Chapter 1

Alice's POV

Airports. Chaotic, noisy, and filled with people who probably have a thousand other places they'd rather be. But today, here I was, seated in one of the plush, quiet lounges of an international airport in Europe, sipping a black coffee and trying not to think about the mess waiting for me back home.

I took another sip, savoring the bitterness of the coffee while mentally bracing myself for Caroline's impending updates. My assistant never shied away from delivering news, no matter how unpleasant. Right on cue, she looked up from her tablet with that cautious expression she always wore when she had bad news.

"Alice, it seems your brother's made headlines again," she said, her tone gentle but wary. "Apparently, he's been accused of… assault. And the company shares have already taken a hit."

I stilled, the cup halfway to my lips. "What?"

She nodded, her eyes flickering to her screen. "It's all over the media. The story broke just an hour ago, and the scandal is... well, intense."

I took a steadying breath, forcing myself to stay calm. My younger brother Nick had a penchant for drama, but assault? That wasn't him. "This doesn't make any sense," I muttered. "Nick might be reckless, but he's not a violent person. Not like this."

"I know." Caroline leaned closer, her tone conspiratorial. "But Alice… if this spirals, it could ruin more than his reputation. The board might even start questioning your leadership because of the family scandal."

I clenched my jaw. I had worked too hard and sacrificed too much to let my brother's mistakes put my position—and my company—at risk. "Find out everything you can about the woman accusing him," I ordered, my tone icier than I intended. "If she's lying, I want proof."

"On it." Caroline tapped a quick note, then hesitated, glancing at me with that knowing look. "Speaking of family matters... your father's scheduled another blind date for you once we're back in Canada."

I groaned, slumping back in my seat. "I can't believe he's still on this. I told him a hundred times—I don't want or need a husband."

"He's… determined," she replied with a wry smile. "Think of it this way. He just wants you to find someone who's right for you."

"Right for me?" I scoffed. "If he really knew what was 'right' for me, he'd stop pushing strangers in my direction like it's some twisted matchmaking game." I shook my head, my frustration rising. "It's like he thinks I need saving. But I don't need a man to run my life, Caroline."

"Then maybe…" she began, a mischievous smile spreading across her face, "you should give him what he wants—on your own terms."

I raised an eyebrow. "What are you suggesting?"

"What if… you pretended to be married?" she said, her voice lowering conspiratorially, as though we were sharing some kind of rebellious secret.

I stared at her for a long moment, my mind trying to grasp the idea. "Pretend… to be married?"

"Think about it," she pressed, eyes twinkling with excitement. "If your father thinks you're already married, he'll back off. And no more blind dates. No more setups. Just peace and quiet."

It was so ridiculous that I almost laughed. But the idea was… intriguing. More than that, it felt like a move I could control, a way to put my father's relentless meddling to rest. "Okay," I said slowly, warming to the idea. "But if I were to do this, where would I even find someone willing to go along with a fake marriage?"

Caroline looked around the lounge, her gaze sweeping over the other passengers. "Well… we're in an airport. Who says he isn't right here?"

I followed her gaze, humoring her—until my eyes landed on a man seated a few rows over. Dark hair, sharp jawline, and a brooding expression that somehow made the bustle around him feel distant. He looked… intense. Powerful, even. The kind of man who probably had secrets of his own.

And then, as if he sensed me staring, he lifted his gaze and locked eyes with mine. For a moment, the noise around us faded. His expression was unreadable, but there was something magnetic in the way he looked at me, like he could see right through the calm mask I wore for the world. Heat rose to my cheeks, and I quickly looked away.

Caroline noticed and leaned in, whispering with a grin. "Did you just blush?"

"Absolutely not," I whispered back, feigning nonchalance. "But hypothetically… if I did go along with this crazy idea of yours, how would it even work? Just walk up to him and ask him to pretend to be my husband?"

Caroline's smile widened. "Maybe not so bluntly. But if he's interested, who knows?"

I sighed, shaking my head at the absurdity of it all. But there was a strange thrill bubbling inside me, one I hadn't felt in years. Maybe it was the prospect of doing something reckless for once, or maybe it was the chance to finally put my father's meddling to rest. Either way, I couldn't shake the thought of those dark eyes and that unreadable expression.

Just then, the announcement for boarding echoed through the lounge, snapping me back to reality. As I rose from my seat, Caroline gave me an encouraging nudge.

"Go for it," she whispered. "Who knows? This might be the beginning of something… unexpected."

I glanced back at the man one last time. He was still watching me, his gaze intense and unyielding. And before I could stop myself, I felt my feet moving in his direction.

One step. Then another.

The words were forming in my mind, half-crazy, half-bold, but I was ready to say them. I would walk up to him and propose the most absurd deal of my life.

But then, as I got close, his phone rang. He picked it up, his expression hardening as he listened. I could just barely hear his voice over the din of the crowd, low and laced with tension.

"Yes, I understand. I'll be there as soon as I can," he said curtly before ending the call.

He turned, gaze focused on the gate, looking every bit like a man on a mission. In an instant, he strode toward the exit, disappearing into the crowd without a second glance.

I stood there, rooted in place, heart pounding in frustration and… something else I couldn't quite name. Just like that, he was gone.

Caroline appeared beside me, her brows raised in surprise. "What happened?"

I took a steadying breath, the strange thrill fading but leaving behind a flicker of determination. "He left. But it's fine."

"What do you mean?"

I clenched my jaw, the spark of an idea forming in my mind. "If he's my only option, then I'll just have to track him down. I'm not giving up that easily."

And with that, I strode toward the boarding gate, feeling the weight of something thrilling and unexpected settling over me. He may have walked away, but one way or another, I'd find him.

After all, I had a plan to execute—and a fake husband to recruit.