My Rented Boyfriend Is A Billionaire

Secrets Behind a Smile

The next morning, Amelia Hart woke to the soft hum of the city below, sunlight filtering through her silk curtains. The rehearsal dinner had gone smoother than she could have imagined, and yet, she felt strangely restless.

She replayed Ethan Black’s calm, unwavering presence over and over in her mind. How could someone handle her family so effortlessly, so naturally, and still remain… unreadable?

⸻

Ethan arrived promptly at ten a.m., dressed casually yet impeccably. Amelia barely had time to adjust her robe before he knocked lightly and stepped inside.

“Good morning,” he said, voice smooth, almost teasing. “Ready for round two?”

Amelia gave a faint smile, brushing hair from her face. “Morning. I’m… surviving, thanks to you yesterday.”

He inclined his head, lips curving into a subtle, enigmatic smile. “Glad to hear it.”

There was something in that smile, fleeting and unguarded, that made her stomach flutter. She tried to shake it off. Professional. Temporary. Nothing more.

⸻

They spent the morning running through the wedding schedule, checking last-minute details, and rehearsing small gestures for family photos. Ethan was attentive, precise, and quietly charming, but Amelia couldn’t shake the feeling that he was holding something back.

At one point, she noticed him staring out the hotel window, distant, almost distracted. “Something on your mind?” she asked softly.

Ethan glanced at her, expression carefully neutral. “Just thinking,” he said. Then, with a faint shrug, he added, “Nothing important.”

Amelia narrowed her eyes. “Nothing important usually isn’t accompanied by a five-second stare into the horizon.”

Ethan’s lips twitched, a shadow of amusement crossing his face. “You notice everything,” he remarked lightly.

“I do,” Amelia said, her voice firmer than she intended. She caught herself off guard by how protective she suddenly felt of this man she barely knew.

⸻

As they continued preparing, Ethan offered small gestures that were subtly intimate but entirely professional: adjusting a stray hair, gently guiding her hand during a practice walk down the aisle, making sure her gown flowed perfectly for photographs.

Amelia felt her pulse quicken each time, forcing herself to remind her heart: He’s just a professional. He’s here for a weekend. Nothing more.

Yet there were moments—small, fleeting glances, a quiet attentiveness, a subtle warmth behind his words—that suggested he was… more than he let on.

⸻

During a brief break, Amelia sat by the terrace fountain, enjoying the cool morning air. Ethan joined her silently, offering her a cup of tea.

“You know,” he said softly, “you carry yourself well, even when you’re nervous. Most people don’t notice the small details, but you… you do.”

Amelia felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Thank you. I notice things because I need to. Life’s easier when you anticipate what’s coming.”

Ethan’s gaze lingered on her a moment longer than necessary. “Perhaps that’s why you’re hard to impress,” he said quietly, almost a challenge.

Amelia blinked, meeting his eyes. There was something behind them—something intense, unspoken—that made her chest tighten. “Maybe,” she whispered.

⸻

Later, as they walked through the venue, Amelia noticed Ethan interacting with the staff in a way that suggested authority without arrogance. He seemed to command respect effortlessly, and yet he never made anyone feel small.

A thought struck her suddenly: Who is this man, really?

For the first time, she wondered if there was more to Ethan Black than she had been told. A flicker of curiosity—and a pang of something more dangerous—crept into her chest.

⸻

That evening, Amelia sat alone in her suite, reflecting on the day. Ethan’s calm demeanor, the way he handled her family, the small gestures, and that fleeting look of mystery…

Professional. Temporary. Nothing more.

And yet…

She couldn’t stop thinking about him. Something about him felt untouchable, unreadable, and yet completely magnetic. And for the first time, Amelia realized that pretending to have a boyfriend might be easier than pretending not to feel… something.