Lingerie, Lies, and Late-Night Secrets.
Ryan was sprawled lazily on the couch, half-watching some random TV show, when his front door burst open with all the drama of a soap opera.
Lila stormed in, her eyes watery and her nose red, before practically collapsing into his arms.
"Whoa, whoa, easy there, tornado! What's got you all twisted up?" Ryan bolted upright, wrapping her tight, his voice dropping to that no-nonsense rumble, serious as a heart attack, ready to storm castles or punch clouds if that's what it took.
Honestly with those endless gym sessions he loved bragging about, turning him into a walking wall of "don't mess with my girl," Lila half-believed he would.
"I lost the job, Ryan!" she wailed, the words muffled against his shirt, her whole body shaking like she'd run a marathon in heels. "Black Ridge... Black freaking Ridge, they rejected me! Can you even? I mean, me! They said my report was 'too weak.' Weak! Like I'm some limp noodle submission. I hate them now. The big boss and all. They're lame, blind, idiots at evaluating talent. I swear, they wouldn't spot genius if it tap-danced buck-naked in their boardroom, fireworks and all."
Ryan's hand found her hair, stroking it slow and steady, fighting the twitch of a smile at her full-on melodrama, because damn, she was cute even when she was a hot mess. "Hey, breathe, firecracker. Maybe it wasn't even the big boss's call. These corporate behemoths? Layers on layers of pencil-pushers. Your report might've gotten lost in the shuffle before it hit the CEO's desk."
She hiccuped a sniff, pulling back just enough to squint at him, like he'd dropped some forbidden wisdom from the mountaintop. "Huh. Okay, yeah... when you say it like that, maybe. But still! My heart's in shreds here. I feel like a deflated balloon animal."
"Don't you dare stay sad on me," he murmured, thumb brushing a stray tear from her cheek, all gentle coaxing. Then, because timing was his superpower, he cracked a grin. "Sadness? Nah, it doesn't suit you. Makes you look... weird. Like a puppy in sunglasses."
Her head whipped up, eyes narrowing to laser-focused slits through the watery haze. "Weird? You did not just call me weird. After this? Do you have any idea the torture? Sleepless nights chugging coffee like it was oxygen, tweaking that report till my eyes bled. And then that smug-as-hell HR drone hits me with," She dropped her voice to a nasally baritone, complete with finger guns: "'I'm sorry, Miss Lila, but your review feels a tad... weak. We don't need you right now.' Like, excuse me? I should've mooned him on the way out."
Ryan lost it, a full belly laugh that shook them both, warm and unfiltered, the kind that crinkled his eyes and made her want to throttle him and hug him at the same time. "Oh, man, that guy's toast in my book. Total tool."
"And I wish," she barreled on, flinging her arms wide like she was casting a spell, "that the CEO would burst in, fire that clown on the spot, spot my brilliance from across the room, and not just hire me, boom, straight to the C-suite, corner office, gold-plated stapler, the works!"
He chuckled, low and easy, pulling her closer till she was half in his lap, that spark of mischief lighting his gaze. "Careful with those wishes, genie girl. Universe has a funny way of eavesdropping. You never know what'll drop in your lap."
Lila rolled her eyes so hard it was audible, slumping back with a dramatic flop. "Pfft, yeah, right after I wake up a billionaire princess with a pet unicorn. Impossible."
Ryan went quiet then, just holding her gaze for a beat too long, that playful glint sharpening into something realer, deeper, like he was weighing the punchline of their lives. He sighed, all theatrical flair, like a magician prepping the big reveal. "Lila... wanna hear a secret? For real this time?"
She blinked, his shift in tone snagging her mid-brood, curiosity flickering through the fog. "What? Spill. If it's another dad joke, I'm out."
His lips quirked, but his eyes stayed steady, soft around the edges. "What if I told you... I'm the CEO of Black Ridge?"
Dead. Silence. Two heartbeats of pure, stunned vacuum, her brain buffering like a bad WiFi signal.
Then, wham. She shoved him with both hands, hard enough to send him teetering back into the cushions, her shriek piercing the air like a siren. "Get out! You, you absolute troll! You couldn't even pretend to console me? Do you see me? Heart shattered, Ryan! Shattered!" She scrambled up, cheeks flaming, and stormed off down the hall, slamming her bedroom door with the force of a mic drop gone nuclear.
He stood outside the locked door, grinning like an idiot.
