Aurelia Averli

— An apartment and a promotion, just for pretending to be your fiancée? — Yes. But you’ll have to make it convincing. — Why me? — I finally dare to ask the question that’s been bothering me since the start of this strange conversation. — I didn’t want to ask a stranger off the street. I know you. You’re good at your job, and I believe you can pull this off. — Pull off the role of a gold-digger? — Not just that. I want you to bring my children together. Right now, they have nothing in common. No shared ground. I’m desperate. I fear that when I die, they’ll forget about each other entirely. I need to make Mark stay in the company. That’s something just anyone can’t do — but I’m sure you can. He’s so surе because he has no idea about the secret that ties me to his son.

— Do you love him? — Yes, — I answer without hesitation, the word sharp and certain. — How far are you willing to go to save his life and repay the debt? The question knocks the air out of my lungs. I fall silent, watching as he steps closer, wraps his arm around my waist, and pulls me against him. A dangerous heat surges through my body, scorching every emotion. I frown. — What do you want? — Give me the night, — he breathes, leaning in for a kiss. Panic erupts in my chest. How dare he? Bastard! To keep myself from collapsing, I reach out for the wall—but my hand finds something else on the dresser. Without thinking, I grab it and swing. To my own surprise, I hit Lukyan over the head with a pot. A cactus pot.