3

ROSE

"Everyone, let's join hands for the future of Mr. and Mrs. West". 

I opened my eyes wide when I heard the DJ's announcement. 

So this is how we are going to do it? Just that? 

You are the one who planned it that way. I kicked myself for the obnoxious engagement party. If I knew I would be the center of attention, I would have made a simple announcement on social media.

My knees wobble as I glide through the audience. I straighten my legs so I don't fall. The amount of designer clothes packed into one room was unsightly, and the fake smiles on their faces made my skin itch. 

Edwards' eyes met mine. It's reflexive at this point, with a single look able to share a hundred words.

"Deep breath." He took my left hand, and the heat of his palm burned into my skin. It's disturbing how he can tell me I'm worried without me ever expressing it.

You have worked for him for three years. Of course he can tell when you're nervous.

"Rose and I are getting married at the end of the month." 

End of month? That's in two weeks!

Music stops. Someone coughs. A waiter dropped their tray.

We are surrounded by a series of reactions, each more shocking than the next. I don't blame them. I thought Edwards and I had a month to arrange our engagement, but now we only have two weeks left.

The silence was deafening. My stomach felt like it was about to pour its contents onto the shiny marble floor, but somehow, I swallowed the acid back up in my throat.

You understand.

"Surprise!" I beamed, hoping against Edwards' less-than-interesting display. I tore my hand from his and threw it up so everyone could see my engagement ring. A million colors pop out of the diamond, drawing everyone's attention towards the symbolism of my impending doom. 

“Welcome to the family, Rose.” Rowan, Edwards' youngest brother, stepped out from the crowd. While most people think he looks like Edwards with brown hair and dark eyes, I see them as distinctly different. Because Rowan has some hints of humans looking through, Edwards similarly lacks compassion.

Ross made his way through the crowd and lifted his wine glass in the air. “Family therapy is on Thursday night. Don't be late! A 

few people laughed, and somehow the tension eased enough to be able to breathe again. 

“An hour and we'll be gone,” panted Edwards, so low only I could hear him.

"I was going to suggest thirty minutes, but if you insist."

He didn't smile, but his eyes lit up when they landed on me. His mettle was actually a gut-wrenching laugh. We both know we'll never be out of here for another half hour. Not when Edwards was the first Westerner to marry since Seth over thirty years ago. This kind of announcement is right up there with the prince of England having a baby, and people will want to have a few minutes with him.

Any reaction Edwards had was dismissed as his father, Seth West, considered the crowd to be like Moses. The intensity of his displeasure could bring a shorter man to his knees. 

Lock the mines in the correct position. I've spent enough time with him to know he overcomes everyone's weaknesses.

Edwards pretended to be indifferent except for the tiny nipple in his jaw. He's a master at hiding his emotions, but every now and then, an emotion pops up. A squeeze of his jaw. Rapid flexibility of the hand. He narrowed his eyes before turning back with a cold gaze.

"Relax." I leaned against him and rubbed my hand over his pounding heart.

You are not the only one worried. Looks like Edwards is more human than I thought.

"Boy." Seth didn't bother to acknowledge my presence, as usual. Since I served no purpose to him, I ceased to exist. As simple as that.

"Father." Edwards propped his chin. 

They both look eerily similar with their brown hair and dark, empty gaze. But that's where their cuteness ends. I'm sure Seth was handsome at some point in his life, but alcohol abuse has aged him in a way that Botox can't fix. 

"I think some of the congratulations are in order." For the first time, Seth smiled at me. The pretense pouring out of him makes me nauseous. "My son is so lucky to have you in his life." 

Right. The man knows nothing about me. Even after three years, he still calls me Irene whenever he needs to contact Edwards' phone line.

“Save your screen for the camera.” Edwards put his arm around me. Although his gestures are like a robot, I appreciate his ability to try to make this look legit. Try to be the keyword. He's harder than my nana's cocktails, and those bloodsuckers can get anyone drunk with just one cup.

"Good advice from someone running a pretty good show right now."

Edwards' hand gripped my waist with punitive force. "Just because you're bitter in love doesn't mean the rest of us feel the same way." 

He ridiculed. "You don't know the first thing about love." 

