The first big "appearance" came sooner than expected. Ethan's family had planned a fancy charity gala, and, of course, Quinn was expected to attend with him as his fiancée. Despite her protests, her mother insisted she go all out with her dress, and even Ava pitched in, thrilled to give Quinn a makeover.
"Trust me," Ava said with a sly grin as she pinned back Quinn's hair, "if you're going to play the part, you have to look the part. Besides, Ethan won't know what hit him."
Quinn gave her an exasperated look. "Ava, this is *fake*. I'm just trying to get through this without any drama."
Ava smirked knowingly. "Mm-hmm, and yet, you've got butterflies in your stomach."
Quinn rolled her eyes. "There are no butterflies. This is strictly for business."
But as she slipped into the dark emerald gown Ava had picked out, even Quinn had to admit she looked… different. The dress hugged her figure, and her hair cascaded in soft waves. She barely recognized herself.
"You look amazing," Ava said, looking genuinely impressed. "Now, go show Mr. Business that he's in for more than he bargained for."
---
**At the Gala**
Ethan was already at the venue, waiting near the entrance as Quinn arrived. For a moment, his composed expression broke, and he looked genuinely stunned. But he quickly regained his usual calm demeanor, offering his arm with a slight smile.
"You look… different," he said, clearly searching for the right words.
Quinn smirked, taking his arm. "Good different or bad different?"
"Good different," he said, looking amused. "But don't get used to this—I'm not going to be stunned every time we're out."
"Oh, believe me," she replied with a laugh, "I have no interest in keeping this up long-term."
The evening began smoothly enough, with both of them expertly navigating conversations with his family and their business associates. But things took a turn when Ethan's mother approached, a warm, motherly smile on her face.
"Quinn, dear, it's lovely to see you again. I have to say, it's wonderful to see Ethan so… involved. He's always been so focused on work, you know?"
Quinn chuckled nervously, glancing at Ethan. "Oh, he's… very focused. Sometimes, I have to remind him to take breaks."
Ethan's mother gave a soft laugh. "Good, that's exactly what he needs. You're a great influence on him already."
Quinn shot Ethan a look as his mother walked away, her eyes narrowing. "So… I'm a good influence, huh?"
Ethan gave her a sheepish grin. "What can I say? She's been waiting for me to bring someone home for years. Just roll with it."
The night wore on, and Quinn couldn't shake the feeling of eyes on them. Every time they shared a small smile or a whispered joke, they seemed to attract more attention from his family members, all of whom clearly believed they were head-over-heels in love.
But the real trouble started when the dance floor opened up.
"Oh, come on," Ethan said, extending a hand. "One dance, for show?"
Quinn hesitated, but under the curious gaze of his parents, she relented, taking his hand as he led her to the center of the room. As they danced, her heart raced—not because of the dance itself, but because of the proximity. For all their talk about "keeping things professional," they suddenly felt more like a real couple than either of them was prepared to admit.
"You're not so bad at this," she said, trying to break the tension with a smirk.
"Neither are you," he replied softly. His hand rested on her waist, and for a moment, it felt like the whole room disappeared. The line between real and fake blurred, and Quinn felt her cheeks heat up under his gaze.
Just as she was about to say something, an unwelcome face appeared on the edge of the dance floor: Tyler, one of Quinn's most obsessive admirers. He approached with a smirk, clearly surprised to see her with Ethan.
"Quinn," he said smoothly, ignoring Ethan entirely. "Didn't expect to see you here."
Ethan's grip tightened, his posture shifting subtly as he sensed the unwelcome tension. "She's with me, actually," he said, voice calm but edged with a subtle warning.
Tyler raised an eyebrow, looking unfazed. "Really? Since when?"
"Since now," Ethan replied, his tone cool.
Quinn sensed the situation escalating and quickly intervened, giving Tyler a polite but firm smile. "It's a family event, Tyler. Nice seeing you, but I'm here with Ethan."
Tyler's eyes lingered on her for a moment longer before he finally backed down, retreating with a smirk. But the encounter left her feeling shaken, and as the night wore on, she found herself growing quieter, lost in her thoughts.
Ethan noticed, his gaze softening. "Hey, you okay?"
Quinn nodded, brushing it off. "Yeah. Just… a long night. Thanks for the dance."
"Anytime," he replied with a small smile. "And for what it's worth, you handled that… creep pretty well."
As they exited the gala together, both of them silently wondered if their arrangement was becoming far more complicated than they'd ever expected.