Quinn and Ethan sat across from each other at a quiet café, a stack of papers between them. Ethan had printed out a basic agreement he'd found online for business partnerships. It looked like the legal version of a checklist.
"So," Ethan began, looking over the document, "we agree this is strictly professional. No romance, no… personal involvement."
Quinn nodded. "Agreed. And I have a busy life, so don't expect me to play the perfect 'wife' role or anything. We'll make public appearances for family and business events, but that's it."
"Understood," Ethan replied, jotting down her point. "What about living arrangements? I'm guessing you don't want to move in together?"
Quinn laughed. "Absolutely not. We're keeping separate places. I'm not about to rearrange my entire life for this deal."
Ethan smirked. "Fine by me. My place is my sanctuary. The fewer people there, the better."
They both laughed, easing some of the initial tension. But Quinn felt her stomach twist. This was her life, and now she was planning it out like a contract. She shook it off, determined to keep this from becoming anything more.
"What about social media?" Ethan asked. "We'll probably need to appear… 'together' every now and then, right?"
Quinn winced. "Ugh, good point. Maybe we can take a few photos here and there—post something if people start asking questions, but keep it low-key."
Ethan jotted this down, nodding. "Sounds good. And no one needs to know the details of this arrangement. Not even family."
Quinn raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. "Our parents don't know?"
"They think we're actually going to try. Which is ridiculous, but… let's just keep them in the dark," Ethan replied with a smirk. "The fewer people who know the truth, the better."
"Fair enough," Quinn said, feeling a bit relieved. "And… final rule. We each keep our personal lives as private as possible. I'm not interested in explaining every move I make."
Ethan nodded, though his gaze lingered on her for a moment. "I can respect that. So… are we good with the terms?"
Quinn scanned the agreement they'd created, half-expecting it to burst into flames from how strange this all felt. "Good," she replied, putting down her pen. "But one last thing… maybe we should have some sort of… exit clause."
Ethan's brows furrowed. "Exit clause?"
"Yeah, like, if one of us finds the arrangement unbearable, we can call it off. There's no way I'm sticking around in something that isn't working."
Ethan chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Alright, an exit clause. Maybe… a three-month review period? If either of us feels it's too much, we call it quits. But if it's working well enough, we'll stick it out."
"Perfect," Quinn agreed. She held out her hand. "Let's shake on it."
Ethan took her hand, his firm grip sending a slight shiver up her spine. She brushed it off as just business nerves. They were partners, not anything more.
As they shook hands, Ethan's gaze held hers for a moment longer. "You know," he said, his voice low, "for what it's worth, I think we'll make a pretty convincing team."
Quinn gave him a half-smile. "Don't get any ideas, partner. This is strictly business."
Ethan's smirk grew, but he released her hand, leaving a faint spark in the air between them. "Of course. Just business."
---
**The Next Day**
Word spread quickly through their families and networks, and Quinn found herself fielding calls from every relative and colleague she could think of, all congratulating her on her "engagement" to Ethan. Ava's reaction, however, was the most enthusiastic.
"Girl, you're seriously telling me you're engaged to the same guy you scolded at the door last month?" Ava practically screamed through the phone. "And you're telling me this is just a contract?"
Quinn sighed. "It is just a contract, Ava. Trust me. We even signed paperwork and everything."
"Yeah, well, I'm betting it won't stay that way for long," Ava teased. "You're in for a ride, girl. Mark my words!"
Quinn hung up, rolling her eyes. But she couldn't shake the thought of how right Ava might be.
---
**A Few Days Later**
Ethan and Quinn met again at his place to go over their "public appearance" strategy. His apartment was surprisingly stylish, with sleek modern furniture and a panoramic view of the city. Quinn looked around, impressed despite herself.
"Nice place," she said, casually inspecting the space.
Ethan shrugged. "Thanks. Makes it easy to work from home, and the view isn't too bad."
She smirked, looking out at the skyline. "Well, Mr. Workaholic, where do we start?"
"Let's take a few 'couple' photos," Ethan said, grabbing his phone. "Nothing too dramatic, just a few shots to make it look like we're comfortable around each other. It'll keep questions at bay."
Quinn rolled her eyes but posed with him, forcing herself to relax as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder for the photo. She plastered on a smile as Ethan snapped a few pictures, his face inches from hers.
"There," he said, reviewing the photos. "Looks believable enough."
Quinn glanced over his shoulder at the pictures. They did look like a real couple—much to her surprise, the photos showed them both smiling, relaxed, even happy. She hadn't expected them to look so… convincing.
Ethan noticed her lingering gaze and smirked. "What, impressed by our acting skills?"
She laughed, brushing it off. "Hardly. You just got my good side, that's all."
They went over a few more details for their "relationship" plan, both secretly wondering how long they could keep up the charade without slipping. But one thing was certain: neither had any idea just how tangled things would get.