MasukShare
Chapter 9
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-03-28 15:10:04Harper’s POV
I was a woman on a mission.
A mission to get the hell out of this building before Ethan Reynolds even looked in my direction.
Logically, there was zero reason for him to notice me. To him, I was just another nameless employee. A nobody. But my anxiety? Oh no, it was convinced that the second we crossed paths, he’d sniff out my deception like a bloodhound.
I checked the time. 11:45 AM.
Lunch hour. Perfect.
Plan A: Blend into the rush of employees leaving the building. Simple. Foolproof. Non-suspicious.
I slung my bag over my shoulder, put my head down, and walked with the river of humans leaving the building. My heart hammered as I bobbed and weaved through people, hyper alert to everything in motion.
Don’t look back. Don’t even glance at the lobby.
The revolving doors were in sight. I was so close.
Then—
“Mr. Reynolds, sir! Good afternoon!”
My stomach dropped.
No. No. NO.
I risked a glance—big mistake.
Across the lobby, Ethan Reynolds was stepping out of the elevator, looking obnoxiously perfect. Tailored suit. Polished shoes with that intimidating CEO stride.
My pulse skyrocketed.
Abort mission.
I veered right, practically tripping over my own feet in my rush to disappear.
Plan B: Hide. Find a plant. A vending machine. A hole in the ground—anything.
“Miss Adams?”
I yelped. Loudly.
Connor, my coworker, blinked at me. “Uh… you okay?”
I forced a smile. “Yep! Just—uh—needed to—” I motioned vaguely toward the exit. “Go!”
Before he could question me further, I bolted.
Freedom. Fresh air. The sidewalk.
I let out a relieved breath, feeling smug at my successful escape—
Until I spotted the black SUV.
My body froze mid-step.
No. No. It couldn’t be.
But sure enough, Ethan Reynolds was standing outside the car, adjusting his cufflinks like some damn movie star.
Panic punched me in the stomach.
WHY IS HE EVERYWHERE?!
I dipped my head, turned on my toes and hastily walked the other way.
Just keep walking, Harper. Fast but casual.
Then my phone rang.
I fumbled with my bag, practically dropping the phone in my rush to answer. “Riley, thank God—”
“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?”
I blinked. “Uh… walking?”
“You were supposed to meet me an hour ago.”
“Oh. Right. Minor detour.”
Silence. The kind that said, I know you’re full of it.
Then, Riley hissed out words that made my soul leave my body.
“Harper… my father is throwing an engagement party.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “I’m sorry, WHAT?!”
“You heard me. Engagement. Party. For me. And Ethan Reynolds.”
The world tilted.
Riley kept talking, but my brain had officially exited the chat.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Reality rebooting. Please hold.
“You there?” Riley snapped.
I swallowed, forcing words out. “But—but that’s—”
“Completely insane? Yeah. Welcome to my morning.”
I ran as fast as I possibly could over to the park and when I arrived Riley was sitting on one of the benches with her arms crossed. She had sunglasses on but I could feel her staring at me.
I dropped on the bench beside her.
“Okay. Let’s—let’s process this rationally.”She turned her head slowly. “Rationally?”
I held up my hands. “Hear me out! Maybe this is just a misunderstanding.”
“My dad is already inviting people, Harper. He’s calling it the biggest social event of the year.”
I groaned, pressing my face into my hands. “Okay. That’s bad.”
“No kidding.”
I glanced up at her. “But, I mean… this technically isn’t the worst thing that coulda happened.”
Riley lifted a brow. “Oh, really?”
“Well… I mean… Ethan’s not exactly ugly?”
Riley pulled off her sunglasses just to give me the most unimpressed look of my life.
I coughed. “Okay. Irrelevant point.”
She dropped her head and laughed again, rubbing her temples before looking back up at me. “I don’t fucking give a damn what he looks like. I care that my father—who’s been patiently waiting for me to get engaged in this lifetime—for fucks sake—is about two seconds from booking a wedding venue in god-knows-where and hiring a fucking caterer.”
I winced. “That’s… really fast.”
“Ya think?”
I chewed on my lip. “Okay. Okay. Let’s regroup. Maybe if I just—talk to Ethan, I can get him to cancel.”
Riley looked skeptical. “And if that doesn’t work?”
I hesitated. That was a very good question.
She sighed dramatically, flopping against the bench. “I can’t believe I let you do this. I must really love you.”
