Chapter 12

"Dad, this isn't right!" Riley's voice sliced through the silence, sharp and indignant. Her father had blocked her card. Again.

What the hell did I do this time?"

Across the sleek oak desk, McFarlane chuckled darkly, leaning back in his leather chair. With a casual wave, he gestured to the seat opposite him. "Sit down, young lady."

Riley froze for a moment, teetering between rebellion and resignation. Then, with a dramatic huff, she flopped into the chair, folding her arms. "What now?"she snapped.

Her father's expression hardened, his piercing gaze pinning her in place. "Watch your tone," he warned.

She groaned internally, chewing the inside of her cheek to keep from cursing him out loud. "Fine, but I need money, Dad."

McFarlane arched an eyebrow, unbothered by her frustration. "I know. And you'll have to work for it this time."

Her stomach churned at the thought. Work? The very idea sent a shiver of dread down her spine. Riley had neatly sidestepped the family business, effectively pushing the role of heir onto her brother. Justin had embraced the mantle effortlessly, slotting himself perfectly into their father's ambitious plans. It suited him—and she was more than happy to let it.

"I'm a *lady*, Dad," she protested with a touch of melodrama.

Her father scoffed, his laugh cruel and cutting. "Indeed you are. Perhaps I should marry you off to one of my associates, since you've chosen to be nothing but a liability."

Riley's jaw dropped as she stared at him, wide-eyed. "A liability?" Her voice hitched higher with every syllable. "You're joking. Mom would be furious—"

He silenced her with an upraised palm, his voice lowering ominously. "Leave your mother out of this. May she rest in peace. What I want from you is simple."

The pause stretched uncomfortably, and she braced herself. "What?"

McFarlane's eyes narrowed, gleaming with cold calculation. "I want you to watch your brother's every move. Make sure he marries Elaine within six months."

Her gasp could have sucked the air out of the room. Riley's stomach turned over, her pulse pounding like a warning drum. Elaine. The name alone made her skin crawl. She despised that conniving witch, and now her father was asking her to shepherd her brother into an unholy union. She felt the betrayal like a dagger.

"Are you insane?!" she practically yelled. "Justin deserves—"

Her father cut her off again. "Sixty million dollars."

The room seemed to tilt. She blinked rapidly, her mouth opening and closing without words. "Wha—what did you say?"

McFarlane's tone softened, like a predator soothing prey. "Ten million per month, for six months. All you have to do is keep tabs on your brother and ensure the wedding happens. I know Justin better than anyone. He'll try every trick to wriggle out of this marriage. But you? You'll make sure he doesn't. Do that, and you'll have triple the wealth currently sitting in your account."

Riley swallowed hard, staring at her father in disbelief. Sixty million dollars. The number echoed in her brain like a siren. She knew Justin trusted her implicitly. Betraying that trust twisted her stomach—but sixty million dollars? That was life-altering.

Her mind churned with rationalizations. Justin would never be hers anyway. And if Elaine was going to worm her way into his life, why shouldn't Riley gain something from the heartache?

She hesitated only a beat longer before answering. "Fine. I'll do it. I'll report to you."

The words tasted bitter in her mouth, but as her father's smirk grew wider, Riley forced herself to ignore the pang of guilt settling deep in her chest.

*****************

Leticia's brain felt as barren as a squeezed orange, every attempt at forming a plan futile. Five million dollars—it was enough to turn her life inside out. With that kind of money, she could vanish across continents, start fresh in some faraway paradise where no one knew her name or her family baggage. Just her, living her life as Leticia—free from her overbearing mother and meddling aunt.

"Hey, handsome."

The syrupy voice snapped her out of her reverie. Only then did she realize the scene unfolding before her. Justin's secretary, bent provocatively over to retrieve a pen she'd all too deliberately dropped. Her tiny skirt defied decency, growing shorter with each passing day.

Leticia offered the woman a polite, measured smile—friendly enough to be civil but cold enough to discourage any familiarity.

"You look stressed," the secretary cooed, her red-tipped nails tapping the desk suggestively. "Why don't we blow off some steam? A private spa, just you and me, Mister Dexter…" She dragged out the last words and ended with a dramatic bite of her lower lip.

Leticia's temper nearly exploded. **I. AM. A. WOMAN!** she screamed internally. But instead, she plastered on a saccharine smile.

"Sorry, I already have plans with my girlfriend tonight."

The lie landed perfectly, making the secretary pull back with a derisive scoff. "Whatever," she muttered before sashaying out, defeated.

As amusing as it often was, Leticia grew tired of rebuffing straight women who were drawn to her when they assumed she was Justin. Sure, sometimes it was funny, but at moments like this? It was nothing but a headache.

Shaking her head to clear the irritation, a spark of brilliance lit up her mind. An idea! Not just an ordinary one—this would impress Justin beyond his wildest expectations. Confidence reignited, she stood, smoothed her outfit, and marched to Justin's office with the flair of the best personal assistant on the planet.

She rapped on the door, certain she'd heard the faint invitation to enter, and swung it open with determined vigor.

