"Red," he repeated. "We must look madly in love, not like she still wants to slap me. Now call your mother. Speaker phone. Tell her the good news."
I dialed with shaking fingers. "Mom? It's Elara. Big news… I'm engaged to Damien Blackwood."
Mom's voice cracked. "Engaged? To the man who destroyed your father's company? Honey, are you okay? Is this real?"
"Yes, Mom," I said, glaring at Damien. "It's real. He's… wonderful. All the debts are cleared. Your treatment starts today at Mount Sinai."
Damien leaned toward the phone. "Hello, Mrs. Voss. I promise to take excellent care of your daughter. She's very special to me."
Mom started crying softly. "Oh thank God. Elara, please be happy for me. This is a blessing in disguise. I love you."
"I love you too, Mom," I whispered, hanging up with tears in my eyes. "You're a monster for using her like this. Pure emotional blackmail."
"Call it a strategic investment," Damien said coldly. "The car is waiting downstairs. Remember, when we step out, hold my hand. Smile like you mean it or the contract dies."
In the limo I crossed my arms. "What if they ask about Voss Architectural or my Lagos roots?"
"Say it was all a misunderstanding and now it's family business," he instructed. "Mention Lagos for the human touch. And when I squeeze your hand, that means kiss time."
"Kiss time?" I laughed bitterly. "The rules say touching only when required. This is too much."
"Cameras require it," he said. "Get used to it. The year has started."
The car stopped at the venue. Reporters swarmed us instantly.
"Mr. Blackwood! Why marry the woman who slapped you on live TV?" one shouted.
Damien pulled me close, hand on my waist. "Because that slap woke me up to true love. Right, darling?"
"Yes," I forced. "He's the one I never knew I needed."
"Elara, how did he propose?" another reporter yelled.
I froze. The script didn't cover this. "It was… romantic. At midnight he got on one knee and said the most beautiful things. I said yes because I saw the real man behind the cold CEO."
Damien squeezed my hand hard. "Exactly. Now for the cameras, darling."
Before I could breathe he tilted my chin and kissed me full on the lips. The crowd erupted. My knees actually buckled. The kiss lasted way too long.
He pulled back and whispered, "See? The world believes it already."
"That was not cameras only!" I hissed. "You enjoyed that!"
"Cameras required it," he said with a smirk. "And you didn't pull away. Interesting. Tonight's gala will have even more."
I stared at him, heart racing. "I can't do this for a whole year."
"You can," he replied. "For Mom. Smile, wife. The show just started."
"That kiss was way out of line!" I snapped the second the limo door shut. "You said cameras only, not tongue!"
"Cameras required it," Damien answered smoothly. "And you didn't push me away. The world loved it. Smile, darling. We're at the gala in ten minutes."
"I hate you," I hissed. "Calling me darling in private now? That wasn't the deal."
"Practice," he shot back. "The valet hears everything. Say 'I love you' right now so it sounds natural later."
"Never," I refused. "I'll smile in public but I'm not pretending in this car. What if my mom sees the videos?"
"She'll see her daughter happy and cancer-free," he replied. "Focus. Red carpet questions: we met at a charity event, sparks flew, the slap was foreplay. Got it?"
"Foreplay? You're disgusting," I said. "And who's that woman in red waving at you from the entrance? She looks ready to kill me."
Damien glanced out. "Victoria Lang. Ex. Ignore her. She's old news."
"Old news who's staring like she owns you," I pressed. "Does she know about the contract? Because she's heading straight for us."
The limo stopped. Damien grabbed my hand. "Smile or the deal dies. Let's go."
Reporters swarmed. "Mrs. Blackwood-to-be! How does it feel knowing the world called you a gold-digger after the slap?"
I forced a laugh. "Gold-digger? I slapped him because I hated him. Love works in mysterious ways, right darling?"
Damien squeezed my fingers hard. "Exactly. She keeps me on my toes. Next question."
Victoria pushed through the crowd in a tight red gown. "Damien, baby! You didn't tell me you were engaged. To her? The nobody who slapped you on live TV?"
"Victoria," Damien said coolly. "Meet my fiancée, Elara Voss. Elara, Victoria Lang, old friend."
"Old friend?" Victoria laughed sharply. "We were engaged last year, darling. Until you got bored. Now you pick this Lagos gold-digger? How quaint."
"Watch your mouth," I fired back. "Lagos raised me right. At least I didn't have to buy my way into his bed."
The crowd gasped. Damien pulled me closer. "Ladies, enough. Victoria, move along. Elara, inside now."
Victoria stepped closer. "He'll drop you in six months like he dropped me. Enjoy the fifty million while it lasts, honey. Everyone knows he only marries for the inheritance clause."
"Fifty million?" I whispered to Damien as we walked. "She knows the exact amount? How?"
"Shut up," he muttered under his breath. "Keep smiling. One more hour and we leave."
Inside the ballroom a waiter offered champagne. "Drink," Damien ordered. "Look happy."
"I'm not drinking your lies," I said. "Victoria just called me gold-digger in front of cameras. My dad's watching this!"
"Your dad wants your mom alive," he reminded. "Dance with me. Now. The orchestra's playing our song."
"We don't have a song," I argued. "This is ridiculous."
He spun me onto the floor anyway. "We do now. Put your arms around my neck. Tighter. Look at me like you want me."
"Like I want to slap you again?" I whispered. "Because I do."
"Try it and your mother's treatment stops tomorrow," he warned. "Smile bigger. Victoria's watching."
I glanced over. "She's glaring. What did you do to her?"
"Broke it off when she leaked secrets to competitors," he said flatly. "Now stop talking and act in love. Whisper something sweet in my ear."
"Something sweet?" I repeated. "How about 'I hope you choke on your own contract'?"
He laughed loud for the cameras. "That's my girl. See? We're convincing already."