Chapter three
1218 Words
Jasmine pov
My eyes must’ve gone too wide, because he leaned forward, brows knitting like he realised how insane “Marry me” had sounded. For a heartbeat, I thought he’d backtrack. Instead, he adjusted, voice lowering with the same unnerving calm:
“I want you to be my girlfriend,” he says.
Not a girlfriend in the flowers-and-movie-nights way. No, his tone is way too steady, too cold. It doesn't seem like an invitation but more like a business deal. And yet my pulse won’t stop racing, It was like he had set the entire Savore Restaurant on fire with one sentence
I blink. Then again, slower this time, because maybe I misheard. “Excuse me?” My voice cracks.
William leans back on his seat, looking innocent, his gaze on me like a butterfly under glass, “Fake girlfriend,” he clarifies, lowering his voice. “It’s temporary. Just for a few weeks.”
“No. Absolutely not.” The words slip out before I can decorate them with diplomacy.
Why me? What game is he playing at?
I know CEOs like him, sharp suits, sharper minds, and always a reason behind every move. Nothing is ever spontaneous in their world.
I remind myself: I’m Charlotte Thompson. Elegant. Untouchable. The kind of woman would arch an eyebrow instead of flinching.
My stomach twists so hard I almost lose my appetite.
I grip the fork too tightly, the metal trembling against the plate.
A warm trail of sweat slides down my back, hot and accusing, betraying the truth I am trying to hide, maybe I am not built for this. The calm mask I wore feels shaky, ready to c***k under the pressure of everything that could collapse.
He doesn’t flinch at my quick refusal. Instead, he stays unnervingly composed like he’d already predicted it, a strategist watching his plan unfold. “I know it sounds insane,” he says evenly, “but just listen.”
“That’s… no.” I shake my head before he can elaborate further. “No, thank you.”
“I’ll make it worth your while.” He continues “This isn’t personal, it's business.”
The air sticks in my throat, stealing my breath.
My body goes rigid, rooted to the chair.
Business? That single word is enough to stir my curiosity against my better judgment. “What kind of business requires you to… hire a fake girlfriend?”
His lips twitch, almost forming a smile. “Investors like stability. A settled image sells.”
I let out a humourless laugh. “And I’m just… what? Conveniently available for the role?”
“Yes.”
My fingers tighten around the water glass, the chill biting my skin.
Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I must bite my lip before words spill out.
I cross my arms, hiding the sting his words leave behind.
But the look he gave me carried a warning that I was already his from the start and it made me want to flee or lean in closer.
Still, I stand. “I’m sorry, but this isn’t for me.”
I take two steps before he drops it. “I’m willing to pay.”
That stops me cold.
Slowly, I turn. “What?”
He says it clearly, like a lawyer stating facts in court. “A paid agreement. You help me for six weeks, and in return, you get fifty thousand.”
Fifty thousand dollars. Enough to erase my debts, pay the rent, and finally breathe. Tempting. Dangerous. And I’m supposed to smile through it like a good little actress? Yeah… that’s not happening.
It’s also the most dangerous number I’ve ever heard. Because it’s tempting. Too tempting.
But it’s not just me in the line of fire. Charlotte’s name, Charlotte’s reputation if I agree, I’ll be carrying both. If this falls apart, it’s her image that burns.
I can’t answer. My chest tightens, heart pounding against its cage.
It’s like gravity has doubled inside me, heavy and crushing.
I told him I needed the restroom and bolted off before he could say another word.
Inside the restroom, I tried to delay the inevitable time and quickly pressed my phone to my ear, already calling the one person whose opinion can cut through my panic. Charlotte.
She answers on the second ring. “Jasmine? Why are you whispering? Are you still at the dinner?”
“Yes, but Charlotte, you’re not going to believe this.” My voice comes out in a rush. “William just offered me fifty thousand dollars to pretend to be his girlfriend for six weeks. Publicly. As you.”
Silence. Then, “Did you say fifty thousand?”
“Yes! I told him no….”
“Don’t you dare walk away,” she snaps, her tone sharp as glass. Then it softens, almost breaking. “You don’t understand, Jasmine. If you say no, I will lose everything my father built and he’ll make sure I’m the one who pays.”
I blink. “What? Charlotte, this is…..”
“If you walk away, I will lose Thompson Luxe. And you… stay in debt.”
I press my forehead to the stall door. “Charlotte, I can’t keep up this double life forever. One slip and……”
“Jasmine,” she interrupts, softer now, “I’m asking you as my friend. Please. You know what my father would do to me. “Her voice softened, but the weight in it hit hard.”
Her words join with my own reality, the debt, the endless grind, the nights lying awake, making me think of how to get out of it all. This isn't just for her. This could solve both of our problems.
But it could also destroy us if we’re caught.
This is insane. Absolutely insane. And yet… fifty thousand. My debts could vanish overnight. My rent is paid. My lungs are finally breathing. “I hate that you make sense, Charlotte”.
“That’s my speciality,” she says, forcing a smile into her voice. “Do it. Just… don’t let him get under your skin. William’s smart. And dangerous.”
Her warning kept ringing in my head as I hung up.
Stepping back to the dinner, William hasn't moved a bit, he is still seated, watching me approach as if he knew I would return.
I braced myself, shoulders stiff, Something in me pushed me toward him, even when I wanted to run. But I forced my voice steady, raised my chin the way Charlotte would, and said the words that tied me: “I’ll do it.”
He smiles then, a slow, measured smile that leaves me thinking whether it was real or just another part of the deal. “Good. I will have my assistant draft the agreement. We begin tomorrow.”
Start. Tomorrow. My chest tightens.
He signals the waiter like we’ve just sealed a business merger instead of my temporary soul-sale. “You won’t regret this,” he says.
I force a polite nod, but regret is already clawing at me. My pulse hammers, my breath shallow.
From tonight onward, I’m not just myself, I'm Charlotte. And one wrong move could ruin us both.
And William? he already looks like he is planning my first mistake
- Writer
