Chapter 40

CHAPTER 40

ZAYN

A s I slipped the last cufflink through my shirt cuff, the sharp ringing of my phone on the dresser echoed in the quiet room. I picked it up, glancing at the screen. Carlos.

I hit the speaker button and propped the phone up against a cologne bottle, freeing my hands to adjust my tie.

"Hey, man. What's up?" I asked, keeping my tone light.

"Are you two actually pretending to be engaged?" Carlos's voice was laced with a mix of disbelief and something close to amusement.

My fingers paused mid-adjustment. That was unexpected.

"What are you talking about?"

I figured I'd go with ignorance for now.

"Elaine had a little too much fun with the wine last night," he said. "She told me a wild story about you and Marigold pretending to be engaged because your reputation was a little rough around the edges."

There was no point in denying it.

"Yeah," I said finally. "We are."

There was a beat of silence on the other end, and then Carlos let out a low whistle. "Holy shit. So, it's true. I thought Elaine was just tipsy and blowing things out of proportion. But this? This is insane, Zayn."

I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn't see it. "It's not that crazy. Marigold's getting paid well, and I get to keep my board off my back. It's a win-win."

"Until it ends," Carlos muttered. I could almost hear the gears turning in his head. "You're playing with fire, Zayn. Elaine said…" He trailed off, hesitation creeping into his voice.

"Elaine said what?" I pressed, irritation starting to simmer beneath the surface. I didn't have time for his half-assed warnings.

Carlos sighed, clearly not thrilled about having to play messenger. "She's worried about Marigold, man. Thinks she might be falling for you."

I snorted, brushing off the idea as ridiculous. "Come on, Carlos. Marigold knows exactly what this is. She's the one who came to me with a legally binding document. This is business, plain and simple."

Carlos wasn't convinced. "Sure, maybe that's how you see it. But Marigold? She's always been one to lead with her heart, not her head. And if you screw this up…" He hesitated again, but I could hear Elaine's voice in the background, urging him on. "Elaine said she'll have your balls on a silver platter."

The corner of my mouth twitched in an amused smile, though I knew better than to dismiss Elaine's concerns entirely. She was a fierce protector of those she cared about. Marigold was her best friend. "Look, Marigold is smart. She's not going to get her heart tangled up in this. We're both adults who know what we're doing."

"You're fucking her?" Carlos suddenly exclaimed, his voice jumping an octave in shock.

I winced. It was a little vulgar and I wasn't sure I liked how he phrased it. Before I could respond, I heard a commotion on the other end of the line, followed by Elaine's voice, loud and angry.

"Zayn!" she practically shrieked, snatching the phone from Carlos. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to stave off the headache that was quickly forming. "Elaine, it's not?—"

"You're taking advantage of her!" Elaine cut me off, her voice a sharp whip of accusation. "Marigold is sweet and trusting, and she can't hold her own against someone like you. When this is all over, you'll walk away with your business intact and your reputation even stronger, but where does that leave her? She'll have to slink back to Green River with nothing but a broken heart. Is that what you want for her?"

Her words hit like a gut punch, but I masked my reaction with a scoff. "Elaine, you're being dramatic. Marigold isn't some na?ve little girl. She knows exactly what she signed up for. I didn't force her to do this. She chose it. She's not walking away from this empty handed."

"She's falling for you, Zayn," Elaine hissed. "And you're too blind to see it because you're so focused on your damned business. You need to make this right before it's too late."

I clenched my jaw, rolling my eyes at the ceiling. Elaine's lecture made me feel like I was ten years old again, getting scolded for breaking the neighbor's window. "Okay, okay. I hear you," I said, eager to end the conversation. "I'll think about what you said, but this is my life, Elaine. You don't get to dictate how I handle it. I think you should talk to Marigold. She went into this with eyes wide open. She knows exactly what is going on here. I think you might be underestimating her."

"I just hope you realize what you're doing before it's too late," she replied, her tone softening, but the edge of warning still clear. "Happy Thanksgiving, Zayn."

"Yeah, you too," I muttered before hanging up and tossing my phone onto the bed. I stared at it for a moment, her words still echoing in my head.