"They say you can learn a lot from other people's mistakes, so thanks for that." 

There was a crack in Seth's wolf smile. It was so brief, I almost missed it, but the pain etched in his eyes made it impossible for me to take my eyes off him. 

Don't love it. It's not real. 

"You have no idea what your mother and I went through, and I hope you never have to go through the same thing in your marriage." Seth turned on his heel and walked out of the ballroom without noticing anyone around. 

So much for appearing as a united, happy family in public. 

Seth couldn't deny many things, but the mention of his wife always worked. It's hard not to feel bad for the man who lost his wife to cancer. But then I remembered what a jerk he was to his sons, and all my pity was wiped away.

Someone just walked into our neighborhood and called Edwards' name. 

"Let's settle this," Edwards muttered under his breath. 

“I never thought I would see the day Edwards West be engaged—” The man ignored me completely as he patted Edwards on the shoulder and whispered in his ear. 

Guest after guest come to us to congratulate them. Each of them looked at me while kissing Edwards heavily, which increased the acid in my stomach. My only source of entertainment tonight is watching Edwards pretend through every encounter, but even that loses its novelty after an hour.

You can also be invisible.

The DJ announces for everyone to clear the dance floor when a slow tune begins to play through the speakers. I immediately knew I was in trouble.

Edwards also has to pay attention to it because our eyes are connected throughout the room. Normally I would laugh at the tiny nipple on his jaw, but seeing myself as a part of this torture, I could barely find it in me to smile. He walked across the room and took my hand.

"Do you know how to dance?" I asked low enough for only him to hear.

"Of course I can dance." Although Edwards' face remained blank as a white sheet, the way his hand gripped mine in a tight spot revealed exactly how he felt about all of this.

He hates attention just like you.

My whole body felt like someone burned me. Hundreds of pairs of eyes pierced my carefully crafted appearance, and my anxiety only grew as Edwards pulled me toward his body. One of his hands cupped my back while the other grabbed my trembling hand with enough force to cut off my circulation.

His fingertips slide over the top of my butt. Sparks shot out of my skin from the point of contact, and I took a breath.

“Don't do that again,” I said through a wry smile.

"What?"

"Touch me like that."

“You are my fiancée,” he replied like that explained everything.

His hand pulls back, and I sigh, only to be startled when he pulls me forward so that there isn't an inch of space between us. Formal breathing is optional at this time.

"What kind of slow dance is this?"

"The kind that people are filming us."

My whole face felt hot as I looked around the room. "Oh my God."

His face is snuggled against the top of my head, and I swear I'm really flying at this point. For someone who isn't interested in a relationship, he's doing a great job of faking it. I have questioned everything about us up to this point because where has this man been? And more importantly, why is he hiding from him?

Why is it important? This isn't even real.

The thought made me sad, and my stomach sank with disappointment. This is nothing but an act for the benefit of everyone. I may have gotten caught up in it for a moment, but I need to remember why I agree with this. This is not a real relationship. Forehead kisses or intimate touches won't change that.

Stick to the program and you won't get hurt.

I repeat this motto over and over while Edwards moves us along with the song. By the end of our dance, I felt stronger than before and ready to separate truth from fiction.

Bring it in.

It took me another thirty minutes of silence standing beside Edwards before I could finally enter the bathroom.

I took some cold water from the faucet and pressed it to my cheek. “I have this, Rose. Don't let them come to you. " 

Easier said than done. While no one spoke to me other than a quick hello, they quickly judged me as a lab rat. The number of women checking the drink I was sipping and whether whether my bloated stomach is from pregnancy or pasta is amazing.I've never been self conscious of my shape, but the way they analyze me makes my skin heat up under the silk scarf 

. important 

. 

"How much did he pay you?" Edwards' father turned his back on me so I could face him.

I jerked my arm away from his. "I don't know who or what you're talking about."

"I'm willing to pay you double whatever he offers to make this engagement go away."

My eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"You can't be as dense as this."

“Make sure to speak clearly as I am having a hard time keeping up with high concepts.”

"Obviously Edwards must be desperate if he chooses you out of all the people."

The boldness of this man. “I am a lucky woman. Marrying your son is like a Dreamland story brought to life. "

He made a noise in his throat. “Don't flatter yourself. Edwards only married you because of his inheritance. "

"What is he?" I passed my voice at the perfect time.

