BOUND BY A RING

ould read: Caution - Cold-blooded and ri

e halls of King Corp, a stranger among pinstripes and power moves.

like to be the wife

it's jus

ps, nearly tripping over her heels

e's barely gotten used to the ring

ile like he owns the universe - which he probably does, at least a few zip codes of it.

cing at her but not quit

being predictable," Tessa replies smoo

h. Barely. But

Some raised brows. An older gentleman, clearly skeptical, sa

inks, schooling her features i

nding, outlining projections, mergers, and growth strategies. It's like watc

shed surface, she ca

- barely notic

casually, like he's try

under the table. Not by acciden

-

s Earlier – B

-

glass. She was wearing panda paja

't stood out - not at first. But the mo

ve of her younger brother. Stubborn. Sc

'd told his advisor, flipping the file shu

inked. "You're serio

ghtly - not a smile, just a

t a socialite. And she'll never

file. "Send

-

sen

-

oom, Tessa exhales like she's be

toes," she mutters, pulling

that I'm human," Xavier

I'm your hu

pora

ssa masks it with a mock salute. "Glad

. But something in his eyes

but the tension is different this

sa kicks off her heels with a dramatic groan. "

a dish near the door and

pairs well with fake marria

r a glass o

u didn't have to marry me, you know. There had to be a

, studying her. "That's exac

inks.

. For real. You, on the other ha

he ant

. Smart. Unimpressed. Y

okes on

ises

straight. Just because I won't fall in love doesn't mean

"Neither am I. That's

. The infam

hree months of pretending, public

. Cl

lle

eavier, like something sacred h

voice dropping. "You

kno

can see the line of his jaw, the flic

t would feel this... r

nt, she thinks he might sa

snaps like a

sleep. You've got an interview tomorrow. Morning

ares at

th me. But what happens if I do

the ring o

ontract. Bou

not sure she knows t