Chapter 5: A Ring and a Lie

Olivia had never been a good liar.

Not when she was five and tried to convince her mom she hadn't eaten the last cookie. Not when she was sixteen and told her best friend she totally wasn't crushing on Ethan Montgomery. And definitely not now, standing in front of a room full of his employees, flashing a diamond ring on her finger that shouldn't be there.

The weight of the ring felt heavier than it should. Maybe because it wasn't just a piece of jewelry—it was a symbol of the lie they were about to live.

Ethan, of course, looked completely at ease.

The way he smiled at her, the way he kept his hand resting on the small of her back—it was all so effortless for him. Meanwhile, Olivia was trying not to overthink the fact that his palm was warm against her sweater, or that his touch sent an embarrassing shiver up her spine.

This was a mistake.

She shouldn't have agreed to this.

But it was too late to back out now.

Ethan cleared his throat, his deep voice cutting through her spiral of thoughts. "Now that we've made it official, we'll be celebrating tonight. Consider it an engagement party."

A ripple of excitement went through the office.

Olivia's stomach dropped.

An engagement party?

She turned to him, smiling through clenched teeth. "What?"

Ethan smiled back, looking way too pleased with himself. "We have to sell it, sweetheart."

Sweetheart.

The word sent an unwanted warmth through her chest.

She resisted the urge to elbow him in the ribs. Instead, she tightened her grip on his hand and leaned in, whispering harshly, "An engagement party? That wasn't part of the deal."

He shrugged. "Call it a bonus."

She shot him a glare. "Call it insane."

But before she could argue further, a blonde woman in a sharp navy-blue suit stepped forward, beaming. Olivia recognized her—Rebecca Carlisle, Ethan's top employee and his most trusted advisor.

"Congratulations, Mr. Montgomery!" Rebecca said cheerfully. Then she turned to Olivia. "And you! What a surprise! I didn't realize you two had gotten back together."

Olivia's smile strained.

"We… wanted to keep things private," Ethan cut in smoothly, shooting Olivia a look that said play along. "After last night, we figured there was no point hiding it anymore."

Rebecca nodded approvingly. "Makes sense. And that proposal—so romantic. Even after the little… hesitation at first."

Olivia wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

Hesitation.

What a polite way of saying public humiliation.

Ethan squeezed her hand in reassurance, but she could still feel the curious stares around the office.

Rebecca's eyes flickered to the ring on Olivia's finger. "Gorgeous. He's got good taste."

Olivia forced a laugh. "Yes, he does."

Ethan smirked. "Glad you approve."

Rebecca smiled at them both. "Well, I can't wait for the party tonight. You'll be there, right, Olivia?"

Olivia hesitated. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to say no.

But Ethan's grip on her hand tightened ever so slightly, a silent reminder of the deal they had made.

"Of course," she said, ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach. "Wouldn't miss it."

Rebecca beamed. "Perfect. It's about time we got to properly celebrate you two."

With one last congratulatory smile, she walked off, and Olivia exhaled.

She turned to Ethan, her voice low. "You owe me for this."

Ethan's grin widened. "Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea."

---

The Engagement Party

The venue was grand.

Too grand.

Olivia stared up at the glittering chandelier of the Montgomery Tower Ballroom, trying not to panic.

This wasn't a casual gathering. It was a full-fledged event, with champagne fountains, a live band, and waiters carrying trays of hors d'oeuvres she couldn't pronounce.

How had Ethan arranged all this in a day?

She didn't have time to dwell on it. The moment they walked through the doors, all eyes turned to them.

Ethan, as always, handled it like a pro.

He kept a steady hand on the small of her back, guiding her through the crowd with practiced ease. Olivia, on the other hand, felt like an imposter.

They stopped every few minutes to greet guests—business partners, clients, socialites. Each time, Ethan introduced her as his fiancée, and each time, Olivia had to smile and pretend that didn't sound completely wrong.

It wasn't until they reached Mr. Donovan himself that Olivia truly felt the pressure.

Christopher Donovan was a silver-haired businessman in his late sixties, sharp-eyed and calculating. The kind of man who could smell weakness from a mile away.

Ethan shook his hand firmly. "Mr. Donovan. Glad you could make it."

Donovan smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I wouldn't miss it. Especially after… recent developments."

Olivia stiffened.

Ethan, to his credit, didn't flinch. "I can assure you, everything is perfectly in order."

Donovan's gaze flickered to Olivia. "Is that so?"

Olivia swallowed. Act naturally.

She turned to Ethan, letting a slow smile spread across her lips. Then, before she could overthink it, she placed a hand on his chest and leaned in slightly.

"We're happier than ever," she said, letting just the right amount of warmth seep into her voice.

Ethan didn't miss a beat. He covered her hand with his, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a way that sent an unwelcome shiver down her spine.

"She's right," he murmured.

Donovan studied them for a long moment.

Then, finally, he gave a short nod. "Good. That's what I needed to see."

Olivia let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

Ethan's grip on her tightened, just for a second, as if silently saying we did it.

Donovan took a sip of his champagne. "I'll see you both at the gala."

With that, he walked away, leaving Olivia and Ethan standing in the middle of the ballroom.

She turned to him, lowering her voice. "That was way too close."

Ethan smirked. "You handled it well."

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "I'm getting really good at lying, apparently."

His expression softened slightly. "It's not all a lie."

Her breath caught.

But before she could respond, a voice interrupted them.

"Ethan!"

They both turned—only to see her.

Natalie Harper.

Ethan's ex.

Tall, blonde, effortlessly stunning—and currently staring at Olivia's ring with a knowing smirk.

"Well, well," Natalie said, tilting her head. "I didn't think you were the type to recycle, Ethan."

Olivia's stomach twisted.

She had a feeling this night was far from over.