2.

The leather-bound contract felt heavy in my hands, its pages thick and filled with clauses that outlined every detail of the arrangement Logan had proposed. It was surreal, sitting in his office two hours later with the same breathtaking view behind him. The air was tense, our exchange a negotiation that felt more intimate than it should have.

“One year,” Logan reiterated, his voice firm yet somehow gentle. He leaned forward, elbows resting on the polished surface of his desk. “Enough time to settle the board’s doubts and for my ex-fiancée to realize she has no leverage.”

I scanned the words again, my brain sluggish as I tried to make sense of what I was about to do. “And if I want to back out?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

Logan’s mouth curved into a half-smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Clause ten,” he said, tapping a slender finger against the page. “You’re free to end the arrangement at any time, but only under circumstances that won’t damage the company or our reputations.”

It was all so calculated, so coldly strategic. I shouldn’t have been surprised; this was Logan Harrington, after all. The man who thrived on control and precision. And yet, here he was, placing his trust in me to play the role of his adoring mistress.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up the pen and signed my name, each stroke of ink a silent promise. The finality of it sent a jolt of fear through me, but Logan’s steady gaze anchored me. “All right,” I said, trying to sound confident. “I’m in.”

He exhaled, as if he’d been holding his breath. “Good. We’ll need to start right away.”

“Right away?” I echoed, my voice higher than I intended. “How soon are we talking?”

Logan straightened, closing the contract and slipping it into a sleek folder. “Two weeks,” he said matter-of-factly. “You’ll move into my mansion, and we’ll make our first public appearance at the annual charity gala.”

My stomach flipped. “Two weeks?” The enormity of it crashed over me. In just fourteen days, my life would change completely. Living under the same roof as Logan Harrington, pretending to be his lover—how was I supposed to handle that?

“Is that a problem?” he asked, one eyebrow arching slightly.

I shook my head, even though everything in me was screaming that this was reckless and dangerous. “No, it’s fine,” I lied. “I just... need to wrap my head around it.”

His lips twitched in a faint smile. “You’ll have time. And remember, Claire, this is as much for you as it is for me.”

“Right,” I said, my voice catching. “Saving your company’s reputation and keeping your inheritance safe.”

He stood, his chair scraping lightly against the floor. “Exactly.” He paused, studying me with an intensity that made my heart pound. “But also, protecting you from the media storm that will come once we go public. You’ll have my full support.”

I wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. The man who terrified me, the one I’d admired from a distance, was now promising to protect me. “Okay,” I said, standing up as well. “I guess we’re doing this.”

Logan stepped closer, closing the distance between us. I could see every detail of his face, from the faint stubble along his jaw to the unreadable look in his eyes. “You’ll need to get used to this,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that made my knees feel weak.

“This?” I whispered, my breath catching in my throat.

“Proximity.” He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my cheek. The touch was light, fleeting, but it sent heat racing through my body. Before I could react, he leaned in, his lips grazing the skin of my neck, just below my ear. His breath was warm, his proximity overwhelming.

I flinched, my entire body tensing as his lips lingered for a moment longer than necessary. Logan pulled back slightly, his expression hardening. “You’re too stiff,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of reprimand. “The press will see right through it.”

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my racing heart. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled, feeling a flush creep up my neck. “I just... wasn’t expecting that.”

He studied me, his gaze unwavering. “We only have two weeks, Claire. You need to be comfortable with me—intimately, if we’re going to make this believable. We can’t afford to have any slip-ups.”

His words sent another wave of heat through me, but I forced myself to meet his gaze, nodding. “I’ll work on it,” I said, my voice steadier this time.

Logan’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile. “Good. Because in two weeks, the whole world will be watching us. And I need you to be perfect.”

He stepped back, leaving me reeling from the closeness, from the way his touch had ignited something dangerous inside me. The next fourteen days loomed ahead like a storm on the horizon, and I had no idea if I was ready for what was coming.

But there was no turning back now. The contract was signed, and in two weeks, I’d be living with the billionaire who had just turned my life upside down.