MARRIED TO THE DEVIL INCARNATE

Chapter 6

Nara Harrison

If someone had told me years ago that one day I’d be standing in a big fancy ballroom, wearing a super expensive dress, getting fake-engaged to one of the richest guys in the city — I would have laughed so hard I cried.

But here I was.

The ballroom was huge. The floor was shiny, and the lights from the big chandeliers made the whole place sparkle. The place practically smelled like old money and tax fraud. The annual Golden Foundation Charity Gala, thrown by none other than Henry Gold — Nick’s father. A man who, for reasons I still didn’t understand, absolutely adored me.

The first time we met, he hugged me so tight I thought he might break my ribs. Every time after that, he smiled at me like I was the best thing in the world.Even Nick didn’t get it. He told me once, “I’ve never seen the old man like this with anyone. You must’ve slipped something in his drink.”

Poor man. He had no idea that this big engagement was fake, and his son was using this party for a big show.

My parents weren’t here. My dad had surgery last week. Mom stayed to take care of him. She did send me a message this morning though:

“Good luck tonight, sweetheart! Smile big! We’re watching on the livestream!”

Great. No pressure.

Nick’s family was here, though.

Henry sat near the front table, grinning not a clue what was about to happen. Next to him was Nick’s stepmom, Evelyn. She was tall, pretty, and always looked like she smelled something bad. Not mean, just… cold. I never asked how Nick’s real mom died, and no one told me. It felt like one of those things people didn’t talk about.

Then there was the family ghost: Noah. Nick’s half-brother. A year younger. Lived in Sweden his whole life, though rumor had it he was moving back to the States permanently. Nick’s face twitched whenever his name came up, like he’d just bitten a lemon. Family drama. Not my business. I had my own circus to survive tonight.

Then it happened.

I was chatting with some lady about birds (yes, birds) when the music stopped. A new song started playing — some slow, lovey-dovey pop song that sounded like it came out of a cheesy romance movie.

Uh-oh.

A bunch of people in the crowd, dressed like normal guests, suddenly started dancing together in a big, fancy routine. Yep — it was happening.

I felt Nick’s hand snatch mine, pulling me into the center of the floor. “Smile, sweetheart,” he muttered through his teeth. “Don’t screw this up.”

I forced a perfect, dreamy grin. “You’re really overcompensating tonight, Gold. Missed your calling as a soap opera actor.”

He chuckled, pretending it was romantic. “Put your pride aside, baby. The paparazzi are waiting.”

Rose petals started to rain from the ceiling. I barely resisted the urge to swat them away.

Then — a giant LED screen descended, showing a slideshow of our ‘relationship.’ Staged beach shots, fake park dates, hand-holding at a coffee shop.

Nick took my hands and smiled like this was the happiest moment of his life.

I could tell he was acting.

But the crowd loved it.

“Nara,” he began, his voice all soft and shaky, “you’ve made my world brighter. You challenge me. You make me better.”

I almost laughed. I had to bite my lip.

“Tonight, in front of everyone we love… I have to ask you something.”

Then — get this — a drone flew down from the ceiling carrying a glass box with a giant diamond ring inside. I swear, the thing could blind somebody.

Nick opened the box, took the ring, and got down on one knee.

“Nara Harrison,” he said, grinning for the cameras, “will you marry me?”

Everyone gasped. Cameras flashed like crazy.

Then, with my best soft, romantic voice, I said, “Yes, Nick. A thousand times yes.”

The crowd erupted in cheers. Nick slipped the ring on my finger. I made sure to hold my hand up so everyone could see the sparkle.

He pulled me into a tight embrace. He spun me around once, making my hair fan out as the cameras caught every moment.

When he set me back down, his hand slid gently to my cheek. His thumb caressed my skin, and he gazed into my eyes like we were the only two people in the world.

I leaned close, smiling sweetly, and whispered, “If you smudge my lipstick with this fake kiss, I’ll knee you so hard your ancestors will feel it.”

“Come on, stop forming,” he whispered back. “I know you’re dying to kiss me.”

I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could, he pulled me in and crushed his lips to mine.

Click. Click. Click.

The press snapping a thousand pictures, and the headlines practically writing themselves.

But inside?

I was counting down the seconds until this whole charade was over.

The second Nick’s lips left mine, the crowd exploded in cheers, some drunk socialite actually wiping a tear. The flashbulbs were relentless, like tiny white-hot daggers against my vision.

I held his hand up in triumph, letting the massive diamond catch the light like some war trophy. The reporters surged closer, shouting questions.

“When’s the wedding?”

“Nara! Nara! Were you surprised?”

Oh, honey. If only you knew.

Nick kept his perfect grin plastered on. “We’ll be sharing details soon,” he promised them, voice slick as oil. “But for now, we just want to enjoy this beautiful night with all of you.”

Liar.

He tugged me toward the press corner for the mandatory interviews. I could practically feel Jane’s murderous glare boring into the back of my skull from where she stood behind the velvet ropes, her nails digging into a champagne flute like it was my throat.

I gave her a little wink as we passed.

“b***h,” I saw her mouth.

“Always,” I mouthed back with a smirk.

At the press conference setup

They shoved us onto a stage flanked by ridiculous golden pillars and enough floral arrangements to smother a horse. I perched beside Nick, crossing my legs in a calculated move that made half the press raise their cameras again.

Nick did what he did best — lied like a pro.

“I knew from the moment I met Nara she was the one. She’s beautiful, intelligent, brave—”

I snorted.

He shot me a warning look before finishing, “—and keeps me on my toes.”

A few reporters laughed.

I leaned toward my mic, voice sweet. “And Nick is… persistent.”

More laughter. The perfect power couple banter.

Backstage, I could see Jane’s face darken like a thundercloud, and honestly? That almost made tonight worth it.

Later, in the getaway car

The moment the doors shut behind us and the city lights blurred past, the silence stretched tight. He loosened his tie, leaning his head back.

“Well, congratulations, future Mrs. Gold,” he said, voice dry.

I held up the massive ring, admiring it in the passing streetlights. “I should get hazard pay for this performance.”

His lips quirked. “You were incredible out there.”

“I know.”

For a beat, it was quiet.

Then, Nick sighed. “You know this won’t last forever, right?”

I met his gaze, the city reflecting in his stormy gray eyes. “Good. Because neither will you.”

And for the first time that night, we both genuinely smiled.

Not lovers.

Not friends.

But perfect, beautiful, dangerous enemies… playing a game neither of us planned to lose.