Holiday cruise: Jayden's fake girlfriend

I caught my boyfriend cheating on a Christmas cruise, and five minutes later, Jayden Reed asked me to be his fake girlfriend. Which is crazy, because ten minutes before that, I was convinced this trip was about to fix us. The ship looked unreal — like one of those i********:-perfect holiday edits. Christmas lights wrapped around the railings, fake snow drifting from machines, couples everywhere acting like love was a guaranteed subscription. The ocean shimmered under moonlight, calm and unbothered. I stood there holding hot chocolate, smiling like a clown, thinking, Wow. Maybe we’re actually okay. Then I heard his laugh. Not the laugh he gave me. The softer one. The trying-to-impress-someone laugh. I turned. And boom. There he was. My boyfriend. With his hands on another girl’s waist like they belonged there. She was wearing red. Of course she was. Christmas-core, confident, way too close. Then she kissed him. Not a quick peck. Not an accident. A full-on, I know what I’m doing kiss. My hot chocolate slipped from my hands and splattered across the deck. I didn’t even feel it. Because my heart had already hit the floor. I stood there for a second too long, frozen like an i***t, watching the guy who promised me forever forget my name in real time. He smiled into her kiss — relaxed, happy. That smile used to be mine. I turned and walked away before I did something unhinged. Like scream. Or cry. Or throw myself into the ocean and let the Atlantic deal with my emotions. By the time I reached the quiet side of the deck, my hands were shaking. “Don’t cry,” I muttered. “You’re not doing that. Not tonight.” My eyes burned anyway. “Wow,” a voice said behind me. “If looks could kill, that man would already be a ghost.” I flinched. Jayden Reed. Of course it was him. He leaned against the railing like this was a casual Tuesday and not the worst night of my life. Hoodie, sharp jaw, calm eyes — the kind of boy who always looked like he knew something everyone else didn’t. He looked at my face, then softened. Just a little. “You good?” he asked. I laughed — sharp, humorless. “Do I look good?” “No,” he said honestly. “You look like you just unlocked villain origin story mode.” That almost made me smile. Almost. “You saw it,” I said. He nodded. “Yeah.” Something in his jaw tightened. “I wanted to punch him.” That surprised me. I wiped my face quickly, embarrassed. “Don’t. He’s not worth it.” Jayden stepped closer, lowering his voice. “You’re right. He’s not.” We stood there, the ocean loud between us. The silence felt heavy — but not awkward. Then Jayden turned to me fully. “Be my girlfriend.” I blinked. “Excuse me?” “My fake girlfriend,” he clarified. “For the rest of the cruise.” I stared at him like he’d completely lost his mind. “Jayden, I literally just got cheated on.” “Exactly,” he said. “Which makes this perfect timing.” “That is not how timing works.” He smirked. “Hear me out.” I crossed my arms. “This should be entertaining.” “You don’t deserve to spend this trip hiding or crying over a guy who fumbled you,” Jayden said. “So we fake date. We show him what he lost. We look hot doing it.” I scoffed. “You’re enjoying this a little too much.” “Maybe,” he admitted. “But tell me you don’t want him to choke just a little when he sees you happy.” My silence answered for me. Jayden leaned in — not touching, just close enough that I felt the heat of him. “Plus,” he added quietly, “I’ve wanted an excuse to hold your hand for a long time.” My heart skipped. I hated that. “What are the rules?” I asked. His smile turned slow. Dangerous. “We sell it. Hand-holding. Smiling. Standing too close.” “And kissing?” I asked fast. He paused. Just long enough. “Only if you’re comfortable,” he said. “But if it happens… I won’t complain.” My pulse went stupid. This was a bad idea. A deliciously bad idea. I thought about the red dress. The kiss. The humiliation. I was done being nice. “Fine,” I said. “But if this blows up, I’m blaming you.” Jayden held out his hand. “Worth it.” I took it. The second our fingers locked, something shifted — steady, grounding, electric. Like I’d just stepped into a different version of myself. “Ready?” he asked. I glanced back toward the lights. Toward my ex. Toward the mess. “No,” I said honestly. “But let’s ruin his night.” Jayden grinned. “That’s my girl.” And just like that, my Christmas cruise went from heartbreak… To revenge with benefits.