Fiancé

I stood outside the Montrose estate, the grand structure towering over me like a reminder of everything that had brought me to this point.

The ornate gates gleamed in the late morning sun, their intricate carvings a testament to the wealth and power of the family that lived within. I took a deep breath, steeling myself.

This was it.

I had spent the night mulling over Zara's words, her practical, no-nonsense reasoning cutting through my spiraling doubts.

She was right. Lord Montrose's suggestion, ridiculous as it seemed, was a perfect cover. If I wanted to maintain my position and keep suspicion at bay, agreeing to the engagement was the only logical choice.

It wasn't real. That was the mantra I kept repeating to myself. This was just another part of the mission, a temporary measure to get closer to the answers I needed. Nothing more.