First I heard a chorus of gasps. Then the clicking sound of number of cameras.

And I saw everything because my eyes were wide open as Ian Kingston moved his mouth against mine, rendering me breathless. His tongue darted out trying to part my lips and then only did reality came crashing down to me.

Ian fucking Kingston is kissing me!!!

I tried to bring up my fist to slam against his chest but the space between us was too small to do that. I was pressed against him. As Ian found no sign of resistance he pulled me closer and deepened the kiss as more cameras clicked.

Failing to break apart, I harshly bit his lip and he pulled back.

"What the hell-" I burst out but he cut me off.

"People" He put an arm around my shoulder and turned to the media. "Meet my fiancé, Hailey Evans"

Loud cheers and applauses erupted from the crowd gathered around us. The guests started congratulating and the press sticked their out mics, asking endless questions that I had a hard time understanding.

I was too shocked to even do anything.

I slowly turned to my friends and saw the entire marketing department looking at me in bewilderment.

And the looks on my friends' faces, they were priceless.

"How long have you been dating him Miss Evans?" One reporter jumped in, blocking the view of my friends.

"Wha..." My jaw slacked. I was too shocked to even speak.

"We've been dating for three years" Ian answered and I looked at him in horror.

"How did you meet her?"

"I once met her at a club and then later on found out that she's an employee of mine" He smiled and looked down at me in adoration. "She's too pretty to go unnoticed. We talked and I guess-" He shrugged. "Love blossomed"

"Mr. Kingston this is the first time you spoke to the press and the first time any of us have ever seen you smile. Is she that special?"

"Very" Ian smiled at me and then glanced up at the press. "My fiancé is a bit shy in front of cameras. You may take a few photos and leave us"

Few is an understatement because they took gazillion of photos to the point I almost went blind. Realising the press wasn't going away the security came and forcefully ushered them out.

When they were gone I opened my mouth to speak but no sound came out. I opened my mouth again. "Wh-at a-re" But my voice cracked.

"You need a drink?" Ian asked me with a smirk on his lips and anger started to boil inside me at a tremendous speed.

"What the fuck" I yelled. "You fucking bastard" My eyes blazed with a vicious fire, yearning to kill everything that I set my eyes upon, which in here was a CEO.

"You-" I charged forward. "I'm going to kill you" I raised my hands up to claw his face but he grabbed my wrists and pulled me closer.

"Calm down Hailey" He leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Or I'll make sure you won't have a job for the rest of your life" Then he pulled back, giving me a sardonic smile.

I gaped at him in shock. "How-how dare you threaten me?"

"I told you there will be consequences"

"T-this is absurd" I stuttered. "You already have a fiancé" I whined and looked at Melissa over Ian's shoulder, who was now glaring at me. "Great. Now she looks like she wants to kill me"

"I told you she's not my fiancé"

"Then who is she?"

"She's the woman my mother chose for me"

"So she is your fiancé"

"I choose my fiancé, not my mother. And I chose you"

"Did you lose a nut in your brain-"

Ian interrupted me before I could finish. "Can we have this conversation elsewhere? Because people are looking"

"Let them look. Let them see you're deceiving them"

Ian laughed. "I'm not deceiving anyone. I merely introduced my fiancé to them" Before I could argue he kept a finger to my lips. "And if you do something to expose us, my threat will be very much active and that chief of yours, who helped you disobey me-" I gulped. Shit he knows the chief helped. "he will also be in trouble and that'll be all your fault"

"Asshole" I cursed.

"Good" Ian smiled. "Now that we're settled, you can go and have fun" He gave me a dissmissive wave and walked back to his group.

I stayed on my spot, shivering with violent anger.

"What the hell just happened Hailey?" Lexi approached me, almost running in her six inch heels.

"That bastard kissed me!"

"That part-" Brian gave me a pointed look. "We saw"

"Why did he call you his fiancé?"

"I don't know but what I do know is that I want to throw every table in this room at him" I said through gritted teeth, glaring at Ian. "I want dip his head in the sink and fill it with water. I want to push him off this god damn building"

"I think there's another girl who wishes to do the same to you" Brian jerked his head towards the stage and I whirled around to see Melissa, shivering with anger so violent that I feared she would break apart.

"I didn't do anything" I complained. "He kissed me"

"Maybe she thinks you seduced him"

"S-seduce?" I scoffed in disbelief. "Why would anyone seduce that thing?" I said pointing in Ian's direction.

"Well he's handsome and rich-"

"That's not the point" I whined.

"I know but-"

"Shut up" I groaned, gripping my head. "Aren't you two supposed to be helping me get out of this?"

"You can tell the truth to the press" Lexi suggested.

"Yes but Ian said if I do that he'll make sure I never have a job for the rest of my life"

That shut them up. "What?" I asked in confusion.

"Hailey, you should take it serious. That's a valid threat" Lexi gave me a pointed look. "Ian Kingston has enough connections to do that"

Brian nodded. "Then you'll have to say bye to your Prescott dream forever"

Ouch. That hits harder.

"So what am I supposed to do now?" I looked at both of them. "How am I supposed to get out of this?"

"Well" Lexi pursed her lips, thinking hard. "Normally in books where the FL is forced to be a fiancé or a wife, the guy gives a time limit"

"What does that mean?" Brian asked in puzzlement.

"It means the guy only needs the girl to play the role for a few months or maybe even-" Lexi wrinkled her nose. "one year"

I bit my lip thinking hard. I already knew what Lexi was talking about. She and I were both book lovers and we had read these types of books numerous times.

"So..." Brian trailed off. "Hailey just needs to go and ask him how long she's supposed to keep doing this?"

"But-" I glanced at Lexi. "In those books the guy pays the girl to play the role. I'm not getting paid here" I complained. "Tell him to pay me"

"Why do you need him to pay you? You already have a big fat amount in your bank account"

"That's because I've been saving up for Prescott's" I argued back.

"Doesn't matter. You can't ask money from the same person who threatened you"

I threw my head back and groaned. "Why me? Me of all people? According to books it's supposed to be a secretary or a broke girl he finds in a cafe, not a crazy girl from the marketing department"

"Be happy it didn't happen according to books or else you'll fall in love with him at the end"

"Pfft" I began laughing. "That's a good joke" I clutched my stomach and laughed again. "Ahh I can't- that's so funny" I threw my head back and laughed till my eyes filled with tears. "Me falling in love with that thing?" I pointed in Ian's direction and toppled with laughter.

"Pfft haha I can't-" I smacked Brian while laughing. "Call an ambulance. I think I'm going to pass out"

Lexi rolled her eyes. "Hailey, take this serious. Now go and ask Mr. Kingston how long you have to pretend to be his fiancé. That's the only way out unless you want a CEO as an enemy"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Fine fine. I'll go and ask. He better say it in days"

I turned on my heels and marched in Ian's direction.

"Oi" I called him but he didn't turn.

"Oi you" Ian took a glance and almost did a double take realising I was calling him.

He excused his friends and strode towards me. "Why are you calling me Oi?"

"What else am I supposed to use?"

"My name duh" He gave me a pointed look.

"Sorry I forgot it momentarily" I said in a mock tone and Ian narrowed his eyes.

"Why did you call me?" He asked.

"I want to know about this fake fiancé thing"

"First of all, you're not my 'fake' fiancé"

I blinked. He's weird. "Okay then how long am I supposed to keep doing this?"

Ian raised a brow in confusion and I narrowed my eyes, waiting impatiently for his answer.

Then realisation flickered in his eyes.

He smirked and leaned down, his warm breath fanning against my cheek.

"Till death do us apart Hailey"

Next Update :- 8/5/21