Chapter 6

Isabella’s POV

The tension in the room was palpable as the woman I recognized from countless tabloids and the gala stormed in. Hennessy Lang was every bit as stunning in person as she appeared on social media, with her piercing eyes and confident stride.

I froze, the pen hovering above the contract, unsure whether to put it down or sign it right away just to claim some semblance of control.

“Who is this?” Hennessy’s voice was sharp as her eyes raked over me. She stood with an air of entitlement, her fitted red dress clinging to her in all the right places.

Noah let out a tired sigh, adjusting the cuffs of his suit. “Hennessy, this isn’t the time—”

“Don’t you dare tell me what time it is!” she snapped, cutting him off. “I come here thinking we can talk like adults about us, and I find her?” She waved a perfectly manicured hand in my direction.

I cleared my throat, forcing myself to sit up straighter. “Excuse me, but I’m not just ‘her.’ I’m—”

“My guest,” Noah interrupted firmly, shooting me a look that said, not now.

Hennessy scoffed, crossing her arms. “Your guest? Really? Is this some PR stunt? Another one of your distractions to avoid fixing things with me?”

Noah’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, the charming man I had shared a drink with earlier seemed to fade, replaced by someone colder, sharper. “Hennessy, whatever we had is over. You need to accept that.”

“Over?” she laughed bitterly, stepping closer. “You’re breaking things off for good, and the next thing I know, you’re parading around with… this girl? She’s nothing compared to me, Noah. Nothing.”

My cheeks flushed at her words, but I refused to shrink under her scrutiny. “I might not have your social status, Ms. Lang,” I said evenly, meeting her gaze, “but Noah and I have an arrangement, and frankly, it’s none of your business.”

Her eyes widened at my audacity. “An arrangement?” she repeated, a sly smirk curving her lips. “So, that’s it? You’re paying her to keep you company now, Noah? That’s how desperate you’ve become?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Noah stepped between us, his voice low and dangerous. “Enough, Hennessy. You don’t get to insult her or anyone else in my life. You’ve lost that privilege.”

The room fell silent, save for the muffled sounds of the city below. For a moment, I almost felt sorry for her—almost.

Hennessy’s expression wavered, her confident façade slipping. “You’ll regret this, Noah,” she hissed, her voice trembling. “You think you can just walk away from me? I built you! Without me, you’re—”

“Careful,” Noah warned, his tone icy. “Don’t rewrite history just to soothe your ego. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Isabella and I have a contract to finalize.”

His words were a clear dismissal, but Hennessy didn’t budge. Instead, she turned her glare back to me. “This isn’t over,” she said, her voice dripping with venom. “You’ve just made an enemy, sweetheart. And trust me, you won’t win.”

With that, she spun on her heels and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind her.

The silence that followed was deafening. I exhaled the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, my hands trembling slightly as I placed the pen back on the table.

“I’m sorry about that,” Noah said, sitting down across from me again. His voice was calm, but there was an edge of frustration in his eyes.

I forced a smile, though my heart was still racing. “Is this the kind of drama I should expect, being your ‘girlfriend’?”

His lips curved into a faint smirk, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “Hennessy can be… unpredictable. But I’ll handle her. You don’t need to worry.”

“Don’t I?” I raised an eyebrow. “She doesn’t seem like someone who gives up easily.”

He leaned back in his chair, studying me. “She doesn’t. But you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Isabella. I wouldn’t have chosen you for this if I didn’t think you could handle it.”

His words caught me off guard, a flicker of warmth spreading through me despite the chaotic scene that had just unfolded.

“Well,” I said, picking up the pen once more, “I suppose it’s too late to back out now.”

I signed the contract, my signature sealing my fate as Noah Jake’s ‘fake girlfriend.’

“Welcome aboard,” he said with a hint of a grin, holding out his hand.

I shook it, ignoring the spark that shot through me at his touch. “Here’s to mutually beneficial arrangements,” I said, trying to keep my tone light.

But as we raised our glasses in a mock toast, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d just stepped into a storm far more dangerous than I’d anticipated.

Later that night, as I lay in bed replaying the events of the evening, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.

“You don’t belong in his world. Leave, or I’ll make sure you regret it. - H”

I stared at the screen, my heart pounding.

Hennessy Lang wasn’t done with me. And something told me she was just getting started.

I deleted the message, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that settled in the pit of my stomach. I told myself it was just an empty threat, that Hennessy was just trying to intimidate me.

But as I lay in bed, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was in over my head. I had signed a contract with Noah, agreeing to be his fake girlfriend, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I tried to focus on the benefits of the arrangement, the money and the security it would bring, but my mind kept wandering back to Hennessy's threats.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed again. This time, it was a text from Noah.

"Hey, just wanted to check in and make sure you're doing okay after tonight's drama," he wrote.

I smiled, feeling a small sense of relief. Maybe this arrangement wouldn't be so bad after all.

"I'm fine, thanks for checking in," I replied.

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

I hesitated for a moment before responding.

"Yeah, tomorrow."

As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but wonder what tomorrow would bring.