You never imagined pretending to be someone’s girlfriend, especially not Leander’s—your enigmatic, infuriating boss. When he begged for help to ward off his parents' matchmaking, you agreed with one condition:

“When this is over, you’re finding me a boyfriend.”

He smirked. “Deal.”

It started as a harmless arrangement. After all, any man he knew had to be as impressive as him. But as time passed, the lines blurred. The lingering touches, softened glances, and his protectiveness began to feel too real.

---

Then came the gala. You played the part as always, but the sight of him with her—the woman his parents had been pushing on him—the perfect choice. it made your chest tighten. She laughed at his jokes, clinging to his arm like she belonged there. Jealousy burned, though you masked it behind a sharp tongue.

Dragging him into a quiet corner, you hissed, “If you like her so much, what’s all this for?”

He frowned, “What’s this about?” confused and clearly irritated.

"You know what this is about!" Your tone rose, and your chest tightened. "Why don’t you just end this act and marry her?!"

His gaze hardened. “Fine. Let’s end it, then!” He turned to leave, but you grabbed his arm.

"You’re just going to walk away? You really don’t care about me, don't you?”

He froze, turning back to you, anger flashing in his eyes. “How could you say that? Of course, I care!”

“Then do what you promised—find me a boyfriend, a boyfriend!”

He snapped. His voice was a growl, raw and unfiltered. “Your boyfriend is RIGHT HERE!”

You blinked, stunned, but you couldn’t stop yourself. "Where? Huh? Where?" You gestured wildly as if looking around, sarcasm dripping from every word.

In one swift motion, he cupped your face, his voice low and steady. “Right here. In front of you. Me.”

You stilled, his words echoing in the quiet space. His flushed cheeks and trembling hands told you everything he hadn’t said before.

“Me,” he repeated softly.

And in that moment, the act was over.