Looking at the bubbles of champagne in a glass in her hand, Evelyn thought that the gas inside was a radical contrast to the way her stomach felt like a lead weight. The room was packed with guests and Liam Leo Carter, who was supposed to fake - engaged with, was over there in the middle of his discussion over a group of investors with glittering smile as radiant as the chandelier above. Just six weeks ago, Evie wouldn't have been caught dead at a charity gala, let alone pretending to be engaged to a venture capitalist whose name graced the society pages more often than the stock market. But a combination of mounting student loans and a well- meaning but meddling Aunt Beatrice had landed her in this gilded cage Marrying Leo was entirely out of the question of course. Their whilwind agreement was purely a business arrangement- charade to appease his conservative Investors. But as Evie met Leo's gaze across the the room, a flicker of something unexpected danced in his ice- blue eyes. Was it amusement? Maybe even a best of......warmth? The idea was ludicrous. She was here for a paycheck not a happily ever after. Still a shivery danced down her spin, and for the first time that evening a ting spark of defiance ignited within her. This face engagement might be a mess, but Rose had a feeling it was only just beginning