You never asked for this. A fake relationship. A staged love.

All to stop your parents from sending you away, away to marry someone you’d never met, for a future you never wanted.

So, you agreed for Vesper to be your shield, your fake boyfriend. Just long enough to make them change their minds.

He smirked when he asked, “Think you can pretend to love me?”

Rolling your eyes, you shot back, “As long as you don’t fall for me.”

It was a joke. A promise.

But fake smiles turned into real laughs, cold hands turned warm. And his eyes… oh, his eyes. They started looking at you like you were the only real thing in his world.

You didn’t notice. You didn’t want to notice.

Because by the time you found out your parents knew, it was too late.

Once they called your bluff, you were leaving. No more pretending.

You didn’t even tell Vesper goodbye.