This wasn't the first time someone had accused me of being too business-minded, too cold. But this was different. Elaine was implying that I was ruining Marigold's life. And that was something I couldn't just brush off.

But then again, Elaine was being just a little too protective. She saw Marigold as this fragile thing that needed coddling, but I knew better. Marigold was strong, capable, and fully aware of what she was doing. She wasn't some damsel in distress, and I wasn't the villain in this story.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I pushed the conversation from my mind. Tonight wasn't about overthinking or second-guessing. It was Thanksgiving, and I had a role to play.

I grabbed my phone, switched it to silent, and stuffed it in my pocket before heading out the door. I had a dinner to attend and a fiancée to pick up.

I adjusted my tie and checked the time once again. The car I hired for the night should be waiting downstairs. Since I didn't have to drive, I walked to my personal bar and poured myself a finger of scotch. Just a little something to take the edge off. Elaine had gotten under my skin.

Perhaps it was time to reassess, not that I had a lot of time for that right now. Downing the golden liquid in one swift gulp, I shook my head slightly at the mild burn and the warmth that followed. It was better to keep my mind focused on the evening ahead.

Tonight was about Marigold and me putting on a show for my family. I was under no illusion that it would be easy. But we had already gotten through one family dinner. They all loved her, and she seemed to be relatively impressed with them.

We had discussed this. She knew what we were getting into and was as prepared as one could be under such circumstances. Spending Thanksgiving together was part of the deal. People would expect that. My family certainly did.

I obviously felt a level of guilt for lying to my family. But it was a means to an end. It wasn't like no one in the family had ever broken up with a serious girlfriend or even a wife. This would just be another failed relationship in Bancroft history.

I thought about pouring myself another drink but thought better of it. I grabbed my things and headed downstairs. The car was waiting for me.

Marigold was waiting for me when I pulled up to her place, and even from the car, I could see how much effort she'd put into tonight. She was stunning, as always, but there was something different about her. Maybe it was the darker lipstick that gave her a more mature, sultry look, or maybe it was the way she carried herself, like she was determined to make an impression.

I got out of the car and walked around to open the door for her, a habit I'd picked up since we'd started this whole arrangement. She smiled up at me as she stepped forward, her eyes sweeping over my suit.

"You look handsome," she said, her voice soft as she ran a finger down the front of my jacket.

"Thanks," I replied, my voice coming out a little rougher than I'd intended. She looked up at me, her dark eyes searching mine, and for a moment, I wondered if Elaine might be right. Was Marigold losing control of this situation? And if she was, where did that leave me?

"Once again, you take my breath away," I said. "Absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you."

She slid into the car. I closed the door behind her, taking a moment to collect my thoughts before getting back in on the other side. As the car pulled away from the curb, the silence between us was comfortable, but my mind was anything but. I couldn't stop thinking about what Elaine had said, about the lines between fantasy and reality, and whether or not Marigold was really as unaffected as I wanted to believe.

I glanced over at her as she stared out the window, lost in her own thoughts. There was a softness to her expression, something vulnerable that tugged at my heart. She wasn't just a pawn in this game we were playing—she was a real person, with real feelings. And maybe, just maybe, those feelings were starting to get complicated.

But I couldn't afford to think like that. This was business, plain and simple. We both knew what we'd signed up for, and we both had something to gain. I just needed to make sure we both walked away with what we came for.

"Is everything okay?" I asked her.

She turned to look at me. I noticed she was wearing the earrings that Elaine wore at the wedding. "Everything is fine," she said.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

It was just a little too confident. "How was your day?" I asked.

She laughed. "Uneventful. I spent some time looking at apartments."

"You're going to move?"

"I figure with the money I'm making here, I should think about it," she said.

I nodded in agreement. "Good plan. Can I help you with that?" The words slipped out before I could stop them.

She looked at me. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, if you want, I can get my realtor to show you some places. Or you could even move into one of the buildings my family owns."

She looked like she was contemplating it. Then she shook her head. "I don't think your buildings are in my price range. But thank you."

And now I felt like an ass. Of course, she wouldn't be able to afford the places my realtor would be inclined to show her. I simply smiled and leaned back in my seat, hoping I didn't bungle the rest of the evening like I'd just bungled that.