"You don't know." His eyebrows pulled back.

I had him right where I wanted him. what is

he talking about? your finger is because he wants my place. Without you, he has no chance of becoming CEO.”

I blinked twice. "What?"

His bitter laugh made me want to jump. "

"If you don't love, what's the point?" My hand pressed to my chest, scratching at my dress as if it wanted to rip my heart. If Ross were here, I imagine he would hand me a gold trophy for my performance. Maybe Edwards will even give me a raise.

"What else? Inheritance. Without a wife and children, he has no way of becoming a CEO.” "Are you serious? What

's wrong with everyone?" My pitch rose as if I could burst into tears at any moment.

He shoved his hands into his pockets.

all of this?"

His eyebrows pulled back, "It doesn't matter how I found out."

I don't want my body to roll my eyes. “Do you have proof? Can't you believe I'm stupid enough to take your word for it instead of my fiancé? "

His eyes narrowed slightly as if to tell me that yes, he thought I was stupid. At least his assumptions about me made this whole conversation so much more successful.

“He and I discussed all this when he sought my advice. I tried to warn him not to go through this, but he didn't listen."

Boom. I caught him right where I wanted. Edwards will not talk to his father about his inheritance, which means that all of Seth West's assumptions are based on speculation. I almost laughed at my discovery, but I wasn't ready to break personality yet. I'm having too much fun playing with Chicago's biggest asshole.

I dabbed at the corner of my eye. “Sorry to ask. I just felt so surprised.”

Mr. West shook his head as if he was really disgusted with Edwards' life choices. He doesn't have two legs to stand on based on his history. , but he performed well, an almost better than mine.“My son should know better than to play with an innocent woman's feelings. I thought I had taught him better. I

don't even know where to start with that comment.

Don't let him come to you. He's just trying to scare you off.

I steel my spine. “There is only one person who is playing with my emotions, and I am looking directly at him. Thanks for all the info though. I'm sure Edwards would be interested to hear all about your attempt to ruin our engagement. "

His face turned into something like a child's nightmare. "You think you're smart?"

"Oh, I know it's me."

"I tried to save you from a marriage no love, but it looks like you two deserve each other."

"I certainly hope so, when we're getting married."

"He'll never love me. He can't afford to" .

“If I wanted some fatherhood advice from a lost father, I would call my biological father.” My digging is for him and all the bad things he has done to his children.

His jaw clenched. "This isn't over yet."

I flashed a bright smile as a few guests passed by. “I certainly hope not. I totally enjoy watching you do your own stupidity. "

I left Edwards' father behind, engulfed in the terrible storm he created.

“Your father knows,” was the first thing I said as Edwards got into the car. Harrison, Edwards' driver, closed the door before entering the private cockpit.

His head is tilted. "What do you mean 'he knows'?"

"Let's just say he and I had a heart after he cornered me near the bathroom."

His disgusted look mirrored mine. "Tell me exactly what he said."

I broke down the entire conversation, from the assumptions his father made to how he offered to pay me double to cancel the engagement. Edwards remained tight-lipped throughout the whole thing until I was finished.

"He has no proof."

I rotate my hand on my thigh. "It doesn't mean he won't stop until he finds a number.

"Then we'll give people a show they really want."

"But aren't you worried he might do something absurd?"

His eyes lit up with challenge. “I want to see him try. I want nothing more than to rip him to pieces once and for all.”

A shiver ran down my spine. "So what's our plan after that?"

"Our plan?"

I flicked my ring finger at him. “This automatically makes you a team player.”

The muscles in his jaw tightened. "You don't know what you're getting into with this."

"If Ross's stories are anything to go by, I think I have a good idea."

"Anything Ross tells you is a small version of the truth."

My eyebrows pulled together. "What do you mean?"

Edwards' lips pressed together, and the silence grew between us as he remained tight-lipped on the matter.

I roll my eyes. "Then. While I appreciate your concern, your father doesn't scare me, so your cautionary tales are a wasted effort. “

You must have a death wish. There is no explanation for your irrational behavior.”

I laughed. "Obviously, otherwise, I would never have agreed to marry you."