Chapter 2

IVY'S POV

Well, he wasn't completely naked.

A white towel hung over his shoulder, but that did little to ease the sudden heat rushing to my face.

My eyes widened before I could stop them, and for one humiliating second, I simply stared.

Oh, God.

I quickly looked away, pretending to be far more interested in the wall than the very distracting man standing in front of me. My heart was beating far too fast, and I hated that he had probably noticed.

Why did Adrian have to look like that?

"Sorry," I muttered, even though I wasn't entirely sure what I was apologizing for.

My cheeks burned hotter.

This was embarrassing. Completely, utterly embarrassing.

This man was gorgeous. He was much taller than I had expected.

His broad shoulders and defined chest told me everything I needed to know.

This man was ripped from head to toe.

I dragged my eyes slowly away from a certain part that had caught my attention, and then towards his face.

Tiny beads of water dripped from his hair onto the sharp lines of his face and down to his lips.

His lips, soft and plump.

Eyes, blue like the ocean, staring at me intensely.

For a second, I thought I forgot how to breathe.

Because there he was.

Adrian Sterling.

The man I was supposed to marry.

My future husband.

The thought sent a strange chill through me. I forced myself to breathe, but my lungs refused to cooperate as I stood there, staring at the man who was about to become my husband.

"Elaina," he stated. "You're here."

"No, I mean, yes," I said. "I'm here, my darling."

Pretending to be Elaina was already hard, but pretending to be Adrian's wife? Now, that was a difficult task.

He looked over his shoulder and back at me.

"Well, the thing is, I wasn't expecting you'd be here by now. I thought we had an appointment at 2:30," he said.

I let out a nervous laugh and said, "I figured if I came in earlier, we would be able to sort out all the paperwork."

He knitted his eyebrows together and scratched the top of his head.

Shit.

Elaina was never early.

"The thing is—" He started to say, then got cut off.

"Babe, who are you talking to?" A feminine voice cut in.

A blonde-haired lady came out from inside the room, a towel tied around her chest.

She squeezed her face at the sight of me.

"Is this her?" she asked, peeling her eyes away from me and towards Adrian.

"Yes, this is her," Adrian replied. "The woman I'm supposed to marry."

The blonde-haired lady scoffed and walked back into the room. A few seconds later, she was back with her clothes in one arm, her purse in another, as she brushed past my shoulder.

I looked at Adrian again, his face cold and emotionless.

"That's Lisa, you remember? My girlfriend, the woman I wanted to marry, but my family is against it."

I nodded because Adrian didn't know I was Ivy and not Elaina.

And if Elaina knew, so should I.

"You're awfully different today," he said. "Are you sick?"

"Sick? No. Why would you think I was sick?" I asked.

His eyes slowly traveled from my head to my toes.

Then he smirked.

"Because you're being quiet."

I frowned.

"That's usually when you're planning something stupid."

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

He stepped closer, his expression almost amused.

"Or perhaps you've finally realized that nobody here actually likes you."

My chest tightened.

He didn't even blink.

"Don't look so surprised, Elaina. You've spent years making sure everyone hates you. I'm only surprised you're suddenly offended by it."

I swallowed hard.

"Easy," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "It was just a question."

My brows pulled together.

Then he straightened and walked past me as if he hadn't just ripped me apart with a few careless words.

I stood there, stunned.

This man was cruel.

And somehow, he seemed to enjoy it.

A few minutes later, we were back downstairs.

"Now, let's get some things straight," Adrian stated.

"You are just an occupant of this home, cosplaying as my wife, so it's only fair I establish some ground rules," he continued.

I swallowed hard.

Rules?

This man must be crazy.

He placed a paper in my hand.

"Here. I need you to sign this," he said.

My eyes scanned through the paper, falling on each word as they pierced through my chest.

I let out a laugh.

"Anything funny?" he asked.

"I just think it's crazy how you gave me a bunch of stupid rules to follow," I stated. "Like not being allowed to leave the mansion without your permission."

He clenched his fist.

"The rules aren't made to make you comfortable. As long as you live here, you will follow them."

I rolled my eyes, then signed the paper.

There were thirteen rules on that paper, each worse than the previous one.

I handed the signed paper back to him, and he smiled.

"Good. At least you can follow instructions."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't get too excited. I only signed because I was forced to."

His smile faded.

"Then you'd better learn to play your part."

"I know my part."

He stepped closer, his gaze hardening.

"Do you?"

I swallowed.

"Get one thing straight. You're a woman wearing my wife's title, and that's all you'll ever be to me. Don't mistake this marriage for affection, and don't expect to be treated better than Lisa. She's my girlfriend. You're nothing more than her placeholder."

And that statement changed everything.

The next three years were going to be hell.