The Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée

The Problem with Family

Amelia

There are moments in life when you realize things are about to get worse.

Not might.

Not could.

Will.

The look Lucas gave Ethan was one of those moments.

I knew that look.

It was the same look Chloe got whenever she came up with an idea that would somehow ruin my week.

I pointed at Lucas immediately.

“No.”

Lucas blinked.

“I haven’t said anything.”

“Your face said enough.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You absolutely do.”

Ethan took another sip of coffee, looking far too calm while my life continued falling apart.

I didn’t understand how he did it.

Maybe billionaires took classes.

How to Remain Unbothered While Other People’s Lives Collapse Around You.

I wouldn’t be surprised.

The silence stretched.

Lucas glanced between us.

Then grinned.

I hated that grin.

“How bad is this exactly?” Ethan asked.

I dropped my head onto the table.

“Catastrophic.”

“That’s not a measurement.”

“It is in my family.”

Lucas laughed.

Traitor.

I sat upright and rubbed my forehead.

“My mother thinks I’m engaged.”

Ethan nodded.

“I gathered that.”

“My grandmother has already started discussing wedding colors.”

Lucas nearly choked.

“What?”

“I don’t even have a boyfriend.”

The room became silent.

Then Lucas spoke.

“Wow.”

“Thank you for your support.”

“No, I mean wow.”

I considered throwing a pastry at him.

A very large pastry.

Ethan looked thoughtful.

Dangerously thoughtful.

“What made you tell them you were engaged?”

I groaned.

“Family dinner.”

“That’s not an explanation.”

“It is if you’ve met my family.”

The truth was embarrassing.

Very embarrassing.

But somehow sitting here felt strangely easy.

Maybe because Ethan wasn’t judging me.

Or maybe because he’d already seen me arguing with flowers.

After that, dignity was impossible.

“They kept asking why I was single.”

Lucas nodded sympathetically.

“That’s rough.”

“It got worse.”

“It always does.”

“My aunt started naming potential husbands.”

Ethan looked amused.

I pointed at him.

“Don’t laugh.”

“I’m not.”

“You want to.”

“A little.”

I sighed dramatically.

“One panic attack and three slices of cheesecake later, I told them I was seeing someone.”

Lucas buried his face in his hands.

Ethan finally laughed.

A real laugh.

Deep and genuine.

The kind that transformed his entire face.

For a moment, I simply stared.

The magazines never showed that version of him.

They showed a billionaire.

A CEO.

A businessman.

Not this.

Not someone who could laugh.

And definitely not someone who made me want to laugh too.

My phone buzzed again.

I ignored it.

It buzzed a second time.

Then a third.

Then a fourth.

The three of us stared at it.

“That’s concerning,” Lucas said.

“It’s normal.”

“That makes it more concerning.”

I looked at the screen.

Family Group Chat.

Thirty-four new messages.

Thirty-four.

What were they even discussing?

I opened it.

Instant regret.

Aunt Rebecca: Should we reserve extra seats?

Grandma: What if he proposes soon?

Mom: Does Ethan have any food allergies?

I froze.

Completely froze.

Then slowly looked up.

Ethan was watching me.

Lucas was watching me.

The universe was watching me.

“This is bad.”

“What happened?” Ethan asked.

I turned my phone around.

Lucas read the messages first.

Then started laughing so hard he had to hold onto the table.

Ethan took the phone.

A few seconds later, even he looked surprised.

“Your imaginary fiancé has a name?”

I wanted to disappear.

Immediately.

“Apparently.”

“Ethan?”

“Apparently.”

Lucas nearly fell out of his chair.

The worst part?

I couldn’t even explain why I’d chosen the name.

It had just come out.

Random.

Meaningless.

A complete coincidence.

Or so I’d thought.

Now the real Ethan Blackwood was sitting across from me holding evidence of my stupidity.

This was rock bottom.

Surely.

Hopefully.

Please.

Unfortunately, life wasn’t finished with me.

A staff member entered the dining room.

“Mr. Blackwood.”

Ethan looked up.

“What is it?”

“Your grandfather has arrived.”

The atmosphere changed instantly.

The casual mood vanished.

Even Lucas sat straighter.

The staff member stepped aside.

And an older man entered the room.

Tall.

Sharp-eyed.

Elegant.

The kind of person who looked like he could read your secrets just by looking at you.

His gaze landed on me.

Then Ethan.

Then me again.

One eyebrow lifted.

Slowly.

Dangerously.

I suddenly understood where Ethan got it from.

“Interesting,” the older man said.

Nobody liked the way he said that.

Especially me.

Because whenever powerful old men called something interesting…

It usually meant trouble.

And judging by the look on Ethan’s face…

He knew it too.

The problem was that neither of us realized just how much trouble was about to walk through that door.