6

ALYONA

We breathed out together, but the relief was short-lived. Now came the part none of us were ready for. I turned and shot Olivia and Ivy a deadly glare. One lie will lead to a thousand more. My mom’s voice echoed in my head like a warning bell. And here I was—living proof of that wisdom. Shawn, completely unaware of the inner chaos, smiled and extended his hand toward me. “Shall we?”

With legs that felt like jelly, I nodded and let him lead the way. My eyes darted toward the man Ivy had randomly pointed at—the same man who had already caught my attention once. From a distance, everything looked beautiful—the glimmering chandelier, the soft golden lighting, the music, the laughter echoing across the room. But inside me, it was storming.

What if he got angry? What if he had come with someone else? What if this whole thing went horribly wrong?

He was still sitting there, facing away, talking to another man beside him. I glanced back once—Olivia and Ivy stood behind a tall vase, chewing their nails like anxious children caught in trouble. Their eyes screamed sorry, but it was too late now.

Shawn stopped a few steps behind, waiting politely as I walked ahead, closer to the man. My heartbeat pounded against my chest. My palms were clammy, and my fingers tremble slightly. My throat felt dry, but I swallowed my fear and kept going.

To my relief, he wasn’t wearing a mask. His sharp jawline was visible under the warm lights, and as I got closer, I noticed how effortlessly handsome he was. He turned slightly while talking, his voice deep and steady, commanding yet calm.

I stepped closer and opened my mouth, my voice barely finding its way out. “Hello,” I said, softer than intended.

He paused, then stood up slowly. And when his eyes met mine—calm, unreadable, but intense—my breath caught.

“Hello,” he replied, his voice smooth.

His presence was powerful. Not arrogant or loud, but quiet and self-assured. Like he didn’t need to prove anything to anyone.

My hand trembled slightly, cold as ice, and I hid it behind my back. I had no idea what I was about to do next… or how he would respond.

But I had just walked into the lie… now I had to live it.

He turned slightly to place his champagne glass on the low table beside him. The movement was slow, and deliberate, like everything he did had meaning. And then… he looked at me.

Hazel eyes.

Not just any shade, but the kind that held warmth and mystery at the same time. They blinked once, slowly, and I swear I forgot how to breathe. My heart slammed against my ribs, my pulse roaring in my ears.

Thick, perfect black curls framed his forehead, tousled in just the right way—messy, but somehow refined. My eyes dropped lower, following the sharp cut of his jaw to his chest, and I froze.

If Roman gods were real, they would have taken notes from this man. The fitted suit he wore did little to hide the hard lines of his body—broad chest, tapered waist, posture straight like he ruled the room without needing to speak a word.

I didn’t want to blink.

This wasn’t the kind of attraction you felt when scrolling through I*******m or watching your favorite movie star on-screen. This was real. Right in front of me. Breathing, alive, and terrifyingly beautiful.

I stood there silent, wide-eyed, frozen, feeling like a schoolgirl seeing her crush for the first time. And then, as if sensing my spiraling thoughts, he waved his hand gently in front of my face, breaking my trance.

“Oh—” I gasped, flinching slightly.

He didn’t laugh or mock. He just looked at me, waiting.

My whole body was trembling from the inside out. I could feel the flutter of nerves in my chest, the chill on my fingers, the dryness in my throat. Everything around me blurred for a moment—Olivia, Ivy, Shawn—all of it faded into the background.

I remembered why I was here, why I had walked up to him. The lie. The fake boyfriend. The plan. I forced myself to breathe and took a step closer, swallowing hard.

“I-I’m sorry to bother you,” I began, my voice barely stable. “But… would you mind dancing with me?”

The words left my lips like a whisper, shaky and unsure. I braced myself for rejection, for laughter, for anything that would crush whatever sliver of confidence I had left.

But he didn’t say anything right away.

Instead, he studied me. Not in a creepy way, but in a slow, curious way, as if he was trying to read through me. My eyes, my nerves, my fear. Maybe he was wondering why a trembling girl with a mask too fancy for her courage had approached him, maybe he thought I was insane.

And then… he smiled. He gave the tiniest nod.

“Yes,” he said simply.

Yes? Did he just agree?

My lips parted, stunned. My brain was screaming, You’re dreaming. This cannot be real, but it was. He stood, towering over me, and extended his hand. His palm was warm, his fingers strong. As they wrapped gently around mine, a bolt of electricity rushed up my arm.

I glanced toward Shawn. He stood frozen, mouth slightly open, watching the man beside me like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His gaze pointed with something I hadn’t seen in him before—jealousy. His eyes followed the stranger's every move as if trying to figure out how someone like him had just stepped into my story.

I turned to look at Olivia. Just moments ago, I was silently cursing her for dragging me into this ridiculous plan. But now, standing beside this man—this striking, mysterious stranger. I expected to see her grinning or winking in triumph. But instead, she looked… stressed.

Her brows were furrowed. Her lips pressed tightly. And when our eyes met, she shook her head subtly, signaling me not to go with him.

What?

I raised my brows and shrugged at her, mouthing, What now?

She didn’t answer. She just looked more tense than before, like something had suddenly shifted, and she regretted everything.

But this wasn’t the time to play dumb charades. I had walked this far into the lie, and there was no turning back.

With a deep breath and whatever confidence I had left, I took the stranger’s hand and let him lead me onto the dance floor.

Whatever storm was brewing behind me—I’d deal with it later.

Right now, I was dancing with danger… and strangely, I didn’t want to stop.