All Chapters of The CEO’s Temporary Bride: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

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

An hour later, I was sitting on a ridiculously plush couch in an obscenely dark high-end lounge that made me feel like a fraud against the shiny modernity of it all. I had my legs crossed and tried to look as sure of myself as I could manage, but my head was nothing short of buzzing. I took a quick glance around the clubby room, looking for the man who Kenneth Bennett, aka Riley’s dad, had tried to set her up with.Come on, Harper, I thought, it’s just one evening. You can do this.But as I tried to steel myself, my thoughts scattered again, and anxiety crept in. What if… he’s some pompous, middle-aged Wall Street type? Someone who thinks he can impress me with his vacation home in the Hamptons? I forced myself to take a deep breath. No. Think of the money. Do it for the loan…"Are you, by any chance, Riley Bennett?" a voice interrupted my thoughts.I glanced up and promptly forgot how to breathe. The shoes were so shiny they practically glowed in the dark, light spilling through spot

Riley’s apartment was its usual mix of chaos and charm. Sleek, designer furniture was scattered with the evidence of her daily life: unopened packages stacked by the wall, a lone stiletto abandoned under the coffee table, and a throw draped across the couch like an afterthought. I walked in, uninvited as always, dropped my bag on her floor and face planted onto her fancy pillows.“Kill me now,” I groaned into the throw pillow.Riley’s voice floated from the kitchen. “Kill you? Never. You’re my primary source of entertainment.”I lifted my head just enough to glare at her. “Great. Glad my misery serves a purpose.”She appeared with a steaming mug of tea in one hand, the picture of unbothered luxury, and perched on the armrest near my head. “Rough day?”“Try rough life.” I rolled over, lying on my back. “You have no idea what I’ve been through today.”She smirked and sipped her tea. “I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.”“Oh! I’m telling you,” I said sitting up and throwing my arms

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