Eurydice Santiago had heard a lot of ridiculous things in her life.
But Conrad Montague, a billionaire, sitting across from her in her family’s tiny bakery, casually proposing a fake engagement?
This officially topped the list.
And she was about to lose her mind.
Negotiating with a Billionaire
Eurydice stared at him, mouth slightly open, trying to process the sheer insanity of what he had just said.
“I—You—Excuse me?!” she finally sputtered, half-laughing, half-choking on her own disbelief. “Did you just ask me to be your fake fiancée?”
Conrad nodded calmly, as if he had just asked her to pass the salt.
“Yes.”
“Yes?” she repeated, blinking at him. “That’s it? Just yes? Like that’s a normal thing to ask someone?”
He took a slow sip of his coffee, completely unfazed. “It’s a simple arrangement.”
Eurydice leaned back, rubbing her temples. “Okay. Back up. Why do you need a fake fiancée?”
Conrad exhaled through his nose, as if explaining himself was already an inconvenience.
“My parents want me to settle down,” he said smoothly. “They’ve given me an ultimatum—get engaged within a year, or they’ll hand Montague Enterprises over to my cousin, Vincent.”
Eurydice frowned. “Wait, Vincent Montague? The one who—”
“Yes,” Conrad cut in, jaw tightening slightly. “The one who thinks running a billion-dollar company is a hobby.”
Eurydice tilted her head. “Yikes. That’s… bad.”
Conrad nodded once. “Precisely.”
She crossed her arms. “And you think I can fix this for you?”
Conrad didn’t even hesitate. “Yes.”
Eurydice snorted. “That’s hilarious.”
His expression remained unreadable. “I fail to see the humor.”
Eurydice let out a dry laugh. “Of course, you do.” She tapped a finger against the table. “Let me get this straight. You, a billionaire, need a fiancée so your parents don’t force you into a real marriage. And instead of picking someone from your own fancy social circle, you thought, ‘Hey, let me ask the random woman who spilled wine on me.’”
Conrad’s lips tugged slightly at the corner, almost like he was amused. “I don’t believe in coincidences, Ms. Santiago.”
She rolled her eyes. “Right. Because this is totally fate and not just you making a terrible decision.”
Conrad tilted his head slightly. “Would it be so terrible?”
She scoffed. “Yes! It’s absurd!” She gestured between them. “We don’t even like each other!”
“I don’t need you to like me,” Conrad replied coolly. “I need you to be convincing.”
Eurydice blinked, momentarily thrown off by his bluntness.
“Wow. What a romantic proposal.”
He didn’t react. “It’s a business arrangement, Ms. Santiago. Romance is irrelevant.”
Eurydice huffed, rubbing her temples. “And what exactly do I get out of this?”
Conrad sat back, completely composed, and delivered the one thing that made her pause:
“Financial stability.”
Eurydice’s fingers twitched slightly.
“I know your commissions aren’t always reliable,” Conrad continued. “And that the gallery you work for isn’t in the best financial state.”
Eurydice stiffened. “You looked into me.”
“I do my research.”
She narrowed her eyes. “That’s creepy.”
“That’s smart,” he corrected.
Eurydice folded her arms. “So, what? You’re going to pay me to pretend to love you?”
“Not love,” Conrad said smoothly. “Just commitment. We’ll attend events together, keep up appearances, and once my position is secured, we part ways.”
She shook her head. “This is insane.”
“Is it?” Conrad raised an eyebrow. “Think about it, Ms. Santiago. You get financial security and full control over how long this arrangement lasts. I get my family off my back. No attachments, no complications.”
Eurydice drummed her fingers against the table, trying not to admit that it was actually…
Tempting.
Very tempting.
She was struggling with money. Her mother’s bakery wasn’t exactly thriving, and her art career was still unpredictable. A temporary arrangement with a rich man who didn’t even want anything emotional?
It sounded too good to be true.
Which meant—
“There’s gotta be a catch,” she muttered.
Conrad’s smirk barely appeared, but it was there.
“You’ll have to convince my family,” he said simply. “Which means…”
Eurydice sighed. “Let me guess—acting lessons?”
“Not quite.”
His next words made her regret every decision that led her to this moment.
“You’ll be moving in with me.”
 
Eurydice choked on her own spit.
“I—WHAT?”
Conrad remained completely composed. “It’s the most effective way to appear convincing.”
Eurydice’s brain short-circuited. “Are you—? You—? NO. Absolutely not.”
