She Agreed to Be His Fake Girlfriend for One Weekend, Not Knowing He Was a Billionaire Falling Fast
The Zimmerman Estate
What she didn’t expect was the sleek black Audi that pulled up precisely at 2:00 p.m. the next day. Zach stepped out, sunglasses hiding his eyes, looking like he’d stepped out of a luxury advertisement.
“Ready?” he asked, taking her weekend bag and placing it in the trunk. The interior of the car smelled of leather and some subtle cologne that made Kira suddenly conscious of her discount store sundress.
She’d chosen it carefully, casual but nice enough for a family gathering, but now she wondered if it was too cheap for whatever awaited them. “Nice car,” she commented as they merged onto the highway.
“Thanks. It was a gift to myself when I got promoted last year.” Kira wondered what kind of promotion warranted an Audi but didn’t ask.
It wasn’t her business and this was just a weekend job. As they drove, Zach briefed her on his family members.
Who to avoid: Uncle Harold after his third scotch. Who would interrogate her most thoroughly: Aunt Patricia. And who would be their allies: his middle sister, Emma.
“So what’s our story?” Kira asked. “How did we meet?”
Zach thought for a moment. “Coffee shop. Classic, but believable.”
“Too generic,” Kira objected. “What about: I was designing logos for a local business and you were a regular customer?”
“We kept running into each other, you asked for my number, and 3 months later, here we are.” He glanced at her with newfound respect.
“That’s good. Specific enough to sound real, vague enough that no one can verify it.” “I do have some experience making things up,” she admitted with a laugh.
“When you freelance, you sometimes have to invent reasons why a project is delayed.” The conversation flowed easily after that.
Kira was surprised by how comfortable she felt with Zach, a man she’d known for less than 24 hours. He had a dry wit that matched her own and despite his obvious wealth, at least compared to her, he didn’t seem pretentious.
When they turned onto a private road 2 hours later, Kira’s comfort began to evaporate. The driveway seemed endless, winding through carefully landscaped grounds before revealing what could only be described as an estate.
The main house was a sprawling stone structure that belonged on a historic register, with multiple wings and a circular driveway where several luxury vehicles were already parked. “You didn’t tell me your family was…”
Kira trailed off, not wanting to sound judgmental. “Wealthy!” Zach supplied, looking uncomfortable for the first time since they’d started driving.
“It’s my grandparents’ place. My grandfather was in real estate development.” “Was?”
“He passed away 5 years ago. My grandmother still lives here with a small staff.” Staff.
Of course there was staff. Kira fought the urge to demand he turn around and take her home.
This wasn’t what she’d signed up for. Some casual family dinner, yes, but not a weekend with people who employed household staff and drove cars that cost more than her annual income.
“Zach,” she said firmly. “I need you to be straight with me. How rich is your family? Because I’m getting the sense that you left out some important details.”
He parked the car and turned to face her, removing his sunglasses. “Would you have agreed if I told you?”
“Probably not,” she admitted. “That’s why I didn’t mention it, but I promise they’re just normal people who happen to have money.”
“And I really, really need your help this weekend.” His green eyes were earnest, almost pleading.
“I’ll double your fee. $1,000.” Kira could pay her rent and have enough left over to cover utilities and food for the month.
And really, what difference did it make if his family was wealthy? The job was the same: pretend to be his girlfriend, deflect questions about their relationship, go home Sunday night.
“Fine,” she relented. “But no more surprises.”
The moment they stepped through the massive front doors, Kira knew she’d made a terrible miscalculation. The interior of the house was like something from a movie.
Soaring ceilings, antique furniture that looked museum quality, and artwork she was certain had to be original pieces by famous painters. An older woman with Zach’s green eyes approached them, arms outstretched.
“Zachary, you’re here at last! And this must be the mysterious girlfriend we’ve heard nothing about.” She gave Kira a warm but assessing look.
“Grandmother, this is Kira Sanders. Kira, my grandmother, Elena Zimmerman.” Kira extended her hand, but Elena pulled her into a hug instead.
“We don’t stand on ceremony here, dear. We’re just thrilled Zach has finally brought someone home.” Over the next hour, Kira was introduced to more Zimmermans than she could possibly remember.
They all seemed genuinely nice, if a bit intense in their interest in her relationship with Zach. She stuck to their agreed-upon story, relaxing slightly when she realized no one suspected they were faking.
Zach stayed close, his hand occasionally resting on the small of her back or taking hers in a way that felt surprisingly natural. He was good at this; the little touches, the fond glances—almost too good.
“You’re a natural,” she whispered when they had a moment alone in the vast living room. “I told you I’m motivated. My grandmother was threatening to set me up with the granddaughter of her bridge partner.”
He grimaced. “I’ve met her. She collects porcelain dolls and talks to them.”
Kira laughed louder than she intended, drawing the attention of several family members who smiled approvingly. They clearly liked seeing Zach happy.
