Terms and Conditions

I locked my hand on Marcus’ arm as we made our way back into the hall. He moved us through the crowd with ease, introducing me to his parents, Ethan and Caroline, and then to his aunts and uncles. I nodded, smiled when I was supposed to, and said all the right things.

We avoided the centre of the room where Eleanor and Liam were sitting. I kept my eyes strictly away from them, terrified that one look would shatter whatever confidence I had left.

The second he was done introducing me to family members present, I made my escape. I ran down the hallways of the guest wing and locked myself inside my bedroom.

I fell on my bed, finally letting out the breath I felt like I'd been holding for hours.

A few minutes later, I heard a knock at the door. I opened it, and saw Liz standing outside. She slipped inside, closing the door behind her with wide eyes.

"Okay, spill," Liz said, crossing her arms. "When exactly did you become my cousin's fiancée?"

I let out a weak groan and walked back over to the bed, dropping my face into the pillow.

"It's not what it looks like, Liz. It was a total misunderstanding. He thought I was the actress he hired to play his fiancée. He saw me outside and thought I was her."

Liz stared at me for a second, then burst out laughing "Wait, so Marcus hired a fake fiancée to get his mom off his back? Honestly, that is so like him. But wait, why are you playing along with it?"

I took a deep breath, looking up at her. "Because he offered to pay me. And he mentioned the job you were trying to get me with Eleanor. Liz... I need the money."

Liz’s expression softened instantly. "I was going to tell you about that tomorrow. “Look, if Marcus is offering to pay you for this, just take it. Besides he can afford it, you're doing him a favor, not the other way around,” she paused, then looked at me in confusion. “But wait, what about Liam? Your boyfriend, the person you came all this way to surprise.”

Liz didn't know Liam was Eleanor's fiancé. To her, he was just the guy I’d been dating back in New York.

"We broke up," I lied. "A few days ago. I... I actually came here thinking we could fix things, but I realized it's probably better to just let it go. I just want to focus on getting my family on track and try to enjoy the rest of our vacation."

“Lena, I didn't know. Either way, It's his loss.”

“Don't worry.” I looked at her pleadingly. "You have to play along, Liz. Please. If anyone asks, we met two years ago when Marcus came to New York on a business trip. I went with you to visit him, and we started dating."

Liz smiled brightly. "Lie to my uptight family, help my best friend get a massive payday, and watch Marcus try to navigate a relationship? Please, I’d pay to see that. My lips are sealed."

The next morning, I was faced with the reality of my choice. A lady knocked on my door, she looked like she was in her mid-twenties, she introduced herself as Lauren, Marcus's assistant.

"Mr. Hartley is waiting for you in the study," she said politely.

When I walked into the study, Marcus was sitting behind a massive desk, looking just as unbothered as he had yesterday. Without saying a word, he slid a document across the desk toward me.

"The contract," Marcus said flatly. "Read it carefully before you sign."

I stared at the contract for a moment before finally picking it up. It basically stated that we had to act like a happy, engaged couple in front of his family and the public, but we were to keep our distance and respect each other’s private life behind closed doors.

It also said neither of us were permitted to date anyone or engage in a romantic relationship for the duration of the agreement.

Then I saw the payment info: $60,000. Half upfront today, and the other half after successfully playing the part for a month. I looked at the amount again, it was a life-altering sum of money.

"You'll stay at the estate for the wedding events. After that, you can move back to New York, and whenever you're ready you can come back to start your job at Hartley Investments. We'll only maintain public appearances when necessary,” Marcus said, probably noticing I was done reading the contract.

“Any questions?”

I looked at the paper one last time, before finally whispering "no," as I picked up the pen and signed my name at the bottom, binding myself to a man I barely knew.

Marcus nodded, taking the paper back. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small, maroon box, pushing it towards me.

I took the box and opened it, inside was a diamond ring.

"You'll need to wear this all the time while you're on the estate, my family expects nothing but the best."

I lifted the heavy ring and slid it onto my left hand. Before I could even take a breath, someone opened the doors of the study without knocking.

"Marcus, we need to go over the…" The voice cut off instantly.

I didn't even have to look up to know who that was, I'd recognize that voice anywhere. I turned around slowly, and saw Liam standing at the door, holding a stack of papers.

He looked at Marcus, then me, and finally the ring on my finger.

His face went pale. "Lena?"