As the insistent knocking on the door continued, I found myself panicking. Drew had to hide in my closet as I faked a sleepy voice to mask the tumult of emotions raging within me."Who's there?" I managed to ask, feigning a yawn in hopes of sounding convincing."It's me, ma'am," came Carla's voice, the maid. "Sir Cullen asked me to call you to his study. He wants to discuss something with you."My heart raced as I considered the implications of being summoned by my husband, who was nothing more than a contractual obligation. I needed to buy some time to figure out how to deal with the situation."I'll be there in a few minutes," I replied coolly, still not opening the door for her. "Let me wash up first."Carla's footsteps faded away, and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Drew," I whispered urgently. "Come out, she's gone."He emerged from the closet, holding his shirt and trousers in his hands. "Damn, that was close," he said, rushing to dress up."I don't regret it, though," I said to
I hesitated for a moment before answering, unsure of what to say to Ignacio. I hadn't spoken to him in weeks, not since after the wedding party with Cullen."Hey.." I said, trying to sound casual."Brielle, mi amor, how are you?" he asked in his thick Spanish accent."I'm fine," I said, avoiding the question. "Seems like business ain't moving too busy today huh?" "Ofcourse it is, I just wanted to hear your voice," he said, his tone softening. "I miss you, Brielle. When are you coming back to Spain?""Oh.. mi amor, I miss you more than you can ever Imagine but as you know I've been working on my fashion line here, it's really hectic and time consuming" I said, my voice not sounding too convincing as my mind was racing. I couldn't tell my husband about the mess I'd gotten myself into. How could I explain that I was stuck in a contract marriage to a man I barely knew all because of money?"Brielle, is everything okay?" Ignacio asked, his voice tinged with concern.I hesitated for a mom
I had left for the office early in the afternoon, and I was surprised to see Cullen still at home when I returned. He greeted me with a smile and asked me how the project was going."How's the project coming up Brielle?" He asked, his eyes still fixated on his laptop."So far so good, nothing to worry about" I replied still trying to understand what was going on and why he wouldn't look at me. "About what we discussed yesterday," My heart skipped as I heard him bring up yesterday's discussion"Have you thought it it through?" He asked, finally pausing to look at me.I was about to respond when he cut me off, saying, "I understand if you don't want the paparazzi hounding us, especially when our marriage isn't even real." He went on, "I've decided to keep you off the paparazzi's radar. We'll only attend events that are private enough to let people think we're really married, feeding their thoughts." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. But at the same time, a part of me felt rel
I walked into the office, trying to keep my composure as I saw Drew already seated at the conference table. We had briefly greeted each other with our eyes, trying not to make it too obvious that we were both attracted to each other. But, the tension between us was palpable, and it was only a matter of time before it boiled over.The meeting was brief but practical. We were working on one of the biggest shoe stores in New York, and Cullen had brought me onboard not only because he trusted me but because he knew I was in the line of fashion and could contribute some ideas. It was a huge project and we had to meet with some investors who had shown some interest in the project and convince them to sign the contract as soon as possible.We had sent out the contract to them for over a week now, but we hadn't received any response. So Cullen's PA had suggested we go in person as that might put some pressure on them. Who knows? Before we got back, they might have signed and sent it back t
As I walked into the bar, my eyes widened as I took in the opulence around me. The golden lights glittered overhead, casting a warm glow over the sleek and modern decor. The dance floor was pristine, polished to a shine that seemed to rival the stars above."Drew, this place is incredible!" I exclaimed, turning to Drew with a grin.He smirked, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I thought you'd like it. It's one of my favorite spots in the city."I couldn't help but chuckle at the knowing look in his eyes. There was a spark between us, one that we both knew was dangerous but impossible to ignore.As we sat down at the bar, Drew ordered us each a drink. "I'll have a Manhattan," he said smoothly to the bartender. "And for the lady, a French 75."I raised an eyebrow, impressed by his knowledge of cocktails. "You, for sure know your drinks," I said, taking a sip of the delicious concoction he had ordered for me.Drew grinned, his gaze never leaving mine. "I like to think of myself as a b
As Evie appeared, I felt a sudden pang of jealousy. I knew she had a thing for Drew, but what I didn't know was if Drew was interested in her too. I wondered what she was doing here, and why she chose this exact moment to show up. "Hey Brielle!!" Evie said, her voice laced with excitement. "Hey Drew.. What are you guys doing here?" "We stepped out to unwind a bit, I don't know if I told you Evie, but I and Drew are working on a project for Cullen" I replied, trying to sound casual. "Oh wow, That's cool. Mind if I join you?" Evie asked, glancing at Drew. "Sure, why not," Drew said, shrugging his shoulders. I tried not to let it bother me, but I could feel Evie's eyes on Drew the entire time. She laughed at all of his jokes, and leaned in close to him whenever she got the chance. It was obvious she was trying to get his attention, and it made me feel uncomfortable. But I didn't say anything. As the night wore on, I found myself growing more and more frustrated. I couldn't believ
There was a brief moment of awkward silence as we both sized each other up. I could sense a hint of disapproval in her gaze, as if she were judging me for some reason. I wondered if it was because of our contract marriage but I doubted Cullen said anything to her about it, or was there something else that she disapproved of? I wondered to myself.. "Is something wrong?" I asked tentatively, breaking the silence. The woman hesitated for a moment before responding. "No, no. Nothing's wrong. I just wasn't expecting to see you here." I could sense that there was more to her words than what she was saying. "What do you mean?" I asked, trying to sound casual. She let out a small sigh. "I suppose it's just a bit of a shock, that's all. I wasn't aware that Cullen had gotten married so suddenly." I was right, Cullen had not told her anything about our Contract marriage. "Yes, it was a bit sudden," I admitted. "But we're making it work." The woman nodded, her expression softening slight
My heart sank a little at the mention of Drew. I couldn't deny that I had some feelings for him. I tried to push those feelings aside as I congratulated Evie, "Wow, that's great news, Evie! I'm so happy for you."Evie then mentioned the idea of a double date with her and Drew and I with Cullen, my heart sank. I couldn't think of anything worse than spending an entire evening with someone I had feelings for but to think he was going to be with my friend and not me. I tried to think of a way out, but Evie was determined to make it happen."Come on, it'll be fun!" she exclaimed, her voice echoed with excitement. "This would be our first double date! It's been a while since we did anything like this Brielle. This is a perfect opportunity!"I hesitated. "I don't know, Evie. I'm not really in the mood to go out tonight. And besides, what if Cullen doesn't agree to it?"Evie rolled her eyes. "Stop being such a downer. I already talked to Drew and he said Cullen wasn't gonna see it as a big