I shot her a look. “You literally begged me.”
“Did I?”
“You promised me free rent!”
She gasped. “Are you seriously bringing up old debts at a time like this? After everything I’ve done for you?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Oh, here we go.”
“Remember when I faked being your study partner in college so you could avoid that creepy guy?”
I groaned. “Riley—”
“Remember when I bailed you out of that terrible date with the guy who called himself ‘Zane the Alpha’?”
I threw my hands up. “Are you seriously tallying up favors right now?!”
She crossed her arms, looking offended. “I just think it’s interesting that you suddenly don’t care about our history of mutual sacrifices.”
I buried my face in my hands. “You’re the worst, you know right?”
“I know,” she said sweetly. “But you love me.”
I sighed. “Fine. I’ll fix it.”
Riley brightened immediately. “You promise?”
I hesitated, rubbing my palms against each other. “Riley… there’s something I forgot to mention.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What?”
I inhaled sharply. Okay. No big deal. Just say it.
“…Ethan is my boss.”
Silence.
Not just any silence. The kind where the birds stopped chirping. The air went still. The universe held its breath.
Riley just… stared.
Then, very slowly, she took off her sunglasses and said in a monotone:
I’m sorry. I blacked out for a second. What the hell, did you just say?
I swallowed. “He’s the new CEO of GlowMira.”Riley launched forward, grabbing my arms. “HARPER. WHAT. THE. HELL.”
“I KNOW!” I wailed. “I DIDN’T KNOW AT FIRST, OKAY?!”
She looked like she was having a full existential crisis. “You—you tricked your BOSS into a fake relationship?!”
“Technically, I tricked my date into a fake relationship, and then fate decided to humiliate me.”
Riley shoved her sunglasses back on and leaned forward, hands clasped together. “Okay. Harper.” She inhaled deeply. “Fix. It. NOW.”
I nodded rapidly. “I will. I’ll talk to him. I’ll get him to cancel.”
I had never lied so blatantly in my entire life.
“Good. Great.” She exhaled. “Oh my God, I need a drink.”
And then—
My phone rang.
I glanced at the screen. My stomach plummeted.
ETHAN REYNOLDS.
I met Riley’s eyes.
She smirked. “Guess he’s not much of a waiting type.”
I hit decline.
Two seconds later, it rang again.
Decline.
Again.
My fingers clenched around the phone as I watched the screen light up for the fourth time.
Riley leaned back, entirely too entertained.
“So… are you going to answer, or should I?”
Bab terkait
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 10
I strolled into the restaurant like I were it's boss.Chin up, steps slow, hips swaying—not too much, but just enough to be seen. That was the trick with the femme fatale act. You didn’t rush. You let the room adjust to you.And adjust they did.A few heads turned. The hostess did a quick double take. Curious glances brushed over me—some intrigued, some impressed, some undoubtedly judging.I didn’t care.Because tonight, I wasn’t Harper Adams.I was Riley Bennett, socialite and professional heartbreaker.At least, that was the illusion I needed to sell.Inside? I was spiraling.My heart felt like it was doing back-flips in my chest. My stomach was knotted so tight I thought i would pass out any second now. Every instinct screamed at me to turn around, fake an emergency, do anything but sit across from this man.But I had a mission: Make Ethan regret this arrangement.And the best way to do that? Be the exact opposite of what a Reynolds bride should be.The Look? Executed Flawlessly.✔
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 11
Ethan POVAnother declined call.I exhaled slowly, tapping a finger against my desk. Seven times.She wasn’t just ignoring me—she was avoiding me, and instead of irritation I was intrigued.Riley Bennett didn’t strike me as the type to run from anything. She had sat across from me at dinner, bold as ever, challenging every word that left my mouth. And now, suddenly, radio silence?That wasn’t how this worked.I leaned back in my chair, rolling my phone between my fingers. If she thought avoiding me would end things, she was mistaken.I wasn’t chasing her.But I would find out why she was running.David barely glanced up from his laptop. “Let me guess—still no answer?”I didn’t respond.David smirked. “Ah. Ghosted already. That has to be a record, even for you.”I ignored him. “Look into her.”David arched a brow. “You want me to investigate Riley Bennett?”I nodded.He sighed but started typing. “Alright, let’s see what we can find… Business contacts first, then personal.”A few minu
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-01The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 12
