Semua Bab Married by Mistake, Loved by Design: Bab 1 - Bab 10

“You're late.”Alejandro didn’t bother looking at her as she stepped into the sleek black town car waiting by the curb. His eyes remained glued to his phone, thumb flicking through unread emails like they were beneath him.Valeria yanked the door shut and exhaled, annoyed. “You're lucky I agreed to this insane idea at all.”He finally glanced up — crisp suit, sharp jawline, a pair of sunglasses that screamed I don’t do patience.“And yet here you are.”She narrowed her eyes. “Only because you offered to triple my salary. And I need to pay off my mom’s hospital bills.”Alejandro looked at her for a beat longer than necessary, as if trying to read between her words. Then he returned to his phone, voice flat. “You’ll need to smile more.”“I’ll smile when you’re less of a jackass.”He almost smirked. Almost.Inside the Town CarValeria smoothed down her borrowed designer dress — a sleek off-the-shoulder navy number pulled from the firm's PR closet at the last second. She looked like she b

Valeria had barely survived the penthouse dinner when her phone buzzed again the next morning.Alejandro: Be ready at 6:00 p.m. sharp. Formal attire. Company gala. Do not be late.She groaned. Another night of playing pretend, plastering on a smile while resisting the urge to punch him — or worse, kiss him again.She hated how her lips still tingled from almost kissing him on that damn balcony.She texted back:Valeria: Only if you promise not to look at me like that again.The typing bubble appeared. Then vanished.Coward.Later That Night – At the GalaThe Hotel Quinta Real ballroom was a wonderland of silver chandeliers, string quartets, and old money perfume. Valeria’s emerald green dress shimmered under the soft lighting, hugging her curves like it had been sewn onto her skin.She felt Alejandro’s eyes on her the moment she walked in. He looked dangerously perfect in a navy tux, his dark hair slicked back, a glass of champagne in one hand.“Nice of you to show up,” he murmured wh

The next morning, Valeria was already regretting every single word of the clause she had so confidently demanded.No touching.No kissing.No falling in love.It had sounded smart — empowering, even — when she said it. Now? It felt like a joke written by someone who had no idea how Alejandro Herrera’s smirk could unravel her.And apparently, she’d have to test her self-control immediately.Because when she stepped outside her apartment to grab coffee — three cameras were pointed at her face.Flash.Flash."Señora Herrera! Are you really married to Alejandro?""Is it true the wedding was done in secret?""Is there a baby on the way?"Valeria blinked, stunned. “What the hell?”Then a black SUV screeched to a stop beside her.The door swung open.“Get in,” Alejandro barked from inside.She obeyed. Mostly because she wasn’t about to get grilled on a sidewalk in her pajama hoodie.Inside the Car“What the hell was that?” she snapped, heart pounding.Alejandro passed her his phone.Trending

Valeria didn’t sleep that night.She sat frozen at the edge of her bed, the laptop screen still glowing.Alejandro had been married before.And somehow, he had never mentioned it.She read the article three times. The details were scarce — intentionally buried, maybe. The woman’s name was Lucía Marín. A journalist from Guadalajara. The marriage had lasted all of six months before it imploded in a media blackout.The final sentence was what stuck with her:Neither party commented. The bride disappeared from the public eye.Valeria’s skin prickled.How do you marry someone, erase them from your life, and then pretend they never existed?She slammed the laptop shut, heart pounding, and marched straight down the hallway.Alejandro’s RoomShe didn’t knock.He was shirtless, standing near his window with a glass of whiskey in hand, bathed in city light and shadows.When he turned, his eyes darkened. “Valeria—?”“You were married before.”No hesitation. No warm-up. Just the truth.His face s

The city lights of the City of Monterrey twinkled beneath them as Alejandro and Valeria stood side by side on the rooftop terrace. The air was cool, a slight breeze tugging at their clothes as they leaned against the low stone wall, looking out at the skyline. For a moment, everything was silent—just the hum of the city below and the soft rustle of leaves in the wind.But silence, like everything else between them, had become charged with something more.Valeria could feel the weight of Alejandro’s presence beside her. His broad shoulders, his strong scent, the subtle tension in the air whenever their gazes met. She couldn’t ignore it anymore. She couldn’t pretend that the flutter in her chest when their hands brushed was just coincidence, that the warmth that spread through her veins when he smiled was something she could easily shake off.They were supposed to be pretending.This was just a business arrangement. A contract.But why did it feel like everything was slowly unraveling?