you good?”I let out a maniacal laugh. “Sure am! why do you ask?” I flashed him a shaky thumbs-up before whispering into the phone, “Hold that for a minute.”I scrambled out of my chair, my heart beating at an unusual rate as I sped-walked down the hallway. Maybe if I moved fast enough, I could es
Last Updated : 2025-03-24
Latest chapter
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 19
The silence between us was oppressive.Like that moment right before the dentist drills your tooth. Or a movie villain says, "I’ve been expecting you."I stared at my fork. Ethan Reynolds sat across from me, looking exactly like the kind of man who’d build a private bunker for fun. Or file a restraining order because someone breathed too loud.And now, I was stuck here. Again.My phone vibrated against the table. Once. Twice. Then it wouldn't stop.DING. DING. DING.Ethan raised a brow. “You seem to be receiving a lot of messages. Feel free to respond.”His tone was neutral, but I heard it. That subtle, clipped sharpness like he was two seconds from tossing my phone into a vat of lava.“I-I’m fine,” I said, clutching it like a lifeline. Which, ironically, it wasn’t.Another ping.Then another.Drama Queen: Sorry, Harper.Drama Queen: Your CEO said he had to see you again. Just apologize for everything. The makeup’s perfect. HE WON’T recognize you’re his employee!My blood pressure hit
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 18
Harper's POVThe restaurant was beautiful.Dim lighting shimmered off gold-accented chandeliers. A live pianist played something elegant and probably French in the corner. Crystal glasses sparkled. Silverware looked like it belonged in a museum. Definitely the kind of place where salads cost more than my monthly grocery bill.I adjusted my jacket, stepping inside. My eyes swept the room—until they landed on a familiar tornado of jewelryAcross the room, I spotted Riley waving wildly at me, her jewelry flashing under the chandeliers."Harper! Over here!" she called.I made my way over, trying not to trip on the fancy carpet."What's the occasion?" I asked, sliding into the booth. "Did you finally land the deal you were working on?"She flinched."Uh, well... not exactly." She shoved a menu into my hands. “I just thought I owed you. Y’know. For everything.”Her voice cracked halfway through the sentence.My eyes narrowed."Thank me? For what? I already paid my dues — remember the last b
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 17
Riley’s POVIt’s funny when I think about it…If he cared so much about time, about image, about doing things the proper way—he could’ve just married someone else by now. Had his secretary book a chapel, flown in a model from Paris, called it a day. But he didn’t.Why?I sat at my desk, rearranging papers for the fourth time, and then froze.Oh my God.My jaw dropped, pen clattering to the floor.Could he have fallen in love with Harper?!I pictured the two of them—Harper and Ethan—walking down some high-society aisle. Her in one of those sleek, backless dresses she pretends not to like, him looking like a Bond villain who’s never smiled in his life.Ugh. No. No, no, no.He definitely did not seem like the type to fall in love. Let alone with someone who made him talk about sex over steak tartare. That man didn’t even seem human. The stare? The way he said, “You’re not Riley,” like it was a death sentence?He was probably planning her destruction right now.I grabbed my phone in a pan
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 16
Harper's POVMy phone rang at exactly 11:03 p.m.I was half-asleep, halfway through an episode of a show I couldn’t remember the name of, and fully committed to doing absolutely nothing for the rest of the night. So when I saw Riley’s name flash across my screen, I almost let it go to voicemail.Almost.Because something about Riley calling this late? That felt... ominous.I answered on the third ring. “If this is about another blind date, I swear—”“Harper. It’s a disaster. A full-on, Chanel-burning, trust-fund-cancelling disaster.”I sat up instantly. “What happened? Did your dad find out? Did Ethan—”“Ethan’s not Ethan.”Silence.I blinked. “Come again?”She sounded like she was hyperventilating. “The man I went on a date with? The one I thought was Ethan? That wasn’t Ethan.”“…Huh? You’re not making sense.”“I went to Fiorenza tonight to meet who I thought was Ethan, but when the real one walked in, I didn’t recognize him. Because I’ve never seen him before in my life!”Oh. Oh no.
