Chapter 1

The bar was loud, alive with the chatters, but Riley’s voice cut through the noise. “What if I told you I might have a way to solve all your problems?”..

I blinked at her, stirring the melting ice in my glass. “Solve them how? cause unless you’ve got a time machine or a winning lottery ticket, I’m not buying it.”

Her lips curved into a sly smile, the same one she made when she was about to do something crazy. “I need you to go on a blind date for me.”

I stared at her, in disbelieve. “A blind date? Riley, have you finally lost your mind? I’ve had enough disasters in my life this week without adding ‘impersonating a rich heiress’ to the list, not to mention, your dad would kill you if he found out”

Riley waved it off. “Please. Dad doesn’t care about me, he cares about the idea of me. He wants Riley Bennett, the perfect daughter, mingling with the perfect pedigree. Not Riley Bennett, the ‘rebellious heiress.’” She air-quoted with dramatic flair. “But I can’t keep doing this. I have a life, you know.”

“And what makes you think I’d be a good substitute?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

She shrugged. “You’re great at pretending to like people you hate.”

“That’s debatable,” I muttered, but she ignored me.

“Look,” she leaned forward, her green eyes gleaming with that familiar spark of mischief, “go on the date, be your absolute worst self, and scare him off. . Besides,” she added with a grin, “I’ll make it worth your while.”

I hesitated. “Worth my while how?”

Riley held up two fingers. “Two months’ rent. And a little extra, because I love you so much.”

I hesitated, but my bank account wasn’t just screaming for help, it was crying into a pillow and I needed a change of pace “Fine, But just so we’re clear, I’m going to be the blind date from hell.”

“Good,” Riley said with a grin, clinking her glass against mine. “That’s the Harper I know and love.”

Later That Evening …

I found myself in Riley’s bedroom, staring at a version of myself I barely recognized. My usually tidy brunette hair was tucked under a sleek blonde wig, and my makeup was smoky, bold, and downright intimidating. The tight black halter dress Riley had picked out hugged my curves in a way that made me feel half glamorous, half ridiculous.

“This is ridiculous,” I muttered, wobbling in heels that could double as weapons. “Are you sure it’s not too much?”

“Too much? This is the bare minimum,” Riley quipped, adjusting the straps on my dress. “Remember, femme fatale. You’re not here to charm him—you’re here to terrify him, Besides, you already agreed to this persona last night!”

I froze, a vague memory surfacing. “Wait...what persona? You’re talking about that thing I said last night, aren’t you?” I groaned, slapping my cheeks as I recalled.

“You want me to go in there and get completely dumped? How... dumb should I act?” I’d asked, clueless about her “plan.”

“I already tried that. A LOT,” Riley had chuckled, rubbing her forehead like she was some blind date veteran, which, considering her matchmaking-crazed dad, was probably true.

“Seriously? That didn’t work?” I’d been half-impressed, half-dismayed.

“Oh, yeah! I’m pretty much a pro by now.” She’d grinned, giving me her best “cool” persona look, complete with the haughty, half-lidded stare. I’d burst out laughing, both at her spot-on delivery and the sheer hilarity of her whole situation. “Jeez, Riley, you really are something… Don’t they ever complain about it to your dad?”

“Probably, but they never admit it to him directly. I think it bruises their egos when they realize I’m just acting,” she’d said, spinning her shot glass with a mischievous smirk. “So, they just say they’re ‘not good enough for his daughter’ or something. Then Dad goes and finds another poor sucker for me.”

I’d frowned at that. “So... basically, you’re just on an endless blind-date cycle?”

She’d shrugged. “Yep. That’s why tonight, you can go in there and be whoever you want! Blow off some steam, go nuts! You already know how it’ll end, anyway.”

And now, looking at myself in the mirror, I sighed. “So that’s why you keep doing it? Because, I mean, if you really hate these dates, why not just tell him the truth?”

Her answer had come fast, almost defensive. “I can’t do that! I don’t want to lose to him!” She’d crossed her arms, looking every bit the rebellious heiress. “And if I refuse, he could cut me off! Even if I became a science teacher, I’d never make anywhere near what I get now!”

Oh, there it is… I’d thought then, finally getting the real reason.

She’d gone on, wistful. “But more than that, I’m waiting for the one.”

One brow had lifted in curiosity. “The one?”

She’d sighed dreamily, waving her hands as she painted her vision. “You know—the one. That love-at-first-sight, electric, heart-pounding kind of thing. I don’t need Mr. Right, I need someone who’ll love me for who I am. These blind dates make me feel like a prize racehorse or something. No thanks!”

I’d nodded, feeling her frustration. So that’s the life of a rich girl, huh? “Honestly? Me too,” I’d admitted, clinking my glass against hers.

“Exactly! He has to be super rich, though.” She grinned. “To the one!”

“To the one!” I’d echoed, the two of us clinking glasses.

Back to the present, Riley tapped my shoulder. “Sooo, any thoughts on who you wanna be?”

I shrugged, trying to come up with some outrageous persona. “Well, playing dumb didn’t work, so… what about being, I don’t know, a ‘hot mess’? Crazy hair, too much makeup?” I made some frantic gestures.

“Eh, that’s more sad than scary. We need something powerful,” she mused, her gaze flicking around the room before landing on a poster. A woman in the ad held a shot glass, chin high, with a sultry look that could kill. Riley’s eyes lit up. “What about a femme fatale?”

“A femme what?”

“You know, a man-eater! Someone who eats guys for breakfast.” She looked far too pleased with herself.

“Uh… not sure if I can pull that off,” I muttered, but Riley was already filling up another glass, pushing it toward me with a wild grin.

I sighed, turning back to the mirror. “You know, for someone trying to escape their dad’s matchmaking schemes, you’ve got this down to a science.”

She grinned. “Practice makes perfect. Now go out there and make me proud.”

“Hold on, you’re insane! I don’t even know who I’m meeting tonight! Do you have any details? Name? Job?”

“Uh… he’s some CEO, I think.” She shrugged, not even bothering to act concerned.

I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my temple. “A CEO? How old is he? What’s his name?”

“Who knows?” Riley looked genuinely unconcerned, waving it off. “Maybe I knew his name at one point, but after the tenth guy, you stop keeping track. But don’t worry—he’ll know about me!”

Wonderful. So this is a literal blind date, I thought, heart pounding.

“Perfect! Just remember: you’re supposed to be over the top. Radiate all that ‘hot mess’ energy. Make him wish he never set foot in this restaurant.”

After a final round of primping, Riley handed me a small clutch and gave me a playful push toward the door. “Now go make me proud, Harper.”