Mr. Caldera's Fake Girlfriend

us together in a glass box that feels

mposed, his sharp suit unmarred by the chaos of the night. Meanwhile, I'm leaning agai

s pockets, the picture of effortless control. His eyes flick to mine in the g

?" I ask, break

ection shifts, a brow lifting

mpagne making me bold. "Being you. All the power, the

a smirk, but not quite. "You tell me.

ending to deliberate. "If

t. Lucian exhales through his nose, h

aded with something I couldn't quit

villain, you could always soften your image. Rescue pup

, the corner of his mouth quirkin

someone to believe they're not as terr

ear the elevator gets smaller. "And what makes you think I need saving?" His voic

sity threatens to unravel me. "Because no one loo

second, something unguarded flickers i

ide open, breaking the spell. He gestures toward

tray me, but I manage to saunte

resence as commanding as the cityscape behind hi

ike they eat stock market

, "You're starting

my grin sharpening.

he counters, s

yes searching mine. "What now, Sera?" he asks

ng me to answer. And for once,

e in a magazine spread titled The Height of Opulence. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretch across one wall, framing a dazzling v

d impossibly loud in the hush of the space. I wander farther in, fingers brushing the sleek marble counters as if touching t

I apologize for being successful?" His question carries t

s leaning casually against the door, but there's nothing casual about

ust slightly. "No

he room with slow, deliberate steps. The teasing banter dissolves into something heavier, thickening lik

hem like a vice. There's something in his gaze-magnetic, almost dangero

e as he does. Yet here I am, a mess of n

rd feels fragile, like it migh

breath hitches. He's so close now I can feel the faint warmth radiating from hi

d silver behind him, distant and irrelevant. His eyes search mine, dark and

n he le

eath ghosting over my skin. Time slows, every h

d tilts, his hand catching my arm just as the darkness pulls me under. S

--

shielding my eyes as a headache pulses through my skull. The be

n

: the bar, the game, his face

the thoughts awa

sleek and impersonal, like its owner. My eyes land on a bottle of water an

morn

gray slacks and a crisp white shirt, his expression unreadable. This isn't the teasing

y, forcing myself

he says, already turni

t of his penthouse, all sharp lines and cold steel. Lucian is at the counter,

night..." I st

ed," he says, h

htly deflated. "That's good. I mean,

arched. "Do you always

e a corporate assassin?" I

, but it's gone in an instant. "You're

You sure know how to ma

ne, his jaw tightening. "Ser

remember? Just two adults who had

is cool, final. "Le

This isn't the man who laughed with me l

erent people, aren't you

er, his focus b

ht-that guy was fun. T

fun,'" he re

nter. "Let me guess: all business, n

p, but there's a crack in his co

u're not as scary as

, running a hand

s almost like I see the man from last night ag

river take you

tossing a cheeky smile over my should

ame, but he says quietly, "T

ays

g for coffee and carbs. The hallway is eerily quiet, pristine in a way

it ha

era flash nea

ll us your

lationship with

his new g

pulse spikes, and I freeze mid-step, staring at the sea of cameras and m

dart around, searching for an escape route, but t

here! Just o

this your

u doing in hi

nything, but all that com

ith a mix of panic and disbelief. How did they even know I was here

oice cuts through the chaos

stutters, but I don't have time to process it. He's pulling me forward with a single-m

o's the mys

left the gala ea

ver the rush of blood in my ears. My hand aches in his grip, but

answer. His jaw is set, his eyes locked on the e

e and slams the button to close the doors. A loud thunk echoes as the lens hits the metal,

lse is deafeni

" I manage, my voice tre

his sleeve as though this is just another Tuesday for him

ips. "Why were they outside your place? Do th

. "I've been told I'm

eriously? That's your answer? I just got flash-bomb

eyes meet mine. "They won't stop," he says, qu

my hands up, exasperated. "I didn't ask for this

gaze, but it's gone before I can latch onto it. "This is

Oh, fantastic. Welcome to the circus, starring me as th

hat's happening, Luc is guiding me toward a sleek black limousine. The

snap as he slid

explain yourself to the press?"

garage. "Fine. But I want answers. Why are they so i

musement I've seen from him all morning. "Not q

est too,"

They won't stop, Sera. Not until they find out wh

ing my hands up. "So what am I supposed

one solution,"

eyes. "And w

ake d

voice laced with increduli

don't waver. "

e. But none comes. Instead, he sits back

sounds?" I say, throwing my ha

one clipped. "And in real life, cont

surd-fake-dating a man like him? A man I barely know? A man

ye

e. Their questions, their flashes-it felt like being dissected under

I ca

of Lucian Caldera's penthouse make it to the tabloids, it'll be

't let him s

ker of interest breaking through his stoic mask. "What exactly does this

ies smoothly. "Enough to co

ing for wedding plans?" I

limmer of amusement in his eyes. "By th

get to be your fake girlfriend but also your fake ex

s, his lips twitching into someth

" I mutter, sh

dy and piercing. "What's more unbelievab

" I shoot back,

left yet," he

t. No more photographers harassing you, no invasive question

o goes

I ask, raisi

low, calculated smile.

him, I remind myself. This is about me-not becoming fodder for the

o him. It means being drawn deeper into his w

, the word heavy on m

ef? satisfaction?-crosses h

s, his tone as

is my way. No surprises, no unnecessary drama. And if you

the barest hint of

realize I've just made