Chapter Five
866 Words
True to her word, Tessa showed up at my apartment the next evening, carrying a plastic bag filled with snacks and a grin that made me nervous.
“You look too happy,” I muttered, letting her in.
“I am,” she said, kicking off her shoes. “Because I have a mission. Operation: Save Your Dignity.”
I groaned, dropping onto the couch. “This is ridiculous.”
“No, what’s ridiculous is you walking into that house alone, while your step-sister parades your ex-fiancé around like she won the lottery.” She tossed me a packet of chips. “You need backup. Preferably in the form of a tall, handsome man who looks like he owns half the city.”
I shook my head. “Tessa, I can’t just… rent a boyfriend like a dress.”
“Why not?” she shot back, settling beside me. “People rent cars, houses, wedding gowns. Why not a man?”
I gave her a look. “Because it’s insane.”
She grinned. “Insanely brilliant.”
For the next hour, she paraded her “options.” Photos on her phone, acquaintances from her gym, her cousin’s friend’s brother who apparently “cleans up nice.”
One by one, I rejected them. Too cocky. Too young. Too rough around the edges. One guy even had a tattoo of a snake winding up his neck.
“Tessa,” I groaned. “Do you want my stepmother to call me a criminal on top of everything else?”
She snorted. “Okay, fair. He was a bit… intense.”
After the tenth rejection, I threw my hands up. “This isn’t going to work. I’ll just go alone. Let them talk. Let them laugh. I don’t care.”
“Yes, you do,” she said firmly, her playful tone gone. “You care. And you should. Because you don’t deserve to walk into that warzone like a victim. You deserve to make an entrance. You deserve to watch their smug little faces fall.”
Her words hit deeper than I wanted to admit.
I looked away. “Even if I agreed… where would we find someone like that? Someone who looks rich, polished, and powerful? Someone they’d actually believe?”
Tessa’s eyes lit up. Slowly, a smile spread across her face.
“What?” I asked suspiciously.
“I just remembered something,” she said, leaning back like she was savoring the moment.
“Remember that night at the bar? The one where we met Daniel?”
I frowned. “Daniel?”
“Yes. Daniel Cole. The friend of my cousin’s boss. The one who picked up our tab without blinking and drove off in a car that probably cost more than this entire building.”
My stomach flipped. I remembered him—sharp suit, easy smile, eyes that lingered on me just a little too long.
“No,” I said immediately.
“Yes,” Tessa countered. “He’s perfect. He’s rich, he’s classy, and I happen to know he liked you.”
“Tessa…”
“Think about it. Imagine walking into that house with him. Your stepmother wouldn’t know whether to faint or bow. Your sister would choke on her own jealousy. And your dad…” She smiled knowingly.
“Your dad would finally look at you with pride.”
I swallowed hard. The image was tempting, painfully tempting.
But it was also terrifying.
“I don’t know,” I whispered.
“Then let me call him,” Tessa said, already reaching for her phone. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
Before I could stop her, Tessa was already dialing.
“Tessa!” I hissed.
She put a finger to her lips. “Shhh. Trust me.”
The phone rang twice before a smooth, deep voice answered. “Tessa. To what do I owe the honor?”
I froze. Even over the phone, his voice was magnetic.
“Daniel, hi!” Tessa chirped. “Listen, I have a favor to ask. Remember my friend?”
There was a pause. Then, his voice, lower now. “The one with the beautiful eyes?”
Heat rushed to my cheeks.
“Yes,” Tessa said, grinning at me like the devil. “She needs a date this weekend. A very specific kind of date. Family drama, birthday party, the whole nine yards. Think you’re up for it?”
Silence stretched for a beat. Then he said, “When and where?”
Tessa squealed. I buried my face in my hands.
Within an hour, there was a knock at my door.
When I opened it, Daniel stood there, leaning casually against the frame like he belonged everywhere. His suit was tailored, his smile lazy, his eyes sharp and they landed on me instantly.
“Hello,” he said, voice smooth. “Looks like we meet again.”
I froze, my heart stuttering.
Tessa clapped her hands. “Perfect. You’re hired.”
I glared at her. “I didn’t agree to this.”
Daniel’s smile widened, almost playful. “That’s fine. You’ll change your mind.”
And the worst part?
A small, faithless part of me already had.
- Writer
