Chapter 6: Facing the Families

Olivia had survived a lot in the past twenty-four hours—agreeing to a fake engagement, an impromptu office announcement, and a full-fledged engagement party filled with high society elites scrutinizing her every move. But none of that compared to what she was about to face now.

Meeting the families.

If there was one thing Olivia had learned from her years with Ethan, it was that Montgomery family gatherings were a battlefield. His parents, William and Eleanor Montgomery, were sharp, intimidating, and had no patience for anything less than perfection. Then there was her own family—less wealthy, more chaotic, and much more prone to seeing straight through her nonsense.

The minute she and Ethan had walked out of the engagement party last night, his mother had called, insisting on a celebratory dinner. Not to be outdone, Olivia's mother had done the same.

Which led to this.

A Sunday lunch at the Montgomery estate, followed by an evening dinner with her own family.

And Olivia wasn't sure which was worse.

She sat in the passenger seat of Ethan's sleek black car, gripping the leather armrest as he pulled up to the long, winding driveway of the Montgomery estate.

The house—if you could even call it that—was massive. A sprawling white mansion with pristine gardens and towering columns that looked more like something out of an old-money fairytale than a family home.

Ethan glanced over at her, sensing her tension. "Nervous?"

She shot him a look. "Do I have a reason to be?"

He smirked. "Only if you care about being interrogated by a woman who once made a CEO cry during a charity gala."

Olivia groaned. "Your mother terrifies me."

"She terrifies everyone."

"And yet, we're about to have lunch with her?"

"Think of it as training." He turned off the ignition and unbuckled his seatbelt. "If you can survive Eleanor Montgomery, you can survive anything."

Olivia sighed. "Comforting."

Ethan stepped out of the car and walked around to open her door, offering her a hand. She hesitated only a second before taking it, letting him help her out.

As soon as they stepped onto the stone pathway leading to the front doors, she took a deep breath and slipped her hand into his. His grip was warm, steady, and infuriatingly natural.

Just an act, she reminded herself. It's all just an act.

---

Lunch with the Montgomerys

Eleanor Montgomery was the definition of elegance.

Seated at the head of the long dining table, she barely glanced up as the butler poured fresh wine into her glass. "Ethan," she said smoothly, setting down her fork. "Olivia. Lovely of you to join us."

"Mother," Ethan greeted, pulling out a chair for Olivia before sitting down himself.

William Montgomery, Ethan's father, gave Olivia a polite nod. He was less intimidating than his wife, but no less shrewd. His focus was always business first, and Olivia had no doubt he was already calculating what her presence meant for their family name.

"I must say," Eleanor continued, stirring her tea, "this engagement came as quite the surprise. And yet, after last night's event, it seems you two have quite the… passionate relationship."

Olivia nearly choked on her water.

Ethan, completely unfazed, merely smirked. "We like to keep things interesting."

His mother's eyes flickered between them, sharp and assessing. "Interesting indeed."

There was a pause as the servers brought out the next course—some sort of delicately plated seafood dish that Olivia was too anxious to fully appreciate.

William cleared his throat. "I trust the engagement won't interfere with business, Ethan?"

Ethan leaned back in his chair, completely relaxed. "On the contrary. Mr. Donovan seemed quite pleased with the announcement."

His father gave a satisfied nod. "Good. As long as you don't let personal distractions weaken your position."

Olivia clenched her jaw but forced herself to smile sweetly. "Don't worry, Mr. Montgomery. Ethan's as focused as ever."

Eleanor arched an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth twitching upward. "You always were a clever girl, Olivia."

Was that a compliment?

Before Olivia could dwell on it, Eleanor set down her glass and turned her full attention on her. "Tell me, dear, how exactly did Ethan propose? I assume it was something more… intimate before the public spectacle?"

Olivia's mind blanked.

Crap. They hadn't discussed this part.

Ethan, ever the smooth talker, jumped in effortlessly. "I took her to the vineyard upstate," he said, reaching over to take Olivia's hand in his. "The one where we had our first weekend trip together."

Olivia's heart nearly stopped.

That trip.

That weekend.

It had been the first time she had realized she was falling for him. The way he had looked at her over the candlelit dinner, the way they had danced under the stars, the way—

Stop. That was the past.

Ethan squeezed her hand gently, pulling her back into the moment. "She said yes immediately," he added with a smirk. "Couldn't resist."

Olivia forced a laugh, hoping no one noticed how stiff she had gone.

Eleanor studied her for a moment longer before smiling. "How romantic."

Olivia wasn't sure if the woman actually bought it, but at least she wasn't questioning them further.

For now.

---

Dinner with the Reynolds Family

If the Montgomery estate had been stiff and formal, the Reynolds household was the exact opposite.

Her parents' modest home was filled with warmth, laughter, and the scent of home-cooked food.

Unlike Ethan's parents, who had greeted them with careful politeness, Olivia's mother, Margaret Reynolds, practically tackled her in a hug the second she walked through the door.

"Oh, sweetheart, I knew you two would find your way back to each other!" she gushed, pulling Olivia back to inspect her hand. "And this ring! Ethan, you did good, honey."

Ethan chuckled, placing a hand on Olivia's back. "Glad you approve, Mrs. Reynolds."

Her father, Robert, crossed his arms and gave Ethan a long, scrutinizing look. "So, you finally made an honest woman out of my daughter, huh?"

Olivia's cheeks burned. "Dad—"

Ethan, to his credit, nodded solemnly. "It took me long enough, but I got there."

Robert huffed but finally extended a hand. "Well, you know what they say—better late than never."

Ethan shook his hand firmly. "Absolutely."

Olivia exhaled, relieved the tension had eased.

The rest of the evening was filled with her mother fussing over wedding details (too soon), her younger brother Jake making sarcastic comments (as expected), and Olivia trying not to let herself enjoy how easily Ethan fit into her family.

Because that was dangerous.

This was a lie.

And if she let herself forget that… she was going to get hurt.

Again.