Young Millionaire Hired a Fake Fiancée. He Never Thought He’d End Up Wanting to Make It Real

The Billionaire’s Proposal and the First Illusion

Tessa Sinclair never expected to be standing in the middle of an exclusive New York penthouse. She was staring at an offer that sounded more like a movie plot than real life.

Across from her, Zachary West was watching her with an expression that was both impatient and amused. He was a young millionaire as infamous for his ruthless business tactics as he was for his devastating good looks.

“Let me get this straight,” Tessa said slowly, gripping the contract he had just slid across the sleek marble table. “You want to pay me to pretend to be your fiance?”

Zachary leaned back in his chair, his sharp blue eyes studying her. “Yes. One year. Public appearances, family events, and whatever else is necessary to convince the world we’re madly in love.”

Tessa let out a short laugh, shaking her head. This had to be a joke. Less than an hour ago, she had been working her shift at the tiny cafe down the street, trying to figure out how to pay rent this month.

Now she was being offered a ridiculous amount of money to play fiance to a man she barely knew.

“Why me?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“Because you’re unknown, unconnected,” and he hesitated, his gaze briefly flickering over her. “You’re believable. You don’t look like someone who’d be after my money.”

Tessa rolled her eyes. “Gee, thanks.”

He didn’t even blink at her sarcasm. “My grandfather is stepping down from the company and the board wants to see stability before I take over. A fiance solves that problem.”

He leaned forward, his voice lowering just enough to make her pulse jump. “And you need the money.”

Her stomach twisted. He wasn’t wrong. She was drowning in debt, struggling to keep up with her late mother’s medical bills and barely scraping by in a city that didn’t care about struggling artists.

“How much?” she asked, her voice quieter now.

Zachary’s lips curled slightly, sensing her hesitation. “$1 million. Paid in installments. Half up front, the rest when the contract ends.”

Tessa’s breath caught. $1 million. It was more money than she had ever dared to dream of. It would change everything. Still, this was insane.

She looked at him. This man had everything: power, wealth, and effortless confidence that made people stop and listen when he spoke. He was offering her a lifeline, but it came with a price.

“You’d really pretend to be in love with me?” she asked skeptically.

Zachary gave her a slow, measured look. “I’m a businessman, Tessa. I know how to sell an illusion.”

Something about the way he said it made her shiver. She exhaled sharply, glancing at the contract one last time. This was reckless and dangerous, but it was also an opportunity she couldn’t afford to turn down.

She reached for the pen. “Fine. You’ve got yourself a fiance.”

The first public appearance was a gala, and it was nothing like Tessa had expected. She stood at the entrance of the grand ballroom, her fingers tightening around Zachary’s arm as flashes of cameras exploded in front of them.

His grip on her waist was firm and steady. She had to remind herself to breathe.

“You’re doing fine,” he murmured against her ear, his breath warm against her skin.

She wasn’t so sure. The dress he had sent her, an emerald gown that hugged her curves in ways she wasn’t used to, felt too extravagant. The diamonds at her neck were real.

The shoes were probably worth more than her rent. She had never been more out of place in her life.

When Zachary turned to her, his expression was unreadable. She saw something flicker in his eyes. Approval? Amusement? Whatever it was, it made her stomach flip.

“Try to look at me like you’re in love,” he murmured, his voice teasing.

Tessa narrowed her eyes before forcing a sweet, adoring smile. “Like this?” she asked, tilting her head.

His lips twitched. “Almost convincing.”

Before she could respond, a woman appeared in front of them. Her sharp gaze swept over Tessa before settling on Zachary.

“Zachary,” she said smoothly. “And this must be the fiance we’ve all heard about.”

Tessa straightened, pasting on her best polite smile. “Tessa Sinclair,” she said, offering her hand.

The woman barely touched it before turning back to Zachary. “I must say, this is quite the surprise. No one even knew you were dating.”

Zachary didn’t miss a beat. “I wanted to keep it private,” he said smoothly, pulling Tessa closer. “But when you meet the right person, you don’t waste time.”

Tessa’s heart stuttered at how effortlessly he said it. If she didn’t know better, she might have believed him herself. The woman gave her a calculating look before smiling.

“Well, I suppose congratulations are in order.”

As she walked away, Tessa exhaled.

“That was expected,” Zachary finished. “Get used to it.”