Chapter 2 The Billionaire World

“Is there a problem here?”

That voice. Deep, commanding, and unmistakable.

Ethan Carter appeared beside us, his face was so unpredictable as his piercing blue eyes flicked between me and the guard.

“She’s not on the guest list, sir,” the guard explained.

Ethan’s gaze landed directly on me, but this time it was actually different, I thought I saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

“She’s with me,” Ethan said smoothly, his tone left no room for argument.

The guard responded in disbelief. “She is what?”

“Yes,” Ethan replied with a very faint and enticing smile playing on his lips. “She’s my fiancée.”

Your What? The guard responded

My jaw dropped. I stared at him, completely dumbfounded, but Ethan didn’t even glance my way.

“Is there a problem with that?” he asked the guard, his voice became heavier and authoritative.

The guard immediately composed himself. “No, sir. My apologies.” He turned and walked away, leaving me alone with the last person I ever wanted to see.

“What the hell was that?” I hissed immediatelythe guard was few steps away.

“You’re welcome,” Ethan said dryly and adjusting the cufflinks on his ruined jacket as if the disastrous coffee spill never happened.

“Did you just call me your *fiancée*!” I whisper-yelled. “How dare you—”

“Because it was the quickest way to get security off your back,” he cut in, his tone calmed me down like a baby listening to a lullaby. “Unless you’d prefer being thrown out.”

I crossed my arms, still in disbelief I sared up at him. “I didn’t ask for your help.”

“And yet, you needed it,” he shot back instantly, his eyes became more attractive and charming as his tone softened my heart.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered, turning to leave.

‘’Hold on.”

I stopped, reluctantly glancing over my shoulder. Ethan stepped closer, his expression suddenly became so serious.

“Emma, isn’t it?”

I blinked . “How do you know my name?”

“I did a little digging after your amazing coffee stunt,” he said, his tone became sweeter amd as a matter-of-fact you’re. “Emma Scott. Freelance photographer. Recently fired. And currently Three months behind on rent.”

My stomach dropped like a rain falling from the sky. “You—you looked me up?”

“I really needed to know who I was dealing with,” he replied with a tone sweet enough, as if that were the most normal thing in the world. “And now I have a life changing offer for you. Probably a life changing one.”

“A what?”

Ethan stylishly glanced around, then lowered his voice. “Not here. Maybe Tomorrow morning. Nine o’clock. My office.”

He pulled a very sleek business card from his pocket and chunked it between my folded arms.

“You’re insane,” I said, staring at the card like it might swallow me.

“Possibly,” he agreed, licking his pink lips. “But you’d be surprised how far insanity can get you.”

Ethan Carter’s office felt less like a workplace and more like a gallery for expensive tastes. Even the least items in his office were all screaming luxury, while sleek black furniture and abstract art made me feel like I was in paradise.

And there I was, perched on the edge of a leather chair, clutching a pen like it might turn into a sharp sword.

“Sign here,” Ethan said, sliding the last page of a very detailed contract toward me.

I leaned closer to inspect it. “You know, this is longer than my lease agreement,” I murmured, scanning the small text for anything resembling a soul-selling clause.

Ethan didn’t even blink. “It’s standard for arrangements like this.”

“Oh, so fake engagements are your thing?” I shot back, raising an eyebrow.

That faint smirk—the one that always felt like it was mocking me—appeared. “No. But I’m thorough.”

I ignored the flutter in my stomach. That smirk might be charming, but it was also annoying. “What happens if I don’t smile for a photo op? Do I get fined? Thrown into a billionaire dungeon?”

“Emma,” he said, leaning forward, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine, “you either trust me, or you don’t. Which is it?”

I hated how those seductive eyes seemed to pull the air out of the room. Trust him? Absolutely not. But fifty grand…

I sighed, gripping the pen like it’s my only weapon for survival. “Fine. But if I end up in some tabloid scandal with a headline like ‘Ethan Carter Marries Coffee-Spilling Disaster,’ I’m coming for you.”

“You’ll definitely make headlines, but not for spilling coffee,” he said confidently in a romantic and enticing tone

“Great,” I muttered, signing the line. “Can’t wait.”

My first task as Ethan’s new fiancée begins and I promise you it was something I never expected, Celeste Davenport—Ethan’s polished, all-business PR manager—was already waiting for us in his downtown apartment. She took one look at me in my jeans and oversized sweater, Her looks had the capacity to scare away hungry wolves and I swear her eyebrow twitched.

“This is…her?” Celeste said, her voice sharp enough to slice through a metal.

Ethan, to his credit, didn’t flinch. “Emma is perfectly capable.” and she matches all the criteria.

Celeste’s annoying eyes scanned through me like I was a questionable Amazon purchase. “She’ll need an abstract transformation. Hair, wardrobe, etiquette—” and probably some good sets of makeup.

“Whoa, whoa,” I interrupted, holding up my hands. “I signed up to pretend to be his fiancée, not audition for a royal makeover.”

Ethan boldly stepped in before Celeste could respond. “We’ll keep it simple and plain, Emma. Just enough to sell the illusion.”

I crossed my arms, meeting his gaze. “Simple? You just handed me a twenty-page contract.”

“You’ll be fine,” Ethan voice sounded sweet, ushering Celeste out of the room before I could protest further.

The door hadn’t even shut before Celeste’s voice echoed from the hallway: “This is a terrible idea.”

“Feeling confident yet?” I asked, giving Ethan a pointed look.

He smiled—a real one this time, faint but disarming. “Terrible ideas are often the most profitable.”

Soon our first public appearance was a few days ahead, ‘Emma You can do this I am rooting for you” my bestie Spohie said as we gist about my long encounter with Ethan and his luxury life, She made me feel like I just hit a jackpot but I never felt that way, I never knew that my first public appearance with Ethan will be so unbelievable, Something I never expected happened......