Something flickered in his expression respect, maybe, or something darker. "Most people in your position would try to renegotiate now that they have what they need."
"I'm not most people."
"No," he said quietly. "You're not."
The hour until they could see Ethan felt both endless and too short. Alexander made phone calls, answered emails, ran a corporation from a hospital waiting room as if it were nothing. Sophia watched him work and tried to reconcile this ruthlessly efficient CEO with the man who'd held her while she cried.
Which one was real? Or were they both real, different facets of a complicated man she'd barely begun to understand?
When the nurse finally came to get them, Sophia practically ran to Ethan's room. He looked small in the hospital bed, pale and bruised, but his eyes were open and clear.
"Sophie," he croaked. "You look terrible."
She laughed through fresh tears. "You just had open-heart surgery and you're insulting me?"
"Someone has to keep you humble." His gaze shifted to Alexander, who'd hung back near the door. "Who's the suit?"
Sophia took a breath. "Ethan, there's something I need to tell you."
She explained everything the contract, the arrangement, the marriage. She'd decided in the waiting room that she wouldn't lie to her brother. He deserved the truth.
Ethan listened without interrupting, his expression growing more concerned with each word. When she finished, he looked at Alexander for a long moment.
"You're paying my sister two million dollars to pretend to be your wife for a year."
"Yes," Alexander said simply.
"And this is just business. Nothing else."
"That's correct."
"And you're not going to hurt her."
It wasn't a question. It was a warning, delivered by a seventeen-year-old kid who'd just had major surgery to a billionaire who could buy and sell him without blinking. Sophia's heart swelled with love for her ridiculous, protective baby brother.
Alexander stepped forward, his expression serious. "I have no intention of hurting your sister, Ethan. She's holding up her end of our agreement, and I'll hold up mine. You have my word."
"Your word worth anything?"
"In my world, it's worth everything."
Ethan studied him, then nodded slowly.
"Okay. But if you break your promise, I'll find a way to make you regret it. I don't care how much money you have."
Alexander's lips twitched. "Understood."
"Ethan," Sophia protested. "You just had surgery. Stop threatening my fiancé."
"Fiancé." Ethan shook his head. "This is insane, Sophie. You know that, right?"
"I know. But it's also going to save your life and give us both a real future. So I'm doing it."
"Because of me."
"Because I love you, you idiot." She squeezed his hand. "Now rest. I'll be back tomorrow."
"With him?" Ethan nodded toward Alexander.
"Would that be okay?"
Ethan sighed. "Yeah. I guess if you're going to marry a billionaire, I should probably get to know him. Make sure he's good enough for you."
"No one's good enough for her," Alexander said, so quietly Sophia almost missed it.
She looked at him in surprise, but he was already checking his phone, his expression shuttered once more.
They left the hospital as the sun was setting, casting the city in shades of gold and amber. Alexander's driver was waiting, but he waved the man off.
"Walk with me," he said to Sophia.
They walked through Central Park in comfortable silence, the evening air cool against Sophia's face. She felt wrung out, exhausted, but also lighter than she'd been in years. Ethan was going to live. Everything else seemed manageable in comparison.
"You handled that well," Alexander said eventually. "With your brother. Telling him the truth."
"I don't like lying. Especially not to people I love."
"An admirable quality. Rare, in my experience."
"Bad experiences?"
"The worst." His tone was light, but there was an edge to it. "My ex-fiancée was a master of deception. By the time I realized who she really was, she'd nearly destroyed everything I'd built."
Sophia wanted to ask more, but something in his expression warned her off. Instead, she said, "For what it's worth, I'll never lie to you. That's not part of our deal, but I'm making it part anyway."
Alexander stopped walking and turned to face her. They were on the Bow Bridge, the lake reflecting the last light of day, the city a distant backdrop. It was absurdly romantic, and Sophia had to remind herself this wasn't a date.
"No lies," he said. "No matter what."
"No matter what," she agreed.
He held out his hand. "Then we have a real deal, Sophia Chen. Not just a contract, but a partnership built on honesty."
She took his hand, and they shook on it like business partners sealing an agreement. But the touch lingered a second too long, his thumb brushing across her knuckles in a gesture that felt anything but professional.
"We should get back," Alexander said, dropping her hand. "The stylist is coming first thing tomorrow, and you'll need your rest. The next few days are going to be exhausting."
As they walked back to where his driver waited, Sophia caught herself stealing glances at her future husband. He was still an enigma cold one moment, surprisingly warm the next, always controlled but with hints of something deeper beneath the surface.
One year with this man. One year of playing pretend while living in close quarters, attending events, presenting a united front to the world.
One year of trying not to fall for someone who'd made it very clear he didn't believe in love.
Sophia touched the ring on her finger and wondered if she'd made a deal with the devil or just a very lonely man who'd forgotten how to be human.
She had a feeling she'd find out soon enough.
Sophia woke to sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows and momentarily forgot where she was. The bed was too soft, the room too large, the ceiling too high. Then memory crashed back the contract, the penthouse, Alexander.
Her husband in three days.
A knock on the door made her sit up, clutching the silk sheets. "Come in?"
A woman in her thirties entered, impossibly chic in a black pantsuit, her dark hair in a sleek bob. She was followed by two assistants wheeling racks of clothing.
"Good morning! I'm Clarissa Chen no relation, I assume?" The woman's smile was warm and professional. "Mr. Sterling hired me to help refresh your wardrobe. I understand we have very limited time, so let's get started, shall we?"
Sophia glanced at the clock. Seven-thirty AM. "I didn't realize you'd be here so early."
"The early bird gets the best designers, darling. Now, I've pulled some options based on the information Mr. Sterling provided, but I want to understand your personal style first. What makes you feel confident?"