Rejected by my ex, Claimed by the CEO

Chapter Nine .

As we entered the apartment, Gino's eyes never left mine, and I felt a flutter in my chest. He walked ahead of me, his long strides eating up the distance to the living room. I followed him, my heart pounding in my ears.

He stopped before the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the city skyline. The silence was oppressive, and I felt I was waiting for something to happen.

Finally, he turned to me, his eyes still burning with intensity. "I think it's time we talked about what's going on here," he said, his voice low and husky.

My heart skipped a beat as I realised that this was it. This was the moment when everything would change. "What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Gino walked closer to me, his eyes never leaving mine. "I think we've been playing this game too long," he said. "I think it's time we stopped pretending and started being honest with each other. I want real honesty, and we should get to know each other better since we will spend much time together.”

My pulse was racing as I tried to process what he was saying. Was he suggesting he wanted to be more than a fake husband and wife? That he wanted to be a real husband and wife?

I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring into an unknown abyss. Part of me was terrified of falling, but another part was eager to leap. I remembered how Damon had pushed me away and how heartbroken I was. Gino was different; something about him kept me wanting to know more, and I liked to be near him.

"Okay," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "Let's be honest with each other."

Gino's eyes seemed to burn with intensity as he reached out and took my hand. "Let's start with the truth," he said. "Why did you agree to this fake marriage?"

I took a deep breath and let the words spill out of me. "I needed the money," I said.

Gino's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't interrupt me. When I finished speaking, he nodded thoughtfully. "And what about you?" he asked. "What do you want from this marriage?"

I hesitated, feeling a sense of vulnerability wash over me. But something about Gino's eyes made me think I could trust him. "I want to start over and make a new life for myself."

Gino's face softened, and he squeezed my hand gently. "I can help you with that," he said. "But first, I must know if something between us is real."

My heart skipped a beat as I realised what he was asking. Was there something between us? Could it be possible that we had fallen for each other despite our fake marriage?

I looked into his eyes, searching for the truth. And what I saw there made my heart skip another beat.

Gino's eyes were shining with desire, with a deep attraction that went far beyond friendship or business. And in that moment, I knew that our fake marriage might just become very real indeed...

As we walked, the city lights twinkled around us. I couldn't help but feel like I was walking on air. Gino's hand was still wrapped around mine, and I could feel his warmth seeping into my skin.

We walked silently for a while, the only sound being the soft crunch of gravel beneath our feet. I couldn't help but notice how Gino's eyes darted towards mine like he was trying to read my thoughts.

Finally, he spoke up. "Harriet, can I ask you something?"

I nodded, my heart skipping a beat. "What is it?"

Gino's voice was low and husky as he said, "Do you ever feel like you're living in a dream? Like this whole thing with the marriage and the business and everything is just some kind of illusion?"

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I met his gaze. "What do you mean?"

Gino's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "I mean, I know it's all just a ruse, but sometimes I wonder what would happen if it wasn't just a business arrangement. If we were married, for real."

My heart skipped a beat as I processed his words. Was he serious? Did he think about us as a real couple?

"I...I don't know," I stuttered, trying to play it cool.

Gino's smile faltered momentarily before saying, "No, that's okay. I didn't think so either."

We walked on in silence for a while longer, the tension between us palpable. Finally, Gino spoke up again.

"Harriet?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we should have dinner with my family this weekend."

I felt a pang of surprise. "Your family? You mean your parents?"

Gino nodded. "Yeah. They're getting anxious to meet their new daughter-in-law."

I didn't know how to respond to that. It was a big thing to meet his family. What if they didn't like me? Or worse, what if they saw right through our little arrangement?

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes for a moment. Everything was happening quickly, and I needed to process it all properly.

“Harriet, are you ok?” Gino whispered, stopping to look at me. The concern in his eyes made my heart skip a beat.

“I think so. I just. It's a lot to take in.” I admitted. He smiled and pulled me towards him.

“Then let's practise making it real.” he placed a finger underneath my chin, and the next thing I knew, his lips were crashing down onto mine, and we were kissing passionately.

I felt like I was on cloud nine. Gino wrapped his arms around me, and I didn't want that feeling to stop. He sent shivers down my spine, and my whole body turned mush. It was as if he had some spell over me.

And just like that, he pulled away and grinned, reaching for my hand. He led me down the street without a word. My lips tingled from his touch, and I couldn't believe it. What was happening to me? Was I falling for the man who I had agreed to fake a relationship with?