Pretend to Want Me

I've always hated the sound of my alarm. It's not the gentle chime most people imagine for someone of my... status. No, it's an unholy screech that jolts me awake at 4:30 AM sharp. But that's the point, isn't it? No time for a gentle wake-up when you're running an empire. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my toes sinking into plush carpet. The floor-to-ceiling windows of my penthouse offered a view of Seattle that still, after all these years, took my breath away. The city twinkled in the pre-dawn darkness, full of promise and possibility. And problems. Always problems. Speaking of problems, my mind drifted to yesterday's bombshell. The fake engagement to Alex Russo. God, what a mess. How did a simple misunderstanding spiral so out of control? And why did I agree to go along with it? I shook my head, pushing the thoughts aside. No time for that now. I had a company to run, a daughter to raise, and a world to change. Just another Tuesday. My home gym called to me, and I answ

Ava. The gentle hum of my office couldn't mask the tension that crackled through the air as Alex sauntered in, looking infuriatingly composed. I straightened in my chair, determined not to let him see how his mere presence set my nerves on edge. "Ava," he greeted, that trademark smirk playing on his lips. "Lovely as always." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Let's skip the pleasantries, Russo. What's this about?" Alex settled into the chair across from me, crossing his legs with an elegance that shouldn't be legal. "Why, our engagement, of course. We need to discuss our public appearances." "Public appearances?" I echoed, disbelief coloring my voice. "You can't be serious." "Oh, but I am." His blue eyes glinted with something I couldn't quite name. Amusement? Challenge? "This is a golden opportunity, Ava. We'd be fools not to capitalize on it." I leaned back, crossing my arms. "Enlighten me, then. How exactly do you propose we 'capitalize' on this farce?" Alex's grin widene

Ava. I woke up with a pounding headache and a mouth that tasted like something had died in it. Groaning, I rolled over, my hand brushing against unfamiliar silk sheets. Wait. Silk sheets? I sat up, blinking against the harsh sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows. This wasn't my room. This wasn't my bed. And I definitely didn't own a nightgown like the one I was currently wearing - a flimsy, barely-there scrap of lace that left little to the imagination. What the hell had happened last night? Fragmented memories swirled through my mind. The gala. The balcony. Alex's mouth on mine, hot and hungry and full of promises. And then... nothing. A blank space where the rest of the night should have been. I looked down at myself, my cheeks flushing hot. I hadn't put this nightgown on myself, which meant... oh God. Had Alex undressed me? Had he seen me, touched me, while I was passed out drunk? The thought made my stomach churn with a mixture of embarrassment and somet

Alex. The garden was a riot of color and life, a stark contrast to the sleek, modern lines of the house. I followed the winding stone path, the sound of childish laughter and splashing water growing louder with each step. As I rounded a corner, I spotted them. Ava, kneeling by the edge of a small, ornate fountain. And Emilia, her dark curls damp and clinging to her cheeks, her little hands plunged into the water as she giggled and played. For a moment, I just watched them, something warm and unfamiliar stirring in my chest. Ava's face was soft, unguarded in a way I'd never seen before. She was smiling, her eyes crinkled at the corners as she watched her daughter play. But there was a sadness there too. Faint, but it was there, it flickered across her face when Emilia wasn't looking. It was the same sadness I'd glimpsed that day at her office, when she'd reluctantly told me about her husband. I must have made some noise, because suddenly Ava's head snapped up, her eyes locking

Ava.I stood in the kitchen, watching Alex hurry towards the door with Emilia skipping ahead of him. The migraine that had been pounding at my temples mere seconds ago faded into the background, forgotten in the face of this moment.Something about the scene before me felt achingly familiar, and painful difficult to ignore. As Alex and Emilia disappeared from view, my late husband's face superimposed itself over Alex's in my mind's eye. "James," I whispered absentmindedly, the name slipping out unbidden.A heavy, shaky breath escaped me, snapping me back to reality. Suddenly, I became aware of a dampness on my cheeks. I swallowed hard, reaching up to wipe my face. I'd been crying without even realizing it."Ms. Ava?"Rosa's voice startled me. I turned to find her standing at the threshold that led to the main lodge of the house. I hadn't even heard her approach. She tilted her head, genuine concern shining in her eyes. She didn't say anything more, but her gaze held a wealth of unspok