Young Millionaire Hired a Fake Fiancée. He Never Thought He’d End Up Wanting to Make It Real
Under the Scrutiny of the West Family
She glanced up at him. For the first time, she wondered just how much of this was a game to him. To her, this was a deal—a desperate, necessary deal.
But for Zachary, he played this role too well, and that scared her more than anything.
Tessa stood at the edge of the ballroom, gripping the delicate champagne flute Zachary had handed her moments ago. The room was a blur of glittering gowns, sharp tuxedos, and hushed conversations laced with wealth and power.
She had expected to feel out of place. What she hadn’t anticipated was the weight of Zachary’s presence beside her. He was steady, commanding, and dangerously convincing.
“You’re doing better than I thought,” he murmured, his voice low enough that only she could hear.
“Glad to exceed expectations,” she replied, tilting her glass slightly.
He studied her, something unreadable flickering in his gaze. “You’ll need to keep it up. My grandfather’s watching.”
Tessa followed his line of sight and found an older man seated near the head table. His silver hair was neatly combed and his expression was unreadable.
There was an intensity in his gaze, a quiet scrutiny that sent a shiver down her spine.
“Does he suspect anything?” she asked.
Zachary’s jaw tightened slightly. “Not yet, but he will if we’re not careful.”
Tessa swallowed. She had known this arrangement would come with pressure, but she hadn’t expected it to feel so immediate and suffocating.
She had stepped into Zachary West’s world for the money and for survival. Now, standing here, she realized she had also stepped into something far more dangerous: his control.
A waiter passed by. Zachary took the opportunity to slip his hand around her waist, guiding her toward his grandfather’s table. The contact was firm and practiced, yet something about it sent a jolt through her.
“Remember,” he murmured, his breath brushing against her temple. “You’re in love with me.”
She managed a soft laugh, tilting her head just enough to make it look natural. “Lucky me.”
His grandfather’s sharp gaze flickered between the two of them as they approached.
“So,” he said after a long pause, his voice measured. “This is the woman who’s tamed my grandson.”
Tessa forced a warm smile, extending her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. West.”
The older man shook it. His grip was firmer than she expected. “Call me Richard.”
Zachary pulled out a chair for her before taking a seat himself. The ease with which he moved and the effortless charm in his expression were almost unsettling. He was too good at this.
“So, Tessa,” Richard continued, fixing her with a look that felt like an interrogation disguised as small talk. “Tell me, how did my grandson manage to win you over?”
Tessa hesitated for only a fraction of a second, but she knew it was enough for a man like Richard to notice.
“He was persistent,” she said finally, glancing at Zachary with feigned fondness. “I wasn’t sure at first, but he has a way of making himself impossible to ignore.”
Zachary chuckled, playing along. “She made me work for it, but I enjoy a challenge.”
Richard didn’t react immediately, as if weighing every word. Finally, he nodded. “Persistence runs in the family.”
The conversation drifted to business after that. Tessa found herself watching the interplay between grandfather and grandson.
There was an unspoken tension between them, a power struggle that lingered beneath the surface of their words. Then Richard’s gaze flickered back to her.
“You’re an artist, aren’t you?”
Tessa blinked. “I… Yes. I paint.”
“Interesting,” he mused. “And how does that fit into this life you’re stepping into?”
The question was pointed and deliberate. Tessa felt Zachary’s hand tighten slightly on her thigh beneath the table. It was not possessive, but as if to steady her.
“I believe in balance,” she said carefully. “I don’t intend to lose myself, no matter where life takes me.”
Richard studied her a moment longer before nodding slowly. “Good answer.”
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of polite conversation and carefully curated interactions. But one thing was clear: Richard West wasn’t convinced.
He was watching and waiting for a crack in their story. Tessa wasn’t sure how long she could keep up the act.
Later that night, the town car pulled up in front of Zachary’s penthouse. The city lights cast long shadows across the sleek black exterior of the building.
Neither of them spoke as they stepped inside. The tension from the evening still lingered between them. As soon as the doors closed behind them, Tessa exhaled sharply.
“Your grandfather doesn’t believe us.”
Zachary loosened his tie, his expression unreadable. “He’s skeptical, but that doesn’t mean we’ve lost.”
Tessa crossed her arms. “You really think we can keep this up for an entire year?”
He stepped closer. For the first time that night, she sensed something different in his gaze. It was not just calculation, but something deeper and unreadable.
“We don’t have a choice,” he said simply.
Tessa searched his face, trying to decipher what lay beneath the surface.
Before she could stop herself, she asked, “Why do I get the feeling this isn’t just about the company?”
For the first time, Zachary hesitated. It was brief, barely a flicker, but she caught it. Then, just as quickly, he was back to his usual self.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said smoothly. “What matters is that we convince everyone, including him.”
Tessa wanted to push and demand answers, but she knew better. Instead, she turned away, heading toward her room.
“Good night, Zachary.”
As she disappeared down the hall, she could feel his gaze lingering on her back. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just stepped into something far more complicated than she had bargained for.
