Chapter 2: The Rules
1356 Words
I stared at the contract for what felt like an eternity.
Six months.
Six months of pretending to be Ethan Black's girlfriend.
In exchange, he would pay every cent of my mother's debt.
It sounded too good to be true.
Which meant it probably was.
I looked up from the papers.
“What happens if I say no?”
Ethan didn't hesitate.
“Nothing.”
I blinked.
“Nothing?”
“You leave. Your debt remains yours.”
My fingers tightened around the pen.
He was making it sound simple.
It wasn't.
“You know I can't afford to lose my house.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“I told you. I did my research.”
“That doesn't explain anything.”
Ethan leaned back in his chair.
“You're twenty-two. You work three jobs. You have no significant savings, no wealthy relatives, and no realistic way of clearing the debt before the deadline.”
I stared at him.
He knew everything.
It made me uncomfortable.
“You're obsessed with me or something?”
One corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
“No.”
“Then this is strange.”
“Business is often strange.”
I looked back at the contract.
There were several pages.
Rules.
Payment terms.
Confidentiality clauses.
Public appearances.
Then I noticed something.
“There's no relationship clause.”
“There doesn't need to be.”
“But I'm supposed to pretend to be your girlfriend.”
“Yes.”
“So what exactly am I agreeing to?”
“Public appearances. Events. Family gatherings. Occasional dinners. Photographs when necessary.”
“And that's it?”
“For the most part.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“For the most part?”
Ethan's expression remained unreadable.
“You'll learn that details matter in my world.”
That answer didn't reassure me.
I turned another page.
“No dating other people?”
“Obviously.”
“No embarrassing behavior in public.”
“Correct.”
“No discussing the contract.”
“Correct.”
“And I have to live at your house?”
“Yes.”
My head snapped up.
“What?”
“For the arrangement to look convincing, you'll move into my guest residence.”
“No.”
His eyebrow rose.
“No?”
“I can pretend to be your girlfriend without moving into your house.”
“Then people will ask questions.”
“I'll deal with them.”
“So will I.”
I pushed the contract away.
“This is too much.”
Ethan watched me quietly.
Then he said, “I'll increase the payment.”
I froze.
“How much?”
He named an amount.
My mouth fell open.
It was more money than I'd seen in my entire life.
Still, I shook my head.
“Money doesn't change everything.”
“No,” he said. “But it changes your situation.”
I hated that he was right.
My eyes returned to the contract.
I thought about my mother's house.
The kitchen where she'd taught me how to cook.
The little garden she'd spent years taking care of.
The bedroom where we'd stayed awake talking whenever I couldn't sleep.
I couldn't lose it.
Not after losing her.
I picked up the pen.
“Six months?”
“Six months.”
“And after that?”
“The arrangement ends.”
“No extension?”
“No.”
“No matter what happens?”
His eyes met mine.
“No matter what happens.”
Something about the way he said it made me uneasy.
I signed.
The moment the pen left the paper, Ethan took the contract from me.
He checked my signature before placing it inside the folder.
“Good.”
I stood.
“That's it?”
“For tonight.”
I turned toward the door.
“Mia.”
I stopped.
“There's one more thing.”
I looked back.
Ethan's expression had changed.
The cold businessman was gone.
For a second, he looked almost serious.
“Don't ask questions about my family.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“You agreed to follow the rules.”
“I agreed to pretend to be your girlfriend. I didn't agree to stop thinking.”
His jaw tightened.
“Some things are better left alone.”
I wanted to ask more.
Instead, I walked out.
The elevator took me back to the lobby.
The same assistant was waiting.
“Miss Carter, I'll take you home.”
“I can get home myself.”
“Mr. Black instructed me to drive you.”
Of course he did.
I sighed and followed him.
The next morning, a black car arrived outside my house.
A woman stepped out.
She looked elegant enough to belong in Ethan's world.
“Miss Carter?”
“Yes?”
“My name is Elena. I'll be helping you prepare for tonight's event.”
“Tonight?”
Elena smiled.
“Your first public appearance with Mr. Black.”
My stomach dropped.
“Already?”
“Mr. Black doesn't like wasting time.”
I wanted to laugh.
Of course he didn't.
Within an hour, my small bedroom had been transformed into a dressing room.
Several outfits arrived.
Shoes.
Accessories.
Even a makeup artist.
I stared at everything in disbelief.
“This is ridiculous.”
Elena smiled.
“You'll get used to it.”
“I don't think I want to.”
She laughed softly.
“You're not the first person to say that.”
By evening, I was standing in front of a mirror wearing a simple black dress.
I barely recognized myself.
Elena adjusted my hair.
“There.”
I stared at my reflection.
For the first time in years, I looked like someone who belonged in an expensive room.
Then the doorbell rang.
Ethan.
I walked downstairs.
He was waiting outside beside the car.
His eyes met mine.
For a brief moment, he said nothing.
Then he opened the car door.
“You're late.”
I frowned.
“By three minutes.”
“I dislike being kept waiting.”
“And I dislike being treated like an employee.”
His expression almost softened.
Almost.
“Get in.”
I rolled my eyes and climbed into the car.
The event was being held at a luxurious hotel downtown.
The moment we stepped inside, cameras flashed.
I instinctively stepped back.
Ethan's hand settled lightly at my shoulder, guiding me forward.
“Smile,” he whispered.
“I am smiling.”
“You look terrified.”
“Because I am.”
His mouth twitched.
“Good. At least you're honest.”
We walked through the crowd.
People whispered.
Some stared at me.
Others looked shocked.
Then a woman approached.
She was beautiful, elegant, and clearly familiar with Ethan.
She looked at me.
Then at him.
Her smile disappeared.
“Ethan.”
He nodded.
“Victoria.”
She looked at our joined hands.
“What is this?”
Ethan didn't hesitate.
“My girlfriend.”
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
Then she looked directly at me.
“You?”
I swallowed.
Before I could respond, she stepped closer.
“You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into.”
Ethan's expression hardened.
“That's enough.”
Victoria ignored him.
She leaned toward me and lowered her voice.
“Ask him why he chose you.”
I froze.
She smiled coldly.
“Then ask him what happened to your mother.”
She walked away.
My heart pounded.
I turned toward Ethan.
“What did she mean?”
His face had gone completely cold.
“Mia.”
“What happened to my mother?”
He didn't answer.
“Ethan.”
He looked at me.
And for the first time since we'd met, I saw something in his eyes that frightened me.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For me.
“Don't ask me that here.”
“Then where?”
His gaze shifted toward the crowd.
“Because someone is watching us.”
I followed his eyes.
Across the room, a man in a dark suit was staring directly at me.
And the moment our eyes met, he walked away.
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