THE FAKE FIANCÉ CLAUSE

draped over her, his hand still loosely clasped around hers. It was... intimate. Not in the way strangers fake closeness for an audience - but in the quiet, *real* way two people seek each

't say a word. Because the truth was now louder than the lie. The car ride back from the hospital was quiet - not cold, just... full. Full of questions, full of tension, full of *what now?* Zara stared out the window, replaying the kiss over and over. She didn't regret it. That was the scary part. She should've. It should've felt like crossing a line they could never uncross. But instead, it felt like finally breathing after holding her breath too long. Beside her, Tari kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting lightly on his thigh. His jaw was tense, but he hadn't said a word since they left. She broke first. "So, we kissed." He exhaled, still looking straight ahead. "Yeah." "Twice, technically." "Right." "Are we going to talk about it or pretend it didn't happen?" Tari paused. "Which would you prefer?" She turned fully to him. "Don't do that." "Do what?" "Give me options like this is still a negotiation." He glanced at her, his voice lower now. "Okay. Then I'll say it straight." Zara's heart pounded. Tari continued, "I don't know what the hell we're doing. But pretending it's just a business deal is getting harder." Zara swallowed. "So what does that mean?" "It means I feel something. I don't know what to do with it. But it's real." She blinked at him, momentarily speechless. Tari added, "And if you don't feel it too... just say the word." She looked away, voice soft. "I do. That's the problem." He parked the car. The moment stretched. Then he reached across, took her hand gently. "Then maybe it's