The Accidental Fiancèe

Chapter 3:Caught In His World

Sophia held onto the tray until her hands began to ache, her chest still panting hard, rage bursts. “Wait are you serious you really I'm going to walk around pretending to be your fiancèe, like it's that simple really?”

Henry shook his head, with the faintest look of delight screaming across his face. “Simple is boring darling.”

Her nails gripped the edges of the tray so hard. “Listen to me ok, I've got a life you know. A brother who depends on me. A rent that's due already. I sincerely have no time for your silly games.”

Something intense grew in his eyes at the mention of her brother, though he hid it quickly.

“Which is exactly why you're going to be helping me we both are going to help each other by acting according to the script.”

Sophia stared at him confused. “Wait a minute what does that mean?”

He bent closer, whispering into my ear. “Because if you don't, the press is going to find out who you are. Trust me when I say they'll sniff around, dig through your life like vultures. And when they find your little brother? Sophia, do you think they are going to leave him alone?”

She was really disturbed by it. He couldn't possibly know about Oliver…could he?

The fear in her eyes must have given her away, because Henry looked so accomplished with a knowing smirk. “Thought so.”

She finds it hard to swallow, heat burning up her cheek “ You wouldn't dare drag him into this.”

“I don't need to,” he said slowly. The press would take pleasure if you didn't keep up appearances. “They smell and hunt for weakness. And you, sweetheart, are vulnerable.”

She took a deep long breath. She despised him—he had so much audacity and she hated him for that, the way he slowly cornered her with words, the way his presence commanded silence.

But he was right tho. If her face ends up on every newspaper cover tomorrow, Oliver’s name wouldn't be far behind. She could already hear the murmurs at his school, see the wicked smirks of teachers who thought they were above families like hers.

Her lips pressed against each other so hard. “You are a monster.”

Henry’s smile increased slightly, but his eyes stayed reserved. “I've been called worse.”

Before she could vent the fiery burning in her chest, a sharp voice interrupted them.

“There you are!”

They both turned. A tall, whitish-haired man in a brown suit approached, his white neat polished shoes hitting against the tiles. His smile was calm, but his eyes shone with something scheming.

Sophia recognizes him immediately—Mr. Liam, the host of the gala, and Henry's longtime family business partner She'd heard some of her colleagues whispering his name earlier today.

“Henry,” Liam said calmly, gripping Henry's shoulder with familiarity. “You caused quite a commotion tonight.” His eyes turned to Sophia, staring at her from head to toe in a single glance that left her skin tingling. “And this must be the fiancèe we have been hearing rumors about.”

Sophia's mouth opened, ready to deny everything, but Henry’s arm coiled up around her waist again before she could she could say a word. The warmth of his body pressed against her side, consistent and commanding.

“That's right,” Henry said seamlessly, his voice carrying the kind of simple authority that silenced doubts before they could grow.

“Sophia.”

Liam's brows curved, curious. “How fascinating. And how long have you two been keeping this little secret from us?”

Sophia's tongue went sour. She held herself back from telling the truth. But Henry's hand on her grew tighter, gentle but firm, and she realized in that moment—If she opposed him—the entire room would eat her alive.

Her lips shaped into what she hoped was a believable smile. “Not…very long,” she managed, her voice shaking just slightly.

Liam beamed, apparently. “Ah, young love. Always so ready to hide, always so obvious once found out.” He came closer lowering his head in a whisper. “I look forward to seeing you at the Blackwood board dinner next week. The fiancèe of Henry Blackwood will definitely be the guest of honour.”

Sophia's eyes rolled in shock.

Sophia held onto the tray until her hands began to ache, her chest still panting hard, rage bursts. “Wait are you serious you really I'm going to walk around pretending to be your fiancèe, like it's that simple really?”

Henry shook his head, with the faintest look of delight screaming across his face. “Simple is boring darling.”

Her nails gripped the edges of the tray so hard. “Listen to me ok, I've got a life you know. A brother who depends on me. A rent that's due already. I sincerely have no time for your silly games.”

Something intense grew in his eyes at the mention of her brother, though he hid it quickly.

“Which is exactly why you're going to be helping me we both are going to help each other by acting according to the script.”

Sophia stared at him confused. “Wait a minute what does that mean?”

He bent closer, whispering into my ear. “Because if you don't, the press is going to find out who you are. Trust me when I say they'll sniff around, dig through your life like vultures. And when they find your little brother? Sophia, do you think they are going to leave him alone?”

She was really disturbed by it. He couldn't possibly know about Oliver…could he?

The fear in her eyes must have given her away, because Henry looked so accomplished with a knowing smirk. “Thought so.”

She finds it hard to swallow, heat burning up her cheek “ You wouldn't dare drag him into this.”

“I don't need to,” he said slowly. The press would take pleasure if you didn't keep up appearances. “They smell and hunt for weakness. And you, sweetheart, are vulnerable.”

She took a deep long breath. She despised him—he had so much audacity and she hated him for that, the way he slowly cornered her with words, the way his presence commanded silence.

But he was right tho. If her face ends up on every newspaper cover tomorrow, Oliver’s name wouldn't be far behind. She could already hear the murmurs at his school, see the wicked smirks of teachers who thought they were above families like hers.

Her lips pressed against each other so hard. “You are a monster.”

Henry’s smile increased slightly, but his eyes stayed reserved. “I've been called worse.”

Before she could vent the fiery burning in her chest, a sharp voice interrupted them.

“There you are!”

They both turned. A tall, whitish-haired man in a brown suit approached, his white neat polished shoes hitting against the tiles. His smile was calm, but his eyes shone with something scheming.

Sophia recognizes him immediately—Mr. Liam, the host of the gala, and Henry's longtime family business partner She'd heard some of her colleagues whispering his name earlier today.

“Henry,” Liam said calmly, gripping Henry's shoulder with familiarity. “You caused quite a commotion tonight.” His eyes turned to Sophia, staring at her from head to toe in a single glance that left her skin tingling. “And this must be the fiancèe we have been hearing rumors about.”

Sophia's mouth opened, ready to deny everything, but Henry’s arm coiled up around her waist again before she could she could say a word. The warmth of his body pressed against her side, consistent and commanding.

“That's right,” Henry said seamlessly, his voice carrying the kind of simple authority that silenced doubts before they could grow.

“Sophia.”

Liam's brows curved, curious. “How fascinating. And how long have you two been keeping this little secret from us?”

Sophia's tongue went sour. She held herself back from telling the truth. But Henry's hand on her grew tighter, gentle but firm, and she realized at that moment—If she opposed him—the entire room would eat her alive.

Her lips shaped into what she hoped was a believable smile. “Not…very long,” she managed, her voice shaking just slightly.

Liam beamed, apparently. “Ah, young love. Always so ready to hide, always so obvious once found out.” He came closer lowering his head in a whisper. “I look forward to seeing you at the Blackwood board dinner next week. The fiancèe of Henry Blackwood will definitely be the guest of honour.”

Sophia's eyes rolled in shock.