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 15
Riley’s POVI sat by the window of Fiorenza, one of those quiet luxury places tucked near the Upper East Side — dim lighting, velvet chairs, the kind of place you booked two weeks in advance unless your last name opened doors.Luckily, mine did.I was early, which almost never happened, but this felt different. I hadn’t even told Harper yet — I wanted to wait until after the dinner. After I confirmed what I already knew:That he was smart. And funny. And weirdly down to earth, despite being Ethan freaking Reynolds.That maybe — just maybe — this whole arranged marriage thing wouldn’t be such a disaster after all.I checked my phone again. No messages. No missed calls.I didn’t even know why I was nervous. We'd only met once. A brief conversation outside my office, a strange spark I hadn’t expected, and then I’d done the unthinkable.I had called him.I had asked to meet.And he’d said yes.I smiled, brushing my fingers over the rim of my wine glass. “Relax” I whispered to myself. “He
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 14
Harper POVDING.The elevator doors slid open, and standing before me were Ethan Blackwood and David, his assistant.I wanted to throw myself out the nearest window.My brain short-circuited for a second, then rapidly considered my options:Turn on my heel and bolt.Pretend I forgot something and slowly back away.Fake a dramatic faint and hope they step over me.Option three had some merit."Come in," Ethan’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts.Oh, come on. Haven’t I suffered enough today?His gaze was impassive but there was something vaguely expectant about it—like he was waiting for me to move.My grip tightened around my phone. “I… beg your pardon?”“It seemed like you were about to... bolt”, His tone was unreadable, but there was the faintest flicker of amusement in his gaze. “Something wrong?”Oh, nothing much, sir. Just experiencing the worst stroke of luck in my entire existence.I quickly schooled my expression. “Not at all, sir. I was just—”BZZT.Then again.And again
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 13
Harper’s POVI let out a slow, tired sigh resting my forehead against the cool surface of the wall."So, a double date? What do you think?"Eric’s words still echoed in my head.At first_ I hadn’t even processed the question, He had flashed me that eager grin, practically bouncing with excitement, eyes gleaming like he had just come up with the perfect plan."Come on, it'll be fun! You and your guy, me and my girl, it’s perfect!"Fun? For who?I had forced a polite laugh, my brain scrambling for an escape route. "I don’t know… he’s usually pretty busy."Which was technically true. But even if he weren’t, I still wouldn’t subject myself to that kind of torture.Eric had pouted like a child who had just been told Santa wasn’t real. "Oh, come on. Just one night? We could go somewhere nice. Have some drinks. It’ll be like a test run before the wedding!"I had nearly choked on my own spit. A test run?Then—by some miracle—BRRRRRR. BRRRRRR.My phone vibrated in my pocket. A work call.Salv
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 12
Riley’s POVOh.Oh.So this was Ethan Reynolds?I didn’t know what I was expecting, but definitely wasn’t this.Harper had described him as an arrogant, overbearing control freak. Some stiff, no-nonsense businessman who probably had a spreadsheet for how his wife should behave.But the man in front of me?Tall. Broad-shouldered. Warm brown eyes that held just a hint of curiosity. And his voice—low, smooth, careful.I swallowed.Wow.This… this wasn’t what I was prepared for.He was supposed to be some nightmare in a designer suit. Instead, he looked like he belonged on a magazine cover for Most Eligible Billionaire Bachelors.My pulse picked up slightly.Harper had met this man and rejected him?I mean, sure, I’d made a fuss about the engagement, but looking at him now, I had to wonder… was it really that bad of a deal?He exhaled lightly, adjusting his cuffs, “I thought it would be better to speak in private” he said smoothly. “Rather than keeping you out here.”I bit the inside of my
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 11
Ethan POVAnother declined call.I exhaled slowly, tapping a finger against my desk. Seven times.She wasn’t just ignoring me—she was avoiding me, and instead of irritation I was intrigued.Riley Bennett didn’t strike me as the type to run from anything. She had sat across from me at dinner, bold as ever, challenging every word that left my mouth. And now, suddenly, radio silence?That wasn’t how this worked.I leaned back in my chair, rolling my phone between my fingers. If she thought avoiding me would end things, she was mistaken.I wasn’t chasing her.But I would find out why she was running.David barely glanced up from his laptop. “Let me guess—still no answer?”I didn’t respond.David smirked. “Ah. Ghosted already. That has to be a record, even for you.”I ignored him. “Look into her.”David arched a brow. “You want me to investigate Riley Bennett?”I nodded.He sighed but started typing. “Alright, let’s see what we can find… Business contacts first, then personal.”A few minu