Then few minutes later, Lila's phone buzzed. She picked it up and nearly screamed. Your order has been placed.
Few Minutes Later...
Not five minutes later, Lila's phone pinged. She fished it out, bleary-eyed and braced for spam... then froze, mid-breath, like she'd been hit with a freeze-ray.
Your order of lace-trimmed lingerie has been confirmed. Delivery: 2-day shipping.
Her eyes bugged out to cartoon proportions. "WHAT?!"
Another ping, right on cue, like the universe was in on the prank.
Your order of G-string essentials, bold red, has been confirmed. Enjoy the confidence boost!
She gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth, cheeks igniting like faulty fireworks. "Oh my God, Ryan_"
By the third alert, a cheeky notification for "matching garter set, size small, because you're a queen"...she was done. Bolting from her room like a mad woman, she skidded into the living room, where, yep, Ryan lounged on the couch like a smug sphinx, her phone dangling from his fingers, screen glowing with the evidence of his crime.
"RYAN! Have you lost your mind? Why are you ordering... this nonsense... with my account?"
"I just thought I'd spice things up," he said casually, stretching like a cat. "Your mood was too gloomy. I figured these would cheer you up a little, besides, it would be cool seeing you in a beautiful sexy lingerie wifey." He said while eyeing her up. And lila covered her body dramatically with her hands.
"You wish! And I don't need you to cheer me up. Especially with this shameful way of even thinking i could even awear these stupid things? Never, Ryan! I mean, me? In that? Over my dead, fully-clothed body. Never, Ryan. Ever.""
He smirked. "You never know. But hey, if you don't like them, my girlfriend might."
""Then use your own damn credit card, Einstein!" she shot back, snatching the air like she could throttle the idea itself. "I'm trying to get a job here, not file bankruptcy on lingerie! Like seriously, lingerie? Really? My retirement fund says no."!"
"Relax. It's just a few bucks. I'll refund you." He tossed her phone back like it was no big deal. "The bottom line is, it worked, you came out of your cave."
Lila gasped. "That's it. I'm calling Grandma. I want a divorce. A fast-track one!" She jabbed furiously at her phone.
But then she froze. Ryan was holding up a sleek shopping bag, his grin infuriatingly smug.
"What's that?" she narrowed her eyes.
Ryan tilted the bag away with a sly grin.
"Oh, this?" He dangled it teasingly. "Just a little something I got to cheer my wife up. But since my wife clearly doesn't want me anymore, I guess I'll throw it in the trash..."
Lila yelped, launching herself at him. "Give me that!" She snatched the bag from his hands, clutching it like treasure.
Ryan caught her mid-leap, laughing as she clutched her prize. "Wow, suddenly she doesn't want a divorce anymore."
"Shut up," she muttered, but her cheeks were pink and her smile gave her away.
Ryan leaned back, victorious smirk plastered on his face. "Knew that would work."
Lila's fingers trembled slightly as she opened the bag, her eyes widening at the sight. Nestled inside were a pair of diamond-studded earrings that sparkled under the light, a sleek designer clutch in satin black, and a silk scarf that still carried the faint, intoxicating scent of the boutique. Beneath them, a perfume bottle, crystal-cut and breathtaking, glimmered like treasure.
Her lips curved into a slow, radiant smile. "Ryan..." she whispered, her eyes glistening as she touched each item with reverence. "These are... these are worth a fortune. Where are you getting so much money to throw around lately?"
Ryan leaned lazily against the doorframe, watching her reaction with a playful smirk. "Didn't I tell you?" he teased. "I'm the CEO of Black Ridge now. Money shouldn't exactly be a problem for someone like me."
She rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt. Well she knew his family were running a business and they could be labeled as rich, but not the kinda rich that Ryan was showcasing.
Lila froze for a second, then let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Oh, please. Liar." She crossed her arms, shaking her head. "You expect me to believe that? You, a CEO? Try again, Ryan."
Ryan chuckled, tilting his head at her. "Why is that so hard to believe?"
Lila stare at him for a sec and then,
"Pfft. Liar, liar. You? A CEO? Please. You'd trip over your own shoelaces running a lemonade stand."
He chuckled, low and easy, tilting his head like she was the puzzle he loved piecing together. "Ouch. Why's that so impossible to swallow?"
