A week had passed since Max's confession, and the silence between them had turned awkward. Lisa still greeted him whenever their paths crossed a quiet hi, a soft hello but that was as far as it went. They hadn't sat together, hadn't even lingered near each other since that night.
She carried her laundry basket from the bed to the floor and began folding her clothes in front of the wardrobe. The faint scent of detergent and sun-dried fabric filled the room, clean but oddly stifling.
Then her phone buzzed on the nightstand.
It was a text from Leonard. Short and cold, as always.
Leonard Kingston: Be ready by ten. Sending someone to pick you up. My family's coming over to talk about the wedding.
Lisa stared at the message until the words blurred. Her chest tightened. Everything felt too real now. She was going to marry Leonard Kingston. A contract marriage for a whole year.
She dropped her phone onto the bed and continued folding her clothes, but her hands moved slower. The fresh scent of laundry did nothing to calm her nerves. Eventually, she gave up, shoved the rest of the clothes into the drawer, and sat down.
****
Leonard's house was everything she expected. Sleek, spotless, and cold. Not a hint of color, not a single thing out of place. The living room stretched wide, decorated in muted shades of grey and cream. The faint smell of polished wood mixed with something sharper.
Lisa stood in the middle of the room, unsure whether to sit or just keep standing. His driver had dropped her off minutes ago, and she still felt like an uninvited guest.
"You're here," Leonard's voice came from the top of the grand staircase.
He was dressed casually. Black slacks, a fitted white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and his dark hair slightly tousled as if he'd run his hand through it too many times. Even dressed casually, he somehow looked impossibly composed.
Lisa crossed her arms. "If that's your version of good morning, then yes, I'm here."
He descended the stairs with calm, measured steps. "My mother and sister will be here soon. Make yourself at home. Just... don't make it obvious this is your first time here."
Lisa frowned. "And how exactly am I supposed to do that? Put my shoes on my head?"
"If that's what'll make you feel at home, you're free to," he replied dryly.
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
She lowered herself onto the couch, her fingers brushing the smooth leather as she took in the elegant coldness of the mansion again.
Leonard disappeared down the hallway and returned a few minutes later. "They're here."
Lisa opened her bag, pulled out her phone, and placed it on the couch. She removed her bracelet and set it on the coffee table.
Leonard's brows knit. "What are you doing?"
"Making myself at home," she said sweetly.
"You are a—"
He was cut off by Sophie's cheerful voice.
"Lisa! It's so nice to see you again."
Sophie swept into the room like a burst of energy, all bright smiles and perfume. She hugged Lisa without hesitation. Leslie followed, her smile wide and warm as she went straight to embrace her son.
"Leonard," Leslie said affectionately, "finally, you're going to be a husband — and a father soon."
"I thought he'd never get married," Sophie teased.
Lisa smiled shyly, her nerves softening a little under Leslie's kind tone. "It's lovely to see you both again."
They gathered in the living room with notebooks, magazines, and a half-finished Pinterest board Sophie had pulled up on her phone. The table was soon covered in color swatches and photos of minimalist flower arrangements.
Lisa tried to follow the conversation. Centerpieces, guest lists, venues but her mind drifted more than once. Leonard sat beside her, every inch the perfect fiancé: polite nods, faint smiles, and casual touches on her hand for show.
For a fleeting moment, she almost believed the illusion.
"I'll get everyone some coffee," she said, rising before her thoughts showed on her face.
In the kitchen, Lisa paused by the counter, her gaze sweeping over the glossy marble, the chrome coffee machine that probably cost more than her rent, and the spotless shelves lined with mugs that looked like they'd never been used.
She had no idea how Leonard liked his coffee. She tried to recall anything maybe from the contract meetings or that one dinner but nothing came.
"Two regulars with cream and sugar, one black," she muttered to herself. Then she frowned. "Wait... does he take black or..."
Her hand hovered over the cream bottle. She sighed and poured cream into the third cup anyway.
When she returned to the living room, she handed everyone their mugs with a polite smile. "Here's coffee for everyone."
Leonard accepted his cup and took a sip. His jaw flexed. He set the cup down with a small frown.
Sophie tilted her head, smirking. "I thought you didn't like cream in your coffee, brother. Did you finally grow to like it?"
Lisa froze. Her smile faltered.
Leonard's reply came too quickly. "Lisa's been forgetting things lately," he said with a forced chuckle. "Must be... pregnancy hormones."
Leslie's eyes widened, then she laughed warmly. "Oh, I remember those days! When I was pregnant with you, Leonard, I once lost your father's briefcase and swore it was the cat's fault."
"Sounds hilarious, Mum," Sophie said with a teasing laugh before taking a sip from her cup.
Lisa forced a small smile, wishing she could disappear into her seat.
Hours later, after endless talk of flowers and seating charts, Leslie and Sophie finally left. As soon as the front door closed, a heavy silence filled the mansion.
Leonard turned toward her, his voice low but cutting. "Are you really trying to make things so obvious to my family?"
Lisa's eyes widened. "What? How was I supposed to know how you take your coffee?"
"Then do nothing," he snapped. "I can't have you messing things up."
Lisa let out a humorless laugh. "Maybe give me a script next time, since you seem to want control over everything I do or say."
"I didn't know you were an actress," he shot back.
"Isn't that what you paid me to be?" she fired, her voice trembling not from fear, but from frustration.
He exhaled sharply, turning away. "I don't want to do this right now."
"Neither do I," she whispered.
The silence that followed was heavier than the argument. Lisa stood there for a long moment after he walked away, her gaze falling to the half-empty coffee cups still on the table.