FAKING IT WITH THE CEO

Harper Hayes had exactly one rule in life—never mix business with personal affairs. But as she sat across from the infuriatingly handsome CEO of Blackwood Enterprises, she knew she was about to break that rule in the most spectacular way possible.

Nathan Blackwood leaned back in his leather chair, his sharp blue eyes studying her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. The sheer power he exuded was undeniable, but Harper had spent years working in corporate finance—she wasn’t easily intimidated. At least, that’s what she told herself.

“You’re joking.” Her voice came out steadier than she expected.

Nathan smirked, tilting his head slightly. “Do I look like someone who jokes, Ms. Hayes?”

No. He didn’t. Everything about Nathan Blackwood was polished, calculated, and entirely too serious. His perfectly tailored black suit screamed wealth, while his confident demeanor reminded her exactly why he was one of the most ruthless businessmen in New York.

Harper exhaled sharply, shifting in her seat. “Let me get this straight—you want me to pretend to be your fiancée?”

“That’s correct.”

“For six months?”

He nodded once.

Harper shook her head, laughing under her breath. “I’m an investment consultant, Mr. Blackwood, not an actress. Why would I agree to something so... ridiculous?”

Nathan folded his hands together on the desk, his expression unreadable. “Because you owe me.”

Her stomach clenched. She had been expecting this, but hearing him say it so plainly made her blood run cold.

Six weeks ago, Harper had made what she thought was a solid investment move for one of Nathan’s subsidiary companies. It had backfired—badly. The fallout had been swift, nearly costing the company millions. Though Nathan had miraculously salvaged the situation, the mistake had left a black mark on her otherwise spotless reputation.

“I already told you I’d fix it,” Harper said tightly.

“And this is how you do it.” His voice was calm, but there was no mistaking the authority behind it.

She narrowed her eyes. “Blackmailing me into a fake engagement isn’t exactly ethical, Mr. Blackwood.”

“It’s not blackmail, Ms. Hayes. It’s an arrangement that benefits both of us.”

Harper scoffed. “Enlighten me.”

Nathan leaned forward, his gaze pinning her in place. “My grandfather is stepping down as chairman of Blackwood Enterprises. He’s determined to see me ‘settled’ before he finalizes his decision. He won’t sign over full control of the company unless he believes I’m serious about stability.”

Harper arched a brow. “And I’m supposed to be that ‘stability’?”

“Temporarily.”

She almost laughed again. This was absurd. But Nathan Blackwood wasn’t the type of man to joke about something this serious.

“What’s in it for me?” she asked warily.

“A clean slate,” he said smoothly. “You walk away debt-free, with your reputation intact.”

Harper hated how tempting that sounded.

Nathan continued, his voice lowering slightly. “You’ll have everything you need—a wardrobe, accommodations, a driver. Your job at Blackwood Enterprises will remain secure, and once the arrangement ends, you’ll receive a generous severance package.”

“And in return, I play the doting fiancée?”

“Yes.”

Harper exhaled slowly. “What exactly does that entail?”

“Public appearances, family events, board meetings. You’ll move into my penthouse, wear my ring, and convince everyone that we’re in love.”

Her pulse stuttered. “Move in with you?”

“Optics matter, Ms. Hayes.”

She knew that. In the corporate world, perception was everything. If she agreed to this, she’d have to commit completely.

She ran a hand through her dark waves, debating her options. The logical part of her screamed to walk away. But another part—the part that valued her career, her future—knew this might be the only way out of the mess she had made.

Still, she had to push back. “And what happens if we get caught?”

Nathan’s smirk returned. “We won’t.”

“And if I say no?”

His expression didn’t change, but the air in the room shifted. “Then I find someone else, and you deal with the consequences of your mistake.”

A chill ran down her spine. It wasn’t a threat, not exactly. But Harper wasn’t naive—Nathan Blackwood didn’t believe in second chances.

She tapped her nails against the armrest of her chair. “And if I say yes?”

Nathan reached into his desk drawer, pulling out a small black velvet box. He flipped it open, revealing a stunning diamond ring.

“Then we have a deal.”

Harper stared at the ring, her stomach tightening. She had spent years building her career, fighting to be taken seriously in a world dominated by powerful men. And now, here she was, about to sell herself into a corporate fairytale.

Except this wasn’t a fairytale.

This was business.

And she never mixed business with personal affairs.

Until now.

Harper reached for the ring.

“I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, Mr. Blackwood.”

Nathan’s smirk deepened as he slid the ring onto her finger.

“Oh, I do,” he murmured.

But Harper wasn’t so sure.