Harper's POV
I'd always thought Mondays were so hectic. The kind of days where your coffee spills, your heel breaks, and your email explodes with more drama than a reality TV show. But this Monday? It wasn't just hectic, it was catastrophic.
"Harper, meet me in my office now."
The single word email from Dominic Vale hit my inbox like a punch. No subject line, no greeting; no context, just that curt, commanding message. Classic Dominic. I didn't even finish sipping my lukewarm latte before I shoved it aside and bolted from my desk, nearly knocking over the office Ficus.
The executive floor was quiet as always. The sterile white walls, high ceilings, marble floors that echoed with every panicked step. The Vale International logo gleamed behind the reception desk like it was watching me, judging me. I adjusted my pencil skirt, squared my shoulders, and tried to look like I hadn't just sprinted across the entire floor in heels.
When I reached the massive glass doors to Dominic's office, I didn't knock. I didn't have to.
"Come in," his deep voice rumbled before I could lift my hand.
I stepped inside.
And there he was.....he Dominic Vale, CEO of Vale International, the man who practically invented the word intimidating. Six-foot-something, dark tailored suit, watch that probably cost more than my annual salary, and eyes sharp enough to dissect your soul in under ten seconds.
He didn't look up. Just flipped through a contract with one hand, tapping a Montblanc pen against the glass desk with the other.
"You're two minutes late."
I swallowed. "There was a delay with the elevators."
His eyes finally lifted to meet mine. Ice blue and merciless.
"Excuses waste time."
Right. Of course. I fought the urge to apologize for existing, for being human, for not having teleportation powers and kept my expression neutral. It was the only way to survive him. Dominic respected competence, not weakness. And I needed this job too badly to let him see me sweat.
"You wanted to see me?" I asked, voice even.
He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepling beneath his chin. "You've been my executive assistant for nine months."
"Yes."
"And in that time, you've proven to be dependable, efficient, and not prone to emotional theatrics."
I blinked. "Um. Thank you?"
He stood, circling the desk like a panther on the prowl. "That's why I'm offering you something… outside your regular responsibilities."
That set off a silent alarm in my brain. Nothing good ever came after "outside your regular responsibilities."
He paused in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the Manhattan skyline like it was a chessboard he'd already conquered. Then he turned, pinning me with that unrelenting stare.
"I need a fiancée."
"So what does it have to do with me", I asked
"I want you to be my fiancee", Dominic said
I froze
"I'm sorry. What?"
"It's temporary. Strictly business. One month. You'll be compensated generously."
I stared at him. "You want me to pretend to be your fiancée?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"My board has concerns. Vale International is acquiring a traditional family-owned conglomerate. They value stability. Appearances. They've made it clear they expect the future CEO of their company to be… grounded. A family man."
My jaw dropped. "So your solution is me?"
He tilted his head. "You're presentable, intelligent, and already trusted by the board. You're the logical choice."
"Presentable," I echoed flatly.
His lips twitched, almost a smirk, but not quite. "Don't let it go to your head."
I opened my mouth. Closed it. Tried again. "Dominic, I'm your assistant. I schedule your meetings, I color-code your spreadsheets, I make sure your coffee doesn't have foam. I'm not a trained actress or...", He cut me off before i could continue
"You wouldn't need to act," he cut in. "Just be yourself. You already know my schedule, how I operate. We'll create a backstory. Keep it simple. We've been quietly seeing each other for a few months. Things turned serious. I proposed last night."
My head was spinning. "That's insane."
"It's strategic."
"It's insane," I repeated.
He walked closer, and I felt the temperature shift. Dominic Vale had a way of taking up space, not just physically, but emotionally. He was magnetic in the most dangerous way. Like a storm wrapped in Armani.
"I'll give you a week's salary for every day you play the part," he said smoothly.
My heart skipped.
I knew what that meant. My salary wasn't bad, but a week's pay per day? For thirty days?
I did the math in my head and almost passed out.
That was more than I made in a year.
"Why not hire someone?" I whispered. "An actress. A model. Someone used to this kind of thing."
"Because I don't trust anyone else," he said simply. "This is too important. And you've never lied to me, Harper. That's rare."
The room spun slightly.
It wasn't just the money. It was the way he said my name. Like it meant something. Like I meant something.
I hated that it made me feel warm.
"What happens after the month?" I asked quietly.
"We break off the engagement. You get a bonus. I close the deal. Everyone moves on."
"And if someone finds out it's fake?"
"They won't."
His certainty was maddening. Arrogant. And infuriatingly… persuasive.
I stared at him. "I'd need rules."
"Of course."
"No touching. No kissing."
He arched a brow. "You want it to seem real, don't you?"
"I'm not sleeping with you," I said firmly.
He gave a rare smile. Not warm but wolfish. "That's not part of the deal."
I should've walked out. Told him to shove his diamond ring up his investment portfolio. But instead, I stood there, heart pounding, thinking about my student loans, my mother's medical bills, and how my landlord was two weeks from evicting me.
"I'll think about it," I said, voice shaking.
"You have until midnight."
He turned away, already done with the conversation.
I left the office in a daze.
---
By lunchtime, my head was still buzzing. I sat in the company café staring at a salad I had no intention of eating, texting my best friend Nora.
Me:
DomVale just asked me to fake an engagement.
Nora:
Wait, what?? Like wear a ring and lie to the whole world kind of fake?
Me:
Yes. For 30 days. For a business deal.
Nora:
That's… honestly? The plot of every fanfic I've ever read. But with more suits and probably less kissing?
Me:
Hopefully zero kissing.
Nora:
Girl. You better charge hazard pay. He looks like sin and breathes fire. Take the offer and enjoy the moment boo
Me:
I need to think about it
Nora:
There is nothing to think about. Go and enjoy your life for a month, you dont lnow where this might lead to.
I snorted. That was an understatement.
---
By the time I got home to my tiny studio apartment in Queens, I was exhausted and torn. The pros and cons list I scribbled in my notebook looked like a battlefield.
Pro:
Enough money to pay off my debts
One month of my life
No emotional investment
Con:
Lying
Public attention
Getting too close to Dominic Vale
******
I was still staring at the list at 11:59 PM when my phone buzzed.
DomVale: Tick tock.
I stared at the screen, my heart hammering.
Then I typed: " I'll do it. Thirty days. Nothing more."
His reply came instantly.
" DomVale: Good. You start tomorrow. 9 AM. Wear something white.