Riley’s POVOh.Oh.So this was Ethan Reynolds?I didn’t know what I was expecting, but definitely wasn’t this.Harper had described him as an arrogant, overbearing control freak. Some stiff, no-nonsense businessman who probably had a spreadsheet for how his wife should behave.But the man in front of me?Tall. Broad-shouldered. Warm brown eyes that held just a hint of curiosity. And his voice—low, smooth, careful.I swallowed.Wow.This… this wasn’t what I was prepared for.He was supposed to be some nightmare in a designer suit. Instead, he looked like he belonged on a magazine cover for Most Eligible Billionaire Bachelors.My pulse picked up slightly.Harper had met this man and rejected him?I mean, sure, I’d made a fuss about the engagement, but looking at him now, I had to wonder… was it really that bad of a deal?He exhaled lightly, adjusting his cuffs, “I thought it would be better to speak in private” he said smoothly. “Rather than keeping you out here.”I bit the inside of my
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-15The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 13
Harper’s POVI let out a slow, tired sigh resting my forehead against the cool surface of the wall."So, a double date? What do you think?"Eric’s words still echoed in my head.At first_ I hadn’t even processed the question, He had flashed me that eager grin, practically bouncing with excitement, eyes gleaming like he had just come up with the perfect plan."Come on, it'll be fun! You and your guy, me and my girl, it’s perfect!"Fun? For who?I had forced a polite laugh, my brain scrambling for an escape route. "I don’t know… he’s usually pretty busy."Which was technically true. But even if he weren’t, I still wouldn’t subject myself to that kind of torture.Eric had pouted like a child who had just been told Santa wasn’t real. "Oh, come on. Just one night? We could go somewhere nice. Have some drinks. It’ll be like a test run before the wedding!"I had nearly choked on my own spit. A test run?Then—by some miracle—BRRRRRR. BRRRRRR.My phone vibrated in my pocket. A work call.Salv
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-17The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 14
Harper POVDING.The elevator doors slid open, and standing before me were Ethan Blackwood and David, his assistant.I wanted to throw myself out the nearest window.My brain short-circuited for a second, then rapidly considered my options:Turn on my heel and bolt.Pretend I forgot something and slowly back away.Fake a dramatic faint and hope they step over me.Option three had some merit."Come in," Ethan’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts.Oh, come on. Haven’t I suffered enough today?His gaze was impassive but there was something vaguely expectant about it—like he was waiting for me to move.My grip tightened around my phone. “I… beg your pardon?”“It seemed like you were about to... bolt”, His tone was unreadable, but there was the faintest flicker of amusement in his gaze. “Something wrong?”Oh, nothing much, sir. Just experiencing the worst stroke of luck in my entire existence.I quickly schooled my expression. “Not at all, sir. I was just—”BZZT.Then again.And again
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-22The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 15
Riley’s POVI sat by the window of Fiorenza, one of those quiet luxury places tucked near the Upper East Side — dim lighting, velvet chairs, the kind of place you booked two weeks in advance unless your last name opened doors.Luckily, mine did.I was early, which almost never happened, but this felt different. I hadn’t even told Harper yet — I wanted to wait until after the dinner. After I confirmed what I already knew:That he was smart. And funny. And weirdly down to earth, despite being Ethan freaking Reynolds.That maybe — just maybe — this whole arranged marriage thing wouldn’t be such a disaster after all.I checked my phone again. No messages. No missed calls.I didn’t even know why I was nervous. We'd only met once. A brief conversation outside my office, a strange spark I hadn’t expected, and then I’d done the unthinkable.I had called him.I had asked to meet.And he’d said yes.I smiled, brushing my fingers over the rim of my wine glass. “Relax” I whispered to myself. “He
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-25The CEO’s Temporary Bride 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 lif
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-27The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 2
Ethan’s POVI leaned back in my leather chair, a pen balanced between my fingers as I skimmed the latest projects. The numbers were strong, stronger than I’d expected, but my focus was slipping. Howard Reynolds, my grandfather and perpetual thorn in my side, had been waiting in the adjacent lounge for over five minutes.“Sir.” David, my assistant, cleared his throat. He was standing stiffly by the door, his tone calm but insistent. “The chairman is still waiting.”I didn't look up. “And?”David shifted uncomfortably. “He’s been known to lose patience.”That made me smirk. “He’s never had any.”The door burst open just as he spoke, and Howard strode in, his booming voice filling the room. “YOU ARROGANT RASCAL! HOW MANY HOURS ARE YOU PLANNIN’ TO KEEP ME WAITIN’?” His accent held the unmistakable edge of someone who had seen and conquered his share of New York’s toughest boardrooms.I glanced up, keeping my expression carefully neutral. “You’re early.”“Early, my ass.” He yanked off his
