Alessia De Luca is determined to prove to her family that she has moved on from the man who left her at the altar two years ago. Desperate to avoid their pity, she enlists her arch-nemesis Noah Wilson, a moody colleague, to pose as her boyfriend during a summer trip to Italy, where her ex-fiancé, Antonio, is getting married. But circumstances changed and she's thrown into a dilemma that almost ruins everything. However, things get more complicated when Noah plays his role a little too well, and Alessia realizes that she's falling for her perfectly 'fake' boyfriend.
Alessia groaned, burying her face in her palms. "I have just a week to get a boyfriend. Fuck."
The sound of crunching chips filled the air, drawing her attention to the woman sitting across from her, unfazed by the crisis at hand.
Straightening up, Alessia narrowed her eyes. "You're really not going to say anything?" she demanded, arms crossed.
Brielle barely spared her a glance before rolling her eyes. "What else is there to say? I've told you already-quit the lie. Just tell your family the truth. They won't kill you. They might be pissed, sure, but that's as bad as it'll get," Brielle said, tossing another chip into her mouth. She pointed a manicured finger at Alessia. "And honestly, you're not finding a man like that in a week."
Alessia sighed and let her gaze wander around the lunchroom. The days were slipping away, and she still couldn't confess to her family or, worse, find a fake boyfriend.
If only she had kept her mouth shut. She wouldn't be in this mess. After successfully dodging family visits for two years, they had insisted on her presence this year.
Mama had mentioned she'd been avoiding them-accurately so-but Alessia had denied it, using her "busy schedule" as an excuse for not traveling the world to see them.
The truth was, home stirred up memories-painful ones. It was the reason she'd left Italy for America, searching for a fresh start. But then Mama dropped the bomb: Antonio was getting married.
Alessia had no idea how to process that, so she had said nothing. Mama, sensing her unease, reassured her.
"We know, Amore, this must be hard for you. It's okay to feel sad, angry-whatever you feel. But we want you home, sweetie."
Alessia's emotions spiraled out of control. "I've moved on. It's been two years," she had snapped, ignoring the tightening in her chest. But that was where she messed up. Mama had then asked her to come home if she'd truly moved on and even invited her to attend Antonio's wedding-his wedding.
Mama's subtle hint about bringing someone with her hadn't gone unnoticed by Alessia. When she hesitated, Mama assured her that it was okay to come alone. And that's when Alessia's big mouth betrayed her.
She had told her mother she was seeing someone. Someone serious. And yes, they would come to the wedding.
Now, she couldn't bring herself to tell Mama it was all a lie. And how she had felt so small and insignificant at that moment, not wanting their pity.
And now, she was in deep.
"You know, you could save yourself the headache and ask Noah to go with you. He fits your description," Brielle said, snapping Alessia out of her reverie.
Alessia's face twisted in disgust. "Ew, no thanks," she huffed. The last person she wanted to involve in this farce was Noah. Fucking Noah. Brielle only shrugged, glancing at her watch as she began gathering her things.
"Suit yourself," she said, slamming her hands on the table loud enough to turn a few heads. Alessia raised an eyebrow.
"You know, for someone in need of help, you're pretty picky. It wouldn't hurt to swallow your pride and ask him. Who knows? He might even say yes," Brielle said, her tone pointed.
Alessia gave her a bored look as she started packing up her things. Lunch break would be over in-yeah, three minutes.
"And if he says no?" Alessia challenged, though she had no intention of asking him.
Brielle shrugged. "Then you call your mum and tell her it was all a lie. Or better yet, tell her he died. That way, you don't even have to go."
Alessia stared at her, a mix of surprise and amusement on her face. "Seriously? They'd think it was a joke. Besides, how convenient would it be for 'him' to suddenly die a week before the wedding?" she asked, exasperated.
Brielle closed her eyes in response, clearly summoning her patience. "Jesus, Ali, death knows no time," she muttered while zipping her bag.
Maybe Brielle was right. Maybe she could tell her family-
"Is that Noah?" Brielle's voice shot up a few octaves, dragging Alessia's attention back to the present.
She turned to see the man himself, his tall, broad frame impossible to miss, his blonde hair catching the light. He scanned the room before his gaze locked on hers. His lips twitched slightly, and Alessia quickly looked away.
"Yeah, lunch is over. I'll see you later, okay?" Alessia mumbled, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Brielle's cheek before walking off.
She knew she was being childish, avoiding him like this, but she had bigger problems to deal with than another argument with Noah.
That always seemed to happen when they crossed paths. She hurried to the nearest elevator, hitting the button just as the doors began to close. But they didn't-because a large hand had stopped them.
Noah stepped in, his eyes briefly meeting hers before muttering something under his breath.
Alessia shut her eyes. Just when she thought she'd managed to escape meeting him. Her rivalry with Noah was born when he first walked into the company. She'd watched him greet every other employee with a smile, but he frowned at her, staring at her like she irritated him.
She had thought it was just a coincidence and he had no problem with her -like, why would he when they just met?
But, she was wrong as Noah kept giving her weird glances and doing his best to avoid her, not to talk of their frequent disagreements. Noah wasn't her best, but well, the man was hot.
She stared at her fingers and immediately knew she couldn't -she couldn't ask Noah to be her fake boyfriend.
She never liked him. Or maybe she did. Amber Kingston had always been irritated by her boss's lifestyle. She never wanted anything to do with him outside of work, but then he brought a proposition to her table. To marry him. She did it for a price, and now she is breaking his one rule. How would she tell him, she'd fallen in love with him when it was something he'd clearly warned her about?
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
22-year-old Evelyn Carter is attempting to start over in California while avoiding her past. She will be embarking on a new career path as a private school teacher. She is smart, attractive, and doesn't put up with nonsense. Who wouldn't notice her? However, what happens when she attracts the attention of someone unwilling to let her go? Who wants her and nothing else after falling in love at first sight? A 25-year-old billionaire CEO and single father, Lucian Carrington. He takes what he wants and he is also a very dangerous man. All it needed was one look at a stunning woman to realize she was HIS, even though he doesn't believe in relationships because they always end. Preview: Miss Carter, you will be mine. I say firmly. "Release my arm, Mr. Carrington, before I force you to." She says, seeming to smile at me. I give her a sly smile. Squeezing my wrist with her other hand, she twists it uncomfortably. I gave a painful hiss. "Don't underestimate me, Mr. Carrington." "This is the only time I will allow you to walk away from me, Miss Carter." She glared at me as she turned. "Mr. Carrington, I am no possession of yours." I was left standing there when she opened the classroom door and left.