Lahat ng Kabanata ng The CEO's Fake Girlfriend : Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

It was past 6 PM when I pulled up at her apartment.She was at the entrance, like she'd been waiting for me. The second she spotted me, she ran, and I barely had the door shut before she was in my arms. I held her tight, buried my face in her hair, breathing in that floral scent that always pulled me back together.“I missed you,” I murmured against her temple."I missed you too." She said, small and muffled against my chest.We just stood there, holding each other, breathing each other in. After the ugliness of the whole day, this felt like oxygen after drowning.Finally, I lifted her face in my palms. “We’re going for a drive.”Her eyes brightened. “Now?”“Right now.” --Camila's POV--I practically flew back inside. I grabbed the first nice thing I could find; an orange corseted top I'd bought months ago but never worn, a pair of comfortable skyblue jeans, and black strapped heels.The legs were wide enough to hide the monitor and make me feel more like a woman going somewhere with

--Lucien's POV--The elevator ride down carried a silence that pressed on my ears. Rafael stood on one side, hands clasped behind his back, while I stared at the descending numbers above the door."Lucien, I—""It's fine." The doors opened to the lobby. "You were protecting Hayes Corp. I get it."We walked across the lobby toward my car. Each step scraped at something between us. I stopped him outside."But, I need you to respect my choices moving forward. Camila isn't a threat to the company. She's not a liability. She's mine. And I need you to trust me on that."I put my hand on his shoulder, gave it a firm squeeze. A quiet moment stretched between us before he nodded."I do. I trust you.""Good." I released him and we continued walking. "Then you should know where things stand.""How bad is it?""Ronan has Camila framed perfectly. Evidence, witnesses, judges in his pocket. He's demanding I sign over Elysium in exchange for making it all disappear.""Wait—" He blinked hard. "Don alr

I held the manuscript against my chest as I left the printing shop. Three hundred and forty-two pages. My work, my nights, my mistakes, all bound together. The weight of it made my arms tighten, like I was carrying something alive.The publishing house rose ahead of me. It already made me feel small even before I walked inside. I adjusted my floral dress to hide the ankle monitor, fixed my hair, then pushed through the doors.The elevator ride to the fourteenth floor stretched forever. I kept rehearse-smiling at the reflection in the mirrored walls. My palms were damp on the manuscript by the time the receptionist told me to wait.Other writers passed in and out, confident or hopeful or terrified. I couldn’t tell which one I was.“Miss Sterling?” A woman with severe gray hair and sharper glasses approached. “I’m Margaret Winters. Follow me.”Her office felt like a showroom. White walls, silver accents, everything carefully placed. I sat across from her and set the manuscript down gent

The manuscript. The publishing house. Margaret's contempt. All of it flooded back."I wasn't...""You were." He shifted, settling his full weight on me. "Whatever happened today, wherever you actually were, you'll tell me when you're ready. But don't lie to me again.""I won't.""Good." He pressed a kiss right over my racing heart. "Because you're mine, Fiera. All of you. And I take care of what's mine. But that means honesty. Always.""Always." I ran my fingers through his hair. "I promise."He shifted again and I felt his hardness against me again. My hand slid down between us, palming him through his pants."Camila..." Warning and want mixed in his voice."You said you wanted to remind me who I belong to." I squeezed gently and he groaned. "Seems like you're not done yet."He gave me a look that was a one-way ticket to ruin. He stood, pulling me up with him. My legs threatened to give out, but he steadied me with hands on my waist."Bedroom. Now.""Maya...""...and the entire build

I turned, one hand still on the doorknob. "I was just going to grab some water.""Liar." He stretched out his left hand toward me. His eyes were heavy-lidded, barely open, but golden irises still smoldered despite the exhaustion. "Take off that robe."The fabric slipped from my shoulders and pooled at my feet. I stood there, naked, as his gaze dragged over every inch of me."Come here."As I reached him, he flipped off the duvet I'd so carefully tucked around him moments ago. He lay there completely bare, taking my hand and guiding me so I straddled his pelvis. His thighs came up behind me, supporting my back. One of his hands went to rest behind his head while the other settled on his chest, rising and falling with each breath.We just looked at each other.The silence stretched between us, heavy with something I couldn't name. His eyes held mine with that intensity, made me feel seen in a way that was almost too much to bear. I looked away for just a second, needing the reprieve."D