Young Billionaire Fakes a Relationship to Silence the Media. He Never Expected to Want Her for Real.
The End of Pretending
Every moment with Julian felt like stepping closer to an edge. Their arrangement had been a simple fabricated romance, but nothing about him was simple. She craved his presence now; it felt like a necessity.
At a private estate event, Julian stayed by her side. He wasn’t just playing a part; he was studying her reactions. She noticed his fatigue and the man beneath the billionaire. He leaned in, his voice warm.
“Come with me.”
He led her to a stone balcony overlooking a lake.
“How much longer do we keep pretending?”
Celeste’s breath hitched. “Pretending?”
He traced the inside of her wrist. “You feel it, don’t you?”
“Julian—”
“I told myself this was just a means to an end,” he said vulnerably. “But then you walked into my life. I don’t care about appearances. I care about you.”
“This isn’t what we agreed to.”
“No,” he admitted. “But when has anything between us ever gone according to plan?”
She couldn’t deny the truth. She cared about him more than intended. Julian framed her face with tenderness.
“Say the word, Celeste, and I’ll end this now. But if you don’t walk away, I’m not holding back anymore.”
She didn’t walk away. When Julian’s lips met hers, it was real and desperate.
“You’re mine now,” he murmured.
“And you’re mine. No more pretending.”
The next morning in his penthouse, Julian brought her coffee.
“You stayed.”
“I guess I did. What happens when the media realizes we actually feel something?”
“Then let them talk,” Julian said, leaning closer. “I care about you. The rest of the world can say whatever they want.”
His phone buzzed with a damning headline: “Julian Mercer’s New Romance: A Carefully Crafted Lie?” An anonymous source, likely Vivien, had leaked their arrangement.
“This is bad,” Celeste trembled.
Julian cupped her face. “We’ll handle it.”
“We.” For the first time, she wasn’t alone.
At a private dinner later, Julian was calm.
“The only thing I care about is you,” he said. “If you want to walk away from the scrutiny, I’ll understand.”
Celeste intertwined her fingers with his. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Weeks passed, and the scandal grew louder. Media called her a gold digger. Tonight, at another charity gala, Julian guided her through the red carpet frenzy with confidence.
Inside, Vivien approached again. “You’ve managed to drag this out longer than I expected.”
“I don’t recall asking for your opinion,” Julian said.
Vivien turned to Celeste. “How does it feel knowing you’re only a convenient distraction?”
“How does it feel,” Celeste countered, “knowing you’re only talking to me because you can’t stand that Julian has moved on?”
Julian steered Celeste away. “We’re done here.”
In a quiet corner, Julian looked at her with uncertainty.
“I didn’t plan on this,” he admitted. “I didn’t plan on you. I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t,” she whispered.
Julian pulled her into a real kiss.
“I love you,” he murmured.
“I love you too.”
“Then let’s stop pretending,” he said. “Let’s make this real.”
Celeste laughed softly. “Julian, it’s already real.”
He grinned with pure, undeniable happiness. As he kissed her again, she knew it wasn’t an arrangement anymore. It was forever.
