My Rented Boyfriend Is A Billionaire

Meeting Ethan at the Wedding

The morning of the rehearsal, Amelia Hart felt a mix of nerves and excitement. Her penthouse was spotless, the designer gown she had painstakingly chosen hung perfectly on a mannequin, and her hair and makeup were flawless—or so she hoped.

She glanced at the clock. Ethan would be arriving any minute.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself: he was just her “rented boyfriend.” Professional. Temporary. No distractions.

⸻

The sound of a knock at the door made her heart skip a beat.

“Amelia Hart?” A smooth, familiar voice called.

She opened the door to see Ethan Black standing there, perfectly composed in a tailored charcoal suit. His dark hair was impeccably styled, and there was a faint hint of a cologne she didn’t recognize—masculine, subtle, and oddly intoxicating.

“Good morning,” he said, his eyes meeting hers with a steady, knowing gaze. “You look… stunning.”

Amelia felt her cheeks warm. “Thank you. You look… professional.” She tried to keep her tone casual, but her pulse betrayed her.

He smiled, a slow, easy curve of his lips that made her stomach flutter. “Professional is what you hired me for, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said firmly. “Professional.”

⸻

The drive to the wedding venue was quiet, but the silence was not uncomfortable. Ethan’s presence had a calming effect, yet there was an undercurrent of tension that Amelia couldn’t ignore. She found herself stealing glances at him—his profile sharp against the sunlight, the way he handled the wheel with effortless confidence, and the occasional, subtle smirk when she muttered complaints about her family’s expectations.

At the venue, the chaos of the rehearsal was in full swing. Bridesmaids flitted around in pastel dresses, groomsmen adjusted bow ties, and Amelia’s mother hovered near the bride with a clipboard like a drill sergeant.

Amelia felt a knot form in her stomach. This was exactly the scenario she had dreaded: interrogations, judgmental stares, and the inevitable questions about her love life.

Ethan stepped beside her, lowering his voice. “Just follow my lead. I’ve handled worse.”

Amelia blinked at him. “Worse?”

He shrugged, effortlessly charming as always. “Worse.”

⸻

By the time her family approached, Amelia felt a small sense of relief. Ethan greeted them with a firm handshake, a polite smile, and just enough charisma to leave everyone impressed but not intimidated.

“Amelia, dear!” her mother exclaimed. “And you must be…?”

Ethan extended his hand. “Ethan Black. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Amelia’s mother studied him, her eyes narrowing slightly, then softened. “Charming. Well-mannered. Good genes, I presume?”

Amelia rolled her eyes subtly at Ethan, who caught it and smirked. “I’ve been told I’m easy to impress,” he said lightly, earning a small laugh from her mother.

⸻

Throughout the rehearsal, Ethan navigated every situation with ease. He politely assisted elderly relatives, cracked small jokes to ease tension, and even helped Amelia’s little nephew with his bow tie when the boy started to panic.

Amelia found herself watching him more than she should. There was something magnetic about the way he moved, the subtle attentiveness that went beyond professionalism. She told herself repeatedly: He’s just doing his job. Professional. Temporary.

But the warmth in her chest said otherwise.

⸻

After the rehearsal, Amelia and Ethan walked out to the terrace for a moment of quiet. The sun was dipping low, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold.

“You handled yourself well,” Amelia admitted, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

Ethan shrugged modestly. “Your family is… formidable. I’ve been impressed.”

Amelia laughed softly. “You’re too kind. You’re good at this.”

“You hired me for a reason,” he said, his voice dipping slightly lower, more intimate. “But… I have to admit, it’s been… enjoyable.”

Amelia blinked. “Enjoyable?”

He nodded, eyes steady on hers. “Pretending to be someone’s boyfriend isn’t usually this… interesting.”

Her heart skipped. Interesting? Was that a flirtation? Or just his charm? She didn’t know, and she didn’t want to.

⸻

As they returned to the hotel for dinner with the family, Amelia couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. Their interactions were no longer purely transactional. There were fleeting moments—a glance that lingered, a brush of hands, a shared laugh—that felt dangerously real.

Amelia’s mind spun with conflicting thoughts. She reminded herself: He’s a professional. He’s here for one purpose only. Keep your heart out of it.

And yet, every time he smiled, every time he spoke softly to her, a small, persistent voice whispered: maybe he’s more than that.

⸻

That night, as Amelia lay in her suite, she thought about Ethan. She thought about the way he had looked at her, the subtle attentiveness, and the inexplicable pull she felt toward him.

Professional. Temporary. Nothing more.

But why did it feel so real?