Chapter 5 - The Engagement Nobody Expected
The fake relationship should have ended after the investigation.
Instead, it became real.
Very real.
But the world still believed it was staged.
That created a strange problem.
Whenever we were alone, Luca held my hand.
Whenever cameras appeared, we pretended to be less affectionate than we really were.
Our relationship became an absurd secret hiding inside another fake relationship.
One morning, I asked him, “When are we going to tell people?”
He looked up from his coffee.
“Tell them what?”
“That we're actually together.”
He smiled.
“I thought we were pretending.”
I threw a napkin at him.
He laughed.
It was the first time I had ever seen Luca laugh without restraint.
Then his grandmother called.
“Come to the estate.”
We went that evening.
Isabella was sitting beside the Christmas tree.
She looked weaker.
But happy.
She handed me a small box.
“My mother gave this to me.”
Inside was an antique ring.
Silver.
Simple.
Beautiful.
“What is it?”
“A Moretti family ring.”
Luca frowned.
“Grandmother…”
She looked at him.
“You have one choice left.”
“What?”
“Stop pretending.”
Silence.
She looked at me.
“Emma, do you love him?”
I froze.
Luca looked at me.
I could have lied.
Instead I said:
“Yes.”
His expression changed.
Isabella smiled.
“Then my work here is done.”
Luca dropped to one knee.
I stared.
“Luca?”
He took the ring.
“This was never supposed to happen tonight.”
“You’re shaking.”
“I know.”
He laughed nervously.
“That’s new.”
“Very.”
He looked at me.
“I have spent my life making decisions without hesitation.”
He swallowed.
“You are the first decision I’m terrified to make because I have something to lose.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“Emma Carter, will you marry me?”
I laughed.
Then cried.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
He slipped the ring onto my finger.
Isabella applauded softly.
“You took long enough.”
We laughed.
The engagement went public the next morning.
The media went insane.
The billionaire CEO was engaged to his former assistant.
People called it a publicity stunt.
Others called it a fairytale.
Luca ignored all of them.
Then my sister called.
“Are you insane?”
“Probably.”
“You’re marrying Luca Moretti?”
“Yes.”
“The Luca Moretti?”
“Yes.”
“Emma!”
I laughed.
“I know.”
She became quiet.
“Are you happy?”
I looked at Luca.
He was standing across the room, reading a report.
Then he glanced up.
His expression softened when he saw me.
“Yes.”
My sister sighed.
“Then I’m happy.”
The wedding preparations began.
But not everyone was pleased.
Arthur’s lawyer sent warnings.
Victor disappeared from the public eye.
Then a former board member released a claim accusing Emma Carter of manipulating Luca.
The story spread.
I was called an opportunist.
A social climber.
A liar.
Luca wanted to sue everyone.
I stopped him.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I know who I am.”
He stared.
“You don’t have to fight every battle for me.”
He nodded reluctantly.
“Then what do you want?”
“The truth.”
So I gave an interview.
No script.
No public relations team.
Just me.
I told them how I met Luca.
How I had been his assistant.
How our relationship had started as an act.
And how it had become real.
“I didn’t fall in love with him because he was wealthy,” I said.
“I fell in love with him because he listened when I told him no.”
The interview changed public opinion.
Not everyone.
But enough.
The wedding was scheduled for spring.
Isabella wanted to be there.
Her health worsened.
Three days before Christmas ended, she collapsed.
The doctors said she had only weeks.
Luca sat beside her hospital bed.
I stood outside.
He looked broken.
I entered.
He didn’t speak.
I wrapped my arms around him.
“I’m here.”
He held me tightly.
For the first time, the ruthless billionaire looked like an ordinary grandson afraid of losing the woman who raised him.
“I can’t lose her.”
“I know.”
“She was everything.”
“She still is.”
Isabella opened her eyes.
“Stop crying on my hospital floor.”
Luca laughed through tears.
She smiled.
“Emma.”
I stepped closer.
“Come here.”
She took my hand.
“I was right.”
“About what?”
“You remind me of myself.”
She smiled.
“You love him.”
“Yes.”
“Then don't let the Moretti name frighten you.”
I squeezed her hand.
“I won’t.”
May you like
She looked at Luca.
“Neither should you.”