“You’d have your own space,” Conrad said, completely unbothered. “A room separate from mine, of course. But public perception matters. If we’re engaged, people will expect us to be under the same roof.”
Eurydice sputtered. “I—I don’t even—do you even hear yourself?!”
“Quite clearly,” he said.
She threw up her hands. “You can’t just—”
“I can,” he cut in smoothly. “And I just did.”
Eurydice gawked at him. “You are unbelievable.”
Conrad smirked slightly, as if he’d just won some unspoken battle.
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t a compliment!”
He checked his watch. “I’ll give you time to consider.”
“I don’t need time,” she shot back. “The answer is no.”
Conrad stood, buttoning his jacket. “Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
He took out a small card and placed it in front of her.
“My number,” he said smoothly. “In case you change your mind.”
Eurydice glared at the card like it personally offended her.
“I won’t.”
Conrad smirked. “We’ll see.”
And with that, he turned and walked out of the bakery, leaving Eurydice sitting there—furious, flustered, and completely overwhelmed.
 
The moment Conrad was gone, Leo burst into laughter.
“OH MY GOD,” he wheezed, clutching his stomach. “WHAT JUST HAPPENED?”
Eurydice slammed her forehead onto the table.
Aunt Carmen clasped her hands together, eyes practically glowing. “He’s handsome, rich, and already proposed?! Mija, this is a miracle!”
Eurydice groaned into the table. “This is a nightmare.”
Leo smirked, sliding into the seat across from her. “Sooooo… when’s the wedding?”
Eurydice grabbed a napkin and chucked it at his face.
Isabel, their mother, walked in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. “What’s all the fuss about?”
Carmen spun toward her dramatically. “Isabel, you are not going to believe this!” She grabbed Eurydice’s shoulders and shook her slightly. “Your daughter just got proposed to by a billionaire!”
Isabel blinked. “What?” She turned to Eurydice. “Is that true?”
Eurydice let out a frustrated groan, lifting her head. “It’s not a real proposal! He wants a fake engagement for business reasons.” She glared at Carmen. “Before you start planning flower arrangements, let’s be clear—I said no.”
Leo smirked. “Yeah, but you thought about it.”
Eurydice pointed a deadly finger at him. “I did not.”
Leo leaned forward, smirking even wider. “Then why is your face still red?”
Eurydice kicked him under the table.
Leo yelped, but his grin never wavered. “Admit it, Eury. You’re considering it.”
Carmen gasped, clutching her chest. “Of course, she’s considering it! How could she not? He’s rich, handsome, and clearly interested—”
“He’s not interested,” Eurydice cut in. “This is about his company. He just needs someone to fool his parents.” She crossed her arms. “I’d just be a temporary business partner.”
Carmen waved a hand. “Temporary? Pfft! That’s how all great romances start.”
Isabel finally sat down, looking at her daughter curiously. “What exactly did he offer you?”
Eurydice sighed. “Financial stability. He knows about the gallery and how I’ve been struggling with commissions.” She rubbed her forehead. “I don’t even know how he found out, but he did.”
Isabel hummed, clearly considering something. “Well… if it helps you and it’s temporary, I don’t see the harm.”
Eurydice’s jaw dropped. “Mom?! Not you too!”
Isabel shrugged. “I’m just saying, if it’s a business deal and if he’s willing to compensate you fairly, then it’s not the worst idea.”
Carmen nodded eagerly. “Exactly! Just think about it—pretend to be engaged, attend fancy parties, live in a mansion—”
“I’d have to live with him!” Eurydice nearly shouted.
Carmen froze. Then, with the widest grin, she gasped. “Living together? Oh, mija, this is even better than I thought!”
Eurydice grabbed another napkin and smacked it against her own forehead. “This is my life now. I am actually living inside a telenovela.”
Leo snickered. “You could do worse.”
“Oh, really?” Eurydice turned her glare toward him. “You mean, like Jacob Langford III?”
Leo winced. “Okay, yeah. Point taken.”
Carmen clapped her hands together. “So, when do you call him back?”
Eurydice groaned. “I don’t.”
Leo smirked, stealing one of the bakery’s pastries. “Yet.”
Eurydice swiped at him, but he dodged, still laughing.
Isabel shook her head, standing up. “Well, whatever you decide, make sure it’s something you won’t regret.”
Eurydice exhaled, slumping against the table.
Regret?
She had a feeling that no matter what she chose, Conrad Montague would make sure this was anything but forgettable.