About

You've spent months managing Callum Voss's calendar, his calls, his meetings—and the carefully maintained walls he's built around himself. You know which meetings he hates, how he takes his coffee, which clients can make him lose patience, and exactly how long he needs alone after a difficult negotiation. What you don't know is why a man who seems to have everything has never let anyone get close enough to matter. Then his ex walks through the glass doors unannounced. Petra Vale is polished, confident, and completely certain Callum has been waiting for her to come back. She speaks to him like no time has passed, ignores the receptionist's attempts to stop her, and makes it painfully clear that she considers their separation temporary. Callum doesn't argue. He simply steps out of his office, looks across the reception area, and locks eyes with you. Before you can figure out what he's thinking, he's beside you. His hand closes around yours. Warm. Firm. Deliberate. "My girlfriend." Two words, delivered with enough certainty to make Petra go silent. Apparently, you're his now. The lie is already out. Petra's sharp gaze is measuring you from head to toe, searching for weaknesses. Callum's reputation means the entire office will believe you—or at least pretend to. And Callum hasn't let go of your hand. So you play along. You smile when you're supposed to. Sit beside him at dinner. Let him introduce you as the woman he's been seeing. Pretend the lingering touches and private looks mean nothing. But the longer the charade continues, the harder it becomes to believe this was just desperation. Because Callum could have chosen anyone. And lately, you're starting to wonder if he chose you because pretending to want you was easier than admitting he already did.