The CEO's Contractual Wife - Chapter 64: Chapter 64

Olivia
He took a sip from his mug, leaning against the railing. The robe gaped further, and I forced my eyes to stay on his face.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked, his voice still rough with sleep.
"Yes," I lied, hoping he couldn't tell I'd spent half the night acutely aware of his body next to mine.
"Liar," he said, but his tone was amused rather than accusatory. "You tossed and turned for hours."
I felt my cheeks heat. "The ocean is loud."
"Mmm." He clearly didn't believe me but didn't press the issue. Instead, he gazed out at the water, the morning sunlight highlighting the sharp angles of his face.
We sipped our coffee in silence for a few minutes. Despite the oddity of being in my boss's beach house after a night in his bed, it felt almost peaceful.
"We'll be meeting my family in a few days," Alexander said suddenly, breaking the silence.
I nearly choked on my coffee. "What?"
"My family," he repeated calmly, his eyes meeting mine with a steady gaze. "A family dinner at the estate."
"Wait, wait, wait." I set my mug down with a clatter. "Your family? As in, your grandfather who made this whole marriage ultimatum? That family?"
"Yes, Olivia. That family." His lips quirked. "Unless you think I have another secret family stashed away somewhere."
"With you, who knows?" I muttered. "But seriously, isn't this moving a bit fast?"
Alexander shrugged, the movement causing his robe to slip further off one shoulder. "Time is a luxury I don't have."
I chewed my lip, anxiety bubbling in my stomach. "What if they don't like me? What if they can tell this is all fake?"
"It's not fake," he corrected. "It's strategic. And they'll like you because I've chosen you."
"That's not how families work," I said, rolling my eyes. "They're not your employees who just follow orders."
"True," he conceded. "But they respect my judgment. Usually."
"Usually?" I raised an eyebrow. "That's not reassuring."
Alexander moved closer, setting his coffee mug on the table between our chairs. "You'll be fine. Just be yourself."
"Myself? The junior marketing executive who's marrying the CEO for money? That self?"
"The intelligent, ambitious woman I've chosen as my partner," he corrected, his voice firmer. "The woman who impressed me enough to consider marriage."
I snorted. "Right. Because my sparkling personality is what sealed the deal, not the fact that you need a wife ASAP to keep your company."
"Don't sell yourself short, Olivia." His eyes held mine. "I had options. I chose you."
Something in his gaze made my heart beat faster. I looked away, focusing on the ocean. "When exactly is this family dinner?"
"Saturday evening."
"This Saturday? As in, four days from now?"
"Yes."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the panic rising in my chest. "You could have given me more notice."
"I'm giving you notice now." He picked up his coffee again, sipping it casually as if we were discussing the weather instead of my debut as his fake fiancée.
"I'll need to know more about your family before I meet them," I said, trying to sound professional instead of terrified. "Their names, relationships, any topics to avoid..."
"I'll brief you," he promised. "We can go over everything tomorrow evening."
"You need to tell me before we go," I insisted. "I need to be prepared."
Alexander's lips curved into a smile. "Worried about making a good impression?"
"Yes, actually. I'd rather not embarrass myself in front of my future fake in-laws."
"They won't be fake," he pointed out. "Once we're married, they'll legally be your family."
The reality of that hit me like a bucket of cold water. I wasn't just pretending to date Alexander. I was going to marry him. Have his family become my family. Live in his home.
"Shit," I whispered.
"Second thoughts?" Alexander asked, watching me closely.
"No," I said quickly. "Just... processing."
"You said that already."
"Well, it's a lot to process!" I snapped, then immediately regretted my tone. "Sorry. I'm just a little overwhelmed."
Alexander surprised me by reaching across the space between us and taking my hand. His palm was warm against mine, his touch surprisingly gentle.
"I know this is a lot," he said, his voice softer than I'd ever heard it. "But I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't think you could handle it."
I looked down at our joined hands, feeling a strange flutter in my chest. "I can handle it," I said, more to convince myself than him. "Just... tell me what I need to know before we see your family. I want to be prepared."
"Alright," he agreed, squeezing my hand once before releasing it. "I promise."
"Thank you."
We finished our coffee in silence, watching the waves crash against the rocks below. Despite my anxiety about meeting his family, there was something almost peaceful about sitting here with Alexander, the morning sun warming our skin.
"We should head back soon," he said eventually. "I have meetings this afternoon."
I nodded, trying to ignore the twinge of disappointment. Part of me had been enjoying this brief escape from reality.
"I'll get dressed," I said, standing up.
Alexander rose too, his robe falling completely open for a moment before he caught it. I caught a glimpse of toned abs and the waistband of his boxer briefs before looking away.
"The bathroom's all yours," he said, seemingly unaware of my discomfort. "Take your time."
I nodded and hurried inside, clutching my empty coffee mug like a shield. As I closed the bathroom door behind me, I leaned against it and took a deep breath.
Four days until I met his family. Four days to prepare for the next step in this charade. Four days to convince myself that I could pull this off without developing actual feelings for Alexander Carter.
Because that would be a disaster of epic proportions. This was business. Just business. And I needed to remember that, no matter how good he looked in that robe or how gentle his touch had been on my hand.
"Just business," I whispered to myself. "Nothing more."