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-27
Bab terbaru
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 15
Riley’s POVI sat by the window of Fiorenza, one of those quiet luxury places tucked near the Upper East Side — dim lighting, velvet chairs, the kind of place you booked two weeks in advance unless your last name opened doors.Luckily, mine did.I was early, which almost never happened, but this felt different. I hadn’t even told Harper yet — I wanted to wait until after the dinner. After I confirmed what I already knew:That he was smart. And funny. And weirdly down to earth, despite being Ethan freaking Reynolds.That maybe — just maybe — this whole arranged marriage thing wouldn’t be such a disaster after all.I checked my phone again. No messages. No missed calls.I didn’t even know why I was nervous. We'd only met once. A brief conversation outside my office, a strange spark I hadn’t expected, and then I’d done the unthinkable.I had called him.I had asked to meet.And he’d said yes.I smiled, brushing my fingers over the rim of my wine glass. “Relax” I whispered to myself. “He
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 14
Harper POVDING.The elevator doors slid open, and standing before me were Ethan Blackwood and David, his assistant.I wanted to throw myself out the nearest window.My brain short-circuited for a second, then rapidly considered my options:Turn on my heel and bolt.Pretend I forgot something and slowly back away.Fake a dramatic faint and hope they step over me.Option three had some merit."Come in," Ethan’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts.Oh, come on. Haven’t I suffered enough today?His gaze was impassive but there was something vaguely expectant about it—like he was waiting for me to move.My grip tightened around my phone. “I… beg your pardon?”“It seemed like you were about to... bolt”, His tone was unreadable, but there was the faintest flicker of amusement in his gaze. “Something wrong?”Oh, nothing much, sir. Just experiencing the worst stroke of luck in my entire existence.I quickly schooled my expression. “Not at all, sir. I was just—”BZZT.Then again.And again
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 13
Harper’s POVI let out a slow, tired sigh resting my forehead against the cool surface of the wall."So, a double date? What do you think?"Eric’s words still echoed in my head.At first_ I hadn’t even processed the question, He had flashed me that eager grin, practically bouncing with excitement, eyes gleaming like he had just come up with the perfect plan."Come on, it'll be fun! You and your guy, me and my girl, it’s perfect!"Fun? For who?I had forced a polite laugh, my brain scrambling for an escape route. "I don’t know… he’s usually pretty busy."Which was technically true. But even if he weren’t, I still wouldn’t subject myself to that kind of torture.Eric had pouted like a child who had just been told Santa wasn’t real. "Oh, come on. Just one night? We could go somewhere nice. Have some drinks. It’ll be like a test run before the wedding!"I had nearly choked on my own spit. A test run?Then—by some miracle—BRRRRRR. BRRRRRR.My phone vibrated in my pocket. A work call.Salv
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 12
Riley’s POVOh.Oh.So this was Ethan Reynolds?I didn’t know what I was expecting, but definitely wasn’t this.Harper had described him as an arrogant, overbearing control freak. Some stiff, no-nonsense businessman who probably had a spreadsheet for how his wife should behave.But the man in front of me?Tall. Broad-shouldered. Warm brown eyes that held just a hint of curiosity. And his voice—low, smooth, careful.I swallowed.Wow.This… this wasn’t what I was prepared for.He was supposed to be some nightmare in a designer suit. Instead, he looked like he belonged on a magazine cover for Most Eligible Billionaire Bachelors.My pulse picked up slightly.Harper had met this man and rejected him?I mean, sure, I’d made a fuss about the engagement, but looking at him now, I had to wonder… was it really that bad of a deal?He exhaled lightly, adjusting his cuffs, “I thought it would be better to speak in private” he said smoothly. “Rather than keeping you out here.”I bit the inside of my
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 11
