Fake Dating the Billionaire Who Hired Me

Chapter Four

Athlea’s Pov

"I am not walking into that giant glass cage with you," I whispered, freezing right at the front doors of the tallest building in the city.

The black town car had dropped us off right after the charity gala, where Ashton's angry words to that reporter were still ringing in my ears. She is the most important person in my life.He had said it so smoothly, with so much fire in his voice, that for one crazy second, my heart had actually skipped a beat. But standing here now, looking up at the shiny penthouse tower where I was supposed to live, reality hit me like a splash of cold water.

This wasn't a fairy tale. It was a business deal wrapped in a giant lie.

Ashton turned around, his dark suit jacket catching the dim light of the lobby. He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair, looking just as exhausted as I felt.

"Athlea, my public relations team made it very clear," Ashton said, his voice dropping into that serious, commanding tone I hated so much. "If the media sees us going our separate ways at night, the rumor mill will start spinning again. They need to see us sharing a home, eating breakfast together, living like a real couple. You agreed to this."

"I agreed to pretend to be your girlfriend in public, Ashton, not become your prisoner in a museum!" I shot back, hugging my small backpack tighter against my chest. My old canvas bag looked ridiculous against the marble floors and gold elevators of his fancy building. "Look at this place! It looks like a bank! I'm going to trip over a million-dollar rug and break my neck, and then what?"

Ashton let out a short, dry laugh, though there was no humor in his eyes. "You won't break anything. Come on. Up we go."

Before I could argue again, he gently grabbed my elbow and guided me toward the private elevator. The ride up to the top floor felt like it took forever. My ears popped as the glass box flew past the city lights, climbing higher and higher into the dark sky. When the doors finally slid open, I stepped out and forgot how to breathe.

The penthouse was huge. It had walls made entirely of glass, showing off the whole city glowing like a sea of diamonds below. Massive modern couches, shiny white tables, and expensive art pieces filled the open space. It was stunning, but it felt cold, empty, and terrifyingly lonely.

"Your bedroom is down the hall on the left," Ashton said, walking over to a sleek glass bar and pouring himself a glass of water. "My room is on the opposite side. We will stay out of each other's way as much as possible."

I dropped my backpack on the shiny floor, crossing my arms as I walked over to the edge of the living room, staring out at the city. "Good. Because the less time I have to look at your grumpy face, the better."

Ashton walked over, stopping a few feet away from me. His stormy eyes looked me up and down, softening just a tiny bit before he locked them back into his usual stern mask.

"There are rules we need to follow while you live here," Ashton said, holding up a finger. "First rule: when my team or the press are watching, you play the part. You smile, you hold my hand, you act like you actually like me."

My jaw dropped. "And what if I don't feel like smiling?"

"Then fake it," he replied coldly. "Second rule: stay out of my private study at the end of the hall. That is where I handle confidential business. Third rule: my kitchen staff will prepare all your meals according to the nutritionist's guidelines. No junk food, no skipping meals. I am paying for your health and the safety of..." He paused for a second, his eyes dropping briefly to my stomach before snapping back up to my face. "...of the baby."

Hearing him say that reminded me of the real reason I was standing in this giant glass castle. Beneath all the fake dates, the angry arguments, and the fancy suits, there was a tiny life growing inside me. A baby that belonged to this arrogant, impossible man.

A hot wave of rebellion rushed through my veins. I refused to let him boss me around like a servant in his own home.

"Let's get one thing straight, Mr. Sterling," I said, stepping right up to him, tilting my chin up so he could see how serious I was. "I might be living under your roof, and I might be carrying your child, but I am not your soldier. I will eat what I want, I will walk where I want, and if I decide to raid your kitchen at two in the morning for potato chips, I am going to do it. You do not own me."

Ashton stared down at me, his jaw clenching so tight a muscle ticked in his cheek. The air between us crackled with thick, heavy tension. For a moment, I thought he was going to yell at me, to throw me right back out into the rain.

Instead, a strange, faint smirk touched the corner of his lips.

"You really don't know how to back down, do you?" he whispered, his voice dropping low, sounding almost impressed.

"Never learned how," I snapped back, holding my ground.

He held my gaze for a long, breathless second. The space between us felt way too small. The scent of his clean cologne mixed with the fresh rain was driving me crazy, making my stomach do flip-flops that had nothing to do with anger.

Suddenly, the sharp ringing of my phone broke the spell.

I jumped, stepping back and pulling my phone out of my pocket. The screen flashed with a text message from my landlord at the old neighborhood, asking if I was coming by tomorrow to pack up my dad's old tools.

I swallowed hard, the sudden reminder of my real life crashing back down on me. I wasn't a rich billionaire's girlfriend. I was just Athlea, a broke girl playing a dangerous game to save her family home.

"I need to go to my room," I muttered, turning away from him before he could see the sudden panic in my eyes.

"Athlea," Ashton called out softly, making me freeze in my tracks.

I looked back over my shoulder.

"Your debts... they were cleared this afternoon," Ashton said quietly, his voice losing its cold edge. "Your house is safe. You don't have to worry about the utility bills anymore."

I stared at him, my throat tightening up with sudden, hot tears. All my life, I had been the one taking care of everyone else, carrying the heavy burden all by myself. And now, this cold, arrogant stranger had lifted the heaviest stone off my shoulders with a single stroke of a pen.

"Why did you do that so fast?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Because a Sterling doesn't break his promises," Ashton said smoothly, turning around to walk toward his bedroom. "Get some sleep, Athlea. Tomorrow, my father is coming over for dinner, and the real acting begins."

I stood alone in the middle of the massive, silent penthouse, my heart pounding against my ribs, wondering how on earth I was going to survive a dinner with the man who raised a monster like Ashton Sterling.