"Bloody hell!" Justin's shout hit her like a slap. "Outrageous! Do you have any manners?"

Leticia froze, her feet rooted to the floor as confusion settled in. Then a familiar face popped out from under Justin's desk. The secretary. Something white dribbled down her chin, and reality smacked Leticia square in the face.

Her lips parted as realization bloomed, her expression caught somewhere between horror and incredulity. "What the… Oh my… I'll just… I'll go…" She stumbled over her words, backing out so quickly she nearly tripped. The moment the door clicked shut, she bolted, her pulse hammering in her ears, desperately wishing she could erase the last thirty seconds from her mind.

Justin was utterly insufferable.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, dragging her back to the present. Noon. His lunch appointment with Elaine. Poor, oblivious Elaine. What had she done to deserve loving someone as shameless as Justin?

But that meant Leticia had to go back into *that* office.

"Arrrrghhhh,"she groaned, stomping her foot like a petulant child. Not too loudly though—she had no interest in attracting unnecessary attention.

Summoning every ounce of composure, she squared her shoulders, turned sharply, and marched back to the lion's den. This time, her knock was louder and more deliberate. She waited until Justin's begrudging voice growled, **"Come in,"** before stepping inside, her every move a portrait of professionalism.

The secretary breezed past her on the way out, her head held high as though she'd just secured a monumental victory. Leticia ignored her, straightened her posture, and fixed her best assistant expression on her face.

"What? Miss me already, Dexter?" Justin teased, his smirk insufferable.

Leticia didn't rise to the bait. Coolly, she held his gaze and delivered her message. "You have a lunch appointment with your fiancée at noon."

For once, even Justin was momentarily speechless.

He eyebrows went up in realisation. "Shit! Why didn't you remind me earlier!?"

She wanted to toss her phone at him right now, but she kept her lips in a strained smile, forcing herself not to say a word.

"By the way, have you come up with an amazing idea?" He asked, adjusting his suit to get rid of any tell of his business with the secretary.

She did, yet she shook her head. Perhaps it wasn't the right time to tell him. Justin was after all a jerk, let him suffer for a while.

"I'm sorry sir. But I will work something out by the end of the week." She promised through her teeth.

Justin on the other hand was disappointed, yet shrugged. "Five million dollars waits for no one Dexter. You can do a lot with that money, marry your girlfriend, go to Hawaii with her or..."

Leticia rolled her eyes, but subtly. "I know sir. She would be very happy."

"Right. Though I did come up with a naughty idea."

Leticia squinted at him, wondering what mischief he had in his head.

"What did you come up with sir?"

"Set Elaine up. I'd have said with you, but she prefers taller guys, too bad you're not her spec. You know we can find someone almost as sexy as I am and..."

Leticia cleared her throat, having heard enough of his idea that was beginning to be more of an insult and self gratification. "It's almost time sir."

"Of course." He sprayed his perfume, one that Leticia found alluring, yet acted like it disgusted her.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, they spotted Elaine and Riley seated together through the glass windows, which instantly spooked Leticia. Shit, what was she supposed to do now?

"Oh crap, we need to leave. Now!" Justin exclaimed.

"Err, I don't think that's a good idea, sir. But maybe I should stay in the car and wait for you—"

"Don't you dare! You're coming with me!"

Leticia literally stomped her foot like a three-year-old being denied chocolate.

"What are you doing?" Justin snapped, trying to find a way to hide himself behind the car. In fact, it was both him and his P.A. crouched there, looking utterly ridiculous—like two men trying to avoid their wives.

"You should go in, sir," Leticia suggested hesitantly.

"No! Better idea—go in there for me. Tell them I had an accident, or that I'm out of the country, or—" His phone buzzed. He froze, his face a mask of terror as he checked the caller ID. "Shit! It's Elaine… Listen, Dexter, if you don't walk in there right now, I swear I'll—"

Before she could react, Justin gave her a rough shove out from behind the car, forcing her into the open. Worse still, Riley and Elaine had spotted her through the window and were now waving her over enthusiastically.

With no choice, Leticia's legs carried her into the restaurant, where she slid into one of the two empty seats beside the ladies.

"Oh hey, you made it!" Riley said cheerfully. Elaine, on the other hand, was still craning her neck to check the window, searching for her fiancée. Poor woman.

"My boss… err… was held up at an urgent meeting," Leticia explained in an unnaturally deep voice, sounding stiff and robotic as she tried to sound "manly."

Elaine shot her a dangerous look. "Was it with a woman?"

Leticia froze, her mouth refusing to form words. As she glanced toward the window, she caught sight of Justin making exaggerated hand movements outside, clearly trying to prompt her.

"No," she finally managed, voice still awkward. "It was with… mens."

Riley burst out laughing. "Don't mind Elaine. We're just glad he sent you to represent him. So, tell us—what's my brother planning?"

Seriously, Riley? You don't recognize me under this lame disguise? Some best friend you are… and a lying one, at that.

"A dream wedding," Leticia said, forcing a smile.