Chapter 8%
I walked slowly through the cool, shady backyard of Mitchell’s house. The night breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of wet grass and mint leaves from the pot by the terrace. From a distance, I saw Harry standing with his phone pressed to his ear. His expression shifted- from surprised to… a quiet chuckle?%
Weird.
Our eyes met for a second. He smiled wryly, then shook his head as if holding in a private joke. I chose to ignore him and continued walking toward the kitchen. My throat was dry, and I needed water%
Harry’s voice followed just as I finished pouring water into a glass from the clear pitcher%
“Hey, your husband–well, ex–husband–called me. Through your old number.“%
Clink.
I nearly dropped the glass from my hand. I looked up slowly, eyes meeting his.%
He stood in the doorway, chewing on an apple like he hadn’t just said something that nearly stopped my heart.”
“I thought it was you calling, so I picked it up. But it was a man’s voice. I was surprised–he asked about your whereabouts right away.“?
My eyes narrowed. Harry looked too relaxed. Even now, he was still chuckling and enjoying his apple. Years apart, and his silly personality hadn’t changed a bit.”
“Block that number. And any number that might be from my country,” I said firmly, coldly, trying to mask the panic gnawing at my chest.
“Okay,” he replied casually and turned around./
I’stared at his back–confident, calm, and utterly infuriating. How could he act so unaffected while I… I was on the verge of throwing up from sheer panic?
Bobby.
That name stabbed into my thoughts like shattered glass. I thought I was safe once I arrived in London.%
Yesterday, on the plane, I genuinely feared I’d be caught when the flight attendant checked my passport. But the name Isabella Shana saved me. Now, I wasn’t so sure if all my efforts had been enough.”
Footsteps followed me from behind just as I was heading back to my room.”
“You turned completely pale after learning he could contact me,” Harry murmured, standing in my path.
I looked up. His gaze met mine–curious, but also playful. The kind of look that said, You’re funny when you panic.
“I’m fine,” I deflected.W
“Really?” he said. He pulled his phone from his pocket, slowly took out the SIM card, and twirled it between his fingers.”
“I can make it disappear. Your ex–husband won’t be able to call me again. That way, no one will be able to track your location. You’ll finally be at peace. But…”
I squinted. “But?”
“There’s a condition.”
I swallowed hard. “What is it?”
“Be my fake fiancée,” he said with a small smile.
My eyes widened.
“What?! You’re insane!”
Harry shrugged. “Think of it as a trade. You get away from your crazy ex, and I get to escape from my overly aggressive fans.“{
I shook my head hard. “You think this is funny?”
“It’s fair. If you refuse, I’ll keep using this number, and your ex will keep calling–trying to find you. And if I get annoyed enough, it’s very possible I’ll just tell him the truth. That you’re here, in London, living under a new identity as a student named Isabella Shana.”}
His tone shifted. It wasn’t playful anymore. There was a subtle threat hidden in every word, wrapped in a sly grin.
I sighed deeply. Just one car ride with him was already enough to make me feel like I was in the spotlight. Every eye on campus stared at me–judging, jealous, and throwing baseless accusations. That was nothing compared to pretending to be his fiancée.
“Why me?” I whispered.”
“You’re my parents‘ choice… It’s safe.” He said casually, then grinned. “And as a bonus, you need protection. So, we both win, right?“}
I looked into his eyes. In silence, I searched for a loophole. But I found none. He had control, and I… I was trapped.”
“You’re taking too long to think,” he mocked.
“Isn’t there another way? I’ll help you with anything else but this,” I said, hopeful.
“Unfortunately, this is the only offer.” He shrugged. “You choose–peace of mind, or being haunted by your past.“}
I stared at the SIM card spinning between his fingers, as if it were the switch to my destiny.”
And right then, Harry’s phone buzzed. Not a ringtone–just a message notification.
He checked his phone, and his expression suddenly shifted.”
“That’s funny,” he muttered.”
