Chapter 14: A Weekend Getaway Disaster

The weekend trip was supposed to be simple.

A relaxing getaway at Ethan's family's private estate—a chance to further convince his parents that their engagement was real while enjoying a peaceful retreat in the countryside.

But Olivia should've known by now.

Nothing with Ethan Montgomery ever went according to plan.

---

A Rocky Arrival

"I cannot believe I let you talk me into this," Olivia muttered as she stared out the car window.

The Montgomery estate sprawled across acres of pristine land, a grand mansion surrounded by lush gardens and a private lake. It looked like something out of a Jane Austen novel, and yet, Olivia felt no romance in the air.

Just impending doom.

Ethan smirked from the driver's seat. "Come on, Liv. It's just one weekend."

She turned to glare at him. "That's what people say right before everything goes horribly wrong."

"You're being dramatic."

She folded her arms. "Am I? Or did you conveniently forget to mention that your entire family—and half their friends—will be here?"

Ethan coughed. "It may have slipped my mind."

"Slipped your—" Olivia groaned. "Ethan!"

He chuckled. "Relax, sweetheart. You and I have been doing great so far. What's one more weekend of pretending?"

The way he said it—low, teasing—sent an unwanted shiver down her spine.

She refused to let it affect her.

This was not a romantic getaway. It was a mission. One she would survive.

Even if it killed her.

---

The Room Situation

The problem with grand estates?

They looked big, but apparently, guest accommodations were limited.

Olivia stood in the doorway of the bedroom they had been assigned, her stomach sinking.

"Tell me this is a joke," she said flatly.

Ethan dropped their bags onto the bed—a singular, very luxurious, but very small bed. "Looks cozy."

Olivia shot him a glare. "We can't share a bed."

Ethan leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Why not? We're engaged, remember?"

Her jaw clenched. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

He grinned. "Immensely."

She exhaled sharply. "Fine. Ground rules. No crossing the middle of the bed."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "The middle?"

"Yes. Invisible line. Your side, my side. Violate the agreement, and I will smother you with a pillow."

Ethan's lips twitched. "Kinky."

She grabbed a throw pillow and hurled it at him.

He laughed, catching it effortlessly. "Alright, alright. I promise to respect the invisible line."

She wasn't convinced.

This weekend was already a disaster.

And it was only just beginning.

---

Dinner with the Family

Dinner was a grand affair—long tables adorned with candles, crystal glasses filled with expensive wine, and way too many people who wanted to analyze Olivia.

"So, Olivia," Ethan's mother, Evelyn, began, smiling with just enough sharpness to make Olivia nervous. "Tell us, what do you love most about my son?"

Olivia nearly choked on her drink.

Ethan smirked, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

Recovering quickly, she forced a smile. "Oh, where to begin?"

She turned to Ethan, narrowing her eyes in warning.

Fine, she thought. You want to play? Let's play.

"Well," she said sweetly, "I love how he thinks he's always right."

Ethan's smirk faltered slightly.

"And I adore how he never lets me win an argument," she continued. "Even when he knows I'm right."

The table chuckled.

Ethan leaned in. "You never let me win either."

She smiled innocently. "That's because I am always right."

Laughter rippled through the table, and for a moment, she felt victorious—until Vanessa spoke up.

"Oh, Olivia, that's cute," Vanessa said, twirling her wine glass. "But tell me… what's Ethan's biggest flaw?"

Olivia hesitated.

Vanessa smirked. "Unless, of course, you don't know him as well as you claim."

Olivia clenched her jaw.

Ethan stiffened beside her.

She turned to look at him—and for a split second, something unspoken passed between them.

And then she smiled.

"Well, if I had to pick a flaw," she said, tilting her head, "it's that he snores."

The table laughed again.

Ethan groaned. "I do not snore."

"Oh, honey," Olivia sighed dramatically, patting his hand. "It's like a freight train."

Even Evelyn chuckled at that.

Vanessa, however, didn't look pleased.

Which meant Olivia had won this round.

But the battle was far from over.

---

The (Not So) Peaceful Night

By the time Olivia crawled into bed that night, she was exhausted.

Too much tension. Too many watchful eyes.

And now, she had to share a bed with him.

Ethan lay on his side, watching her as she fluffed her pillow aggressively. "You're really taking this invisible line thing seriously, huh?"

She turned off the lamp. "Damn right."

Silence filled the room.

And then—

Thump.

Olivia blinked into the darkness. "What was that?"

"…Nothing."

A pause.

Thump.

Olivia turned over. "Ethan."

"…It's fine."

She reached for her phone, turning on the flashlight.

That's when she saw it.

A giant spider on the ceiling.

A moment of silence.

And then—

"Oh hell no," Olivia gasped, practically vaulting over Ethan in a panic.

Ethan, startled, grabbed her waist as she landed squarely in his arms.

The spider skittered.

Olivia clung to Ethan's shirt. "Kill it. Kill it now."

Ethan, choking back laughter, reached for a shoe and smacked the wall. The spider dropped, lifeless.

Olivia exhaled in relief—only to realize she was still pressed against him.

His arm was around her waist.

Their faces were too close.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then Ethan smirked. "Invisible line, huh?"

Olivia shoved him. "Shut up."

But even as she pulled away, her heart was beating just a little too fast.

And she knew—this weekend was only going to get worse.

Or better.

She wasn't sure which scared her more.