Ethan POVAnother declined call.I exhaled slowly, tapping a finger against my desk. Seven times.She wasn’t just ignoring me—she was avoiding me, and instead of irritation I was intrigued.Riley Bennett didn’t strike me as the type to run from anything. She had sat across from me at dinner, bold as ever, challenging every word that left my mouth. And now, suddenly, radio silence?That wasn’t how this worked.I leaned back in my chair, rolling my phone between my fingers. If she thought avoiding me would end things, she was mistaken.I wasn’t chasing her.But I would find out why she was running.David barely glanced up from his laptop. “Let me guess—still no answer?”I didn’t respond.David smirked. “Ah. Ghosted already. That has to be a record, even for you.”I ignored him. “Look into her.”David arched a brow. “You want me to investigate Riley Bennett?”I nodded.He sighed but started typing. “Alright, let’s see what we can find… Business contacts first, then personal.”A few minu
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 10
I strolled into the restaurant like I were it's boss.Chin up, steps slow, hips swaying—not too much, but just enough to be seen. That was the trick with the femme fatale act. You didn’t rush. You let the room adjust to you.And adjust they did.A few heads turned. The hostess did a quick double take. Curious glances brushed over me—some intrigued, some impressed, some undoubtedly judging.I didn’t care.Because tonight, I wasn’t Harper Adams.I was Riley Bennett, socialite and professional heartbreaker.At least, that was the illusion I needed to sell.Inside? I was spiraling.My heart felt like it was doing back-flips in my chest. My stomach was knotted so tight I thought i would pass out any second now. Every instinct screamed at me to turn around, fake an emergency, do anything but sit across from this man.But I had a mission: Make Ethan regret this arrangement.And the best way to do that? Be the exact opposite of what a Reynolds bride should be.The Look? Executed Flawlessly.✔
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 9
Harper’s POVI was a woman on a mission.A mission to get the hell out of this building before Ethan Reynolds even looked in my direction.Logically, there was zero reason for him to notice me. To him, I was just another nameless employee. A nobody. But my anxiety? Oh no, it was convinced that the second we crossed paths, he’d sniff out my deception like a bloodhound.I checked the time. 11:45 AM.Lunch hour. Perfect.Plan A: Blend into the rush of employees leaving the building. Simple. Foolproof. Non-suspicious.I slung my bag over my shoulder, put my head down, and walked with the river of humans leaving the building. My heart hammered as I bobbed and weaved through people, hyper alert to everything in motion.Don’t look back. Don’t even glance at the lobby.The revolving doors were in sight. I was so close.Then—“Mr. Reynolds, sir! Good afternoon!”My stomach dropped.No. No. NO.I risked a glance—big mistake.Across the lobby, Ethan Reynolds was stepping out of the elevator, loo
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Ckspter 8
The next morning, I was at my desk, trying everything possible to focus on my work when my phone buzzed.Ethan Reynolds.I nearly choked on my coffee.No. Absolutely not. This can’t real.I stared hard at the screen as if I could change the words that were displayed on it before I answered“Marry me.”I froze.The words hit me like a ton of bricks. Wait a second, did he just ...?My fingers tightened around my phone, almost snapping it in half. “I’m sorry, WHAT?!”Silence. Then, with his usual maddening calm:“I said, marry me.”My chair screeched as I bolted upright. “M-Marry—” I choked, knocking my coffee dangerously close to my laptop.Connor, my coworker, peeked over the cubicle. “Harper, you good?”I let out a maniacal laugh. “Sure am! why do you ask?” I flashed him a shaky thumbs-up before whispering into the phone, “Hold that for a minute.”I scrambled out of my chair, my heart beating at an unusual rate as I sped-walked down the hallway. Maybe if I moved fast enough, I could es
The CEO’s Temporary Bride Chapter 7
Harper’s POVMondays were already a nightmare, but this was definitely a horror movie. After the spectacle' of the conference where the new CEO hadn’t even bothered to show up, the entire office was still buzzing with gossip.Actually, come to think of it, the only thing worse than an intimidating boss was a mysterious one. Except for the fact that almost everyone seemed to be getting off on having a CEO who stuck around as nothing more than an urban legend, and I was drowning under a pile of work my manager hadn’t even apologized about yet.“Harper, I need these reports reviewed and summarized by noon,” he had said before vanishing like a ghost.That was two hours ago. I was still only halfway through.I sighed, stretching my arms before standing up. I needed coffee. Badly. I picked up my coffee mug and headed down the hall to the break room, hoping that the caffeine would help with both of the above.The break room was mercifully empty when I arrived. I poured myself a cup of coffee
