Sophia didn't follow him. She went to her room and took a cold shower instead.
That kiss was a problem. A big problem. Because it proved that whatever she and Ethan had was more complicated than a business arrangement.
The next morning, they were awkward. They made coffee on opposite sides of the kitchen. They didn't make eye contact. By afternoon, Sophia was going crazy.
"We need to talk about what happened," she said, finding him in his office.
"Do we?"
"Yes. We can't just—we can't let things get physical. That wasn't part of the agreement."
Ethan stood up, moving toward her. "Maybe it should be."
"Ethan, no. This is complicated enough without adding—"
"Without adding what? Honesty?" He stopped in front of her. "I'm being honest right now, Chen. I'm attracted to you. I have been for years. I think that's obvious."
"You're attracted to me because of proximity. Because we're living together. Because—"
"Because you're incredible." His voice was firm. "You're smart and determined and you don't take shit from anyone, especially not me. You challenge me. You make me want to be better. And yeah, now I get to see you every day, and I like that. I like you."
Sophia's hands were shaking. "This isn't real. The attraction is real, but the feelings—you're confusing the situation with actual emotion."
"Am I?" He stepped closer. "How do you explain the fact that I've been following your company's development for three years? That I know about every deal you've made? That I actually took a job in Manhattan specifically to be near you?"
Sophia's breath caught. "What?"
"I moved here to compete with you," Ethan said quietly. "My company has offices in twelve cities. I chose to base myself here because of you. Don't tell me this is just proximity."
"That doesn't mean anything."
"It means everything." He reached out and touched her face. "I know this situation is strange. I know we didn't choose this. But I'm choosing you, right now, in this moment. I'm choosing you."
"You don't get to choose me." Sophia stepped back. "This marriage is temporary. One year and we're done. You can't—we can't build something that's not going to exist."
"Why not?"
"Because it's not real!"
"It's exactly as real as we make it." Ethan shoved his hands in his pockets, frustrated. "Look, I get it. This situation is fucked up. Our grandparents basically forced us together. But somewhere in the last month, somewhere between the late-night conversations and the shared meals and the way you laugh at my terrible jokes—somewhere in all that, this became real. At least for me."
Sophia wanted to argue, but she couldn't. Because he was right. It had become real. That's why it was so terrifying.
"I need time," she said.
"We don't have much time, Chen. This is a one-year marriage, remember? Even if I wanted to win you over with a slow burn romance, we don't have the luxury."
He left her alone in his office.
Sophia stood there, surrounded by his things, and realized that she was falling for her enemy. After seven years of competition and animosity and viewing him as her greatest rival, she was falling for Ethan Blake.
It was a disaster.
That night, she called her grandmother. Gran was in hospice now, growing weaker by the day.
"Tell me I didn't ruin your life," Gran said when she heard the panic in Sophia's voice.
"You arranged my marriage to a man I hated seven years ago."
"And now?"
Sophia couldn't answer.
"Oh, Sophie." Gran's voice was soft. "Sometimes the best things in life come from the worst circumstances. Your grandfather and I were set up by our families. I was furious. I thought it was the most unfair thing in the world. But he made me laugh at our first dinner together, and I was a goner."
"Gran, Ethan is—"
"Different from what you expected? Yes, that's usually how it works. People are always more complicated than we think."
After they hung up, Sophia thought about what her grandmother had said. What if this wasn't a disaster? What if this was just... her life changing in an unexpected way?
Over the next week, Sophia made a decision. She was going to give this a real try. Not because of the contract, not because she was forced to, but because something in her was tired of fighting.
She started small. She wore the jewelry he'd given her for their wedding. She told him about her fears regarding her business. She laughed at his jokes without making fun of them first.
And Ethan responded by becoming gentler. More intentional. He started bringing her coffee exactly the way she liked it before she asked. He listened to her problems without trying to fix them. He gave her space when she needed it and warmth when she was struggling.
By week six of their marriage, they were almost like a real couple.
The problem came during the weekly board meeting for her company.
Her CFO mentioned that Ethan's company had submitted a bid to acquire a tech startup that Sophia had been courting for months. A startup that would complete her expansion plans perfectly.
"He knows about this," the CFO said. "He texted me about it this morning. He's moving fast."
Sophia felt her stomach drop.
At that moment, her phone buzzed with a text from Ethan: *We need to talk about the Techvision bid. My company is interested.*
The old feelings came rushing back. The rivalry. The competition. The need to win at all costs.
She realized in that moment that business would always come first for both of them. And that Ethan had been lying to her. Or maybe not lying—just not being fully honest.
**Had he been playing her all along to get business advantage?**