"Because," she fired back, arching a brow that could've cut glass, "real CEOs don't play Secret Santa with duffel bags of designer swag. And you? Mr. 'I Forgot to Water the Plants'? You'd sink a company faster than a lead balloon. Try harder, suit-boy. And you, you couldn't keep a goldfish alive, let alone a company."
Her sarcasm was sharp, but her lips twitched at the corners, betraying the fact that she wasn't entirely immune to his charm.
Ryan stepped closer, his grin lazy and mischievous. "Careful, Lila. Keep mocking me and I might just take all these gifts back. Poof... back to gloomy Lila."
She gasped, pure theater, hand to her heart like a swooning diva, and yanked the silk scarf free, draping it over her shoulders like a cape of conquest. "You dare, and you, Mr. Fancy-Pants CEO, will be exiled to the basement! Cot and cobwebs for you, big shot."
He arched a brow, clearly eating up every second of her sparkle. "Mr. CEO, huh? Rolls off the tongue nice. Say it again louder, for the people in the back."
"Don't push your luck," she shot back, but she was already twirling in front of the hall mirror, the scarf fluttering like a victory flag, her reflection lighting up with that grin she couldn't fake. "Next you'll claim you own the moon. Or the stars. Hell, why stop there, got Elon on speed dial?"
He softened then, the tease fading into something quieter, realer, his words landing cool and soft but heavy with heart. "You're smiling. Finally. Glad whatever dumb stunt I pulled did the trick, Lila. But for real, don't you dare go back to sad. I hate it. Your smile? That's my favorite view. Keep it. For me?"
Her laughter trailed off, soft as a sigh, lingering on her lips as she caught his reflection in the mirror, him, just watching, quiet and steady, like she was the sun and he was happy orbiting. The room shrank, the air thickening with that unspoken zing, her breath catching like a skipped heartbeat.
Flustered, damn him, she chucked the scarf back into the bag with way more force than necessary, cheeks heating all over again. "Whatever, smooth talker." And before he could reel her back in with those eyes, she bolted for the kitchen, bag swinging like a shield, that traitor smile chasing her the whole way. CEO or con man? Doesn't matter. Trouble either way.
Night Time...
Lila was curled up beneath her blanket, hair sprawled across the pillow, her breathing even and steady. The night was quiet, until the faint creak of her door jolted her halfà awake. She stirred, her lashes fluttering.
The door clicked open, and in stumbled Ryan, hair messy, eyes half-shut, looking like he'd just fought a war with his dreams. Without a word, he shuffled straight to her bed and dropped down beside her.
"Ryan!" Lila whispered in alarm, eyes snapping wide. Before she could push him away, he had already pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arm around her waist like a stubborn octopus.
"What are you doing?" she hissed, wriggling. "I thought we agreed, separate rooms! What are you doing here again? Go cuddle one of your girlfriends!"
Ryan buried his face in her hair and mumbled sleepily, "Shut up and sleep."
"No!" she protested, pushing at his chest, though he didn't budge an inch. "You're crushing me, I can't breathe. Go back to your room!"
"This is my room," he said stubbornly, tightening his hold.
"It is not. We agreed. Separate rooms, remember?"
"I can't sleep without you."
She froze, heart thumping louder than it should. "Liar," she snapped quickly, heat rising to her cheeks. "You sleep just fine when you drag your girlfriends home every night."
"I don't," he muttered darkly, eyes still closed. "That's why I keep them busy until morning."
Lila froze, her entire face burning. Her mouth fell open, but no words came out. She clutched the blanket to her chin, glaring at him even though her cheeks were crimson. "Y-You're disgusting..."
He smirked in his sleep-drunk state, tugging her closer until her nose brushed his collarbone. "Only for tonight. Tomorrow, I'm staying here again."
Her eyes widened. "No! Tomorrow you go back to your room. This is a one-time accident."
"I don't agree," Ryan replied flatly, like it was already law. "We're a couple. Couples share a room."
"We are not a normal couple!" she whispered furiously, giving him a shove that didn't budge him one bit. "We're just, just... pretending, remember?"
Ryan tilted his head down slightly, his sleepy voice dropping lower. "We registered our marriage, Lila. The whole world saw it. So no pretending, we are married. And we'll stay married."
Her chest tightened, her mind racing. She swallowed hard, trying to sound firm. "But I don't wanna stay married to you."
Ryan finally cracked one eye open, staring at her with that lazy, maddening smirk. "Too bad. You're already stuck with me."
Lila huffed, pouting as she looked away, but her heart wouldn't stop racing.