He's My Fiance

The rest of the photo shoot proceeded incredibly smoothly, much to the visible disappointment of the gossipy employees hovering nearby. The workplace drama they so desperately wanted never materialized. Jace did throw a minor, bratty fit over his wardrobe at one point, complaining loudly that the designer jacket made him look stiff. But the exact moment I leveled a single, sharp glare in his direction, he snapped his mouth shut. He nodded obediently, fixing his posture and posing perfectly for the cameras. Even after all these years, he still backed down easily around me. I hadn't even raised my voice. Under my strict command, Jace's total submission drastically sped up the workflow. What was originally scheduled as a grueling five-hour shoot wrapped up seamlessly in just two hours. His surprising and enthusiastic cooperation was a massive relief to the entire production crew.

Once the cameras stopped flashing and the stage lights dimmed, Jace bounded over to me, excitedly grabbing my hand. He tugged my arm like a little kid. "Val! Let's go! I am treating you to a luxurious dinner right now. My treat!"

I pulled my hand back gently. Acutely aware of the whispers from the crew members who were packing up equipment around us, I gave him a polite but firm smile. "No, thank you, Jace. I haven't finished my secretarial work yet." It would cause a massive headache if the staff saw me getting too friendly with Zenith Group's top-tier celebrity client.

Jace immediately pouted childishly, his shoulders dropping in sheer defeat. "Why are you even working a normal desk job at Zenith Group? Did the mighty Obsidian Pack go bankrupt or something? Because if they did, just tell me! I will happily support you."

I rolled my eyes at his dramatic assumption. "You wouldn't understand my world, Jace."

Leaving him staring blankly at my retreating back, I turned on my heel and headed straight back to the secretariat to finish sorting through the daily executive files.

At the end of the long workday, the office floor was finally quiet. I was organizing the last stack of papers when Kaelen stepped out of his pristine private office. He looked visibly exhausted, letting out a heavy sigh as he approached my desk.

"My grandfather booked a table for us," Kaelen informed me, loosening his tie. He explained the situation with a flat, resigned tone. "Alpha Alaric is using his recent heart condition to guilt-trip us into attending a welcome dinner together tonight. He claims if we don't show up, he might just refuse his medical treatment."

I chuckled softly, recognizing the classic, manipulative grandfatherly move. My own grandfather pulled the exact same stunts back home when he wanted his way. "Alright," I agreed easily, grabbing my purse. "We shouldn't keep him waiting."

Before we could even take a step toward the executive elevator, the heavy glass doors to the lobby swung open. Jace happily strutted in, a bright smile plastered on his face. He had stubbornly waited five entire hours in the lobby just for my shift to end.

"Val! You're finally off the clock, right? Let's go grab that dinner now!" Jace called out, walking briskly toward me.

Then, he stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes landed on Kaelen, who was standing just inches away from my desk. "Kaelen?" Jace asked, utterly bewildered.

"Val?" Kaelen aggressively eyed the two of us, his brows knitting together in deep confusion. He crossed his arms, staring Jace down with clear suspicion. "What exactly is going on here?"

I rubbed my temples, already resigned to the awkward situation brewing right in front of me. "Since we are all heading out to eat anyway," I suggested, looking between the two towering men, "why don't you just join us for the dinner, Jace?"

Jace eagerly agreed, and soon enough, he was sitting in the backseat of Kaelen's luxury SUV. He talked non-stop during the entire car ride, filling the tense silence with endless stories. I offered a few short responses to keep him from feeling ignored, while Kaelen drove in a rigid, tense silence.

When we finally arrived at the high-end restaurant and found our table, Jace practically waited on me hand and foot. Before Kaelen could even approach my side of the booth, Jace swiftly pulled out my chair. He immediately refilled my water glass and began serving me the best portions of food the moment the appetizers arrived.

I accepted the food casually, but Kaelen sat across from us in evident, silent surprise. He gripped his silverware tight, watching Jace's eager, attentive behavior with a dark gleam in his eye.

Eventually, Jace's burning curiosity boiled over. He set his glass down, leaning across the table to eye Kaelen and me back and forth. "Okay, I have to ask. Why did you come to Zenith Group to work, Val? And what exactly is the nature of your relationship with Kaelen?"

I picked up my napkin and dabbed my mouth, deciding to just drop the bomb. "My Grandpa asked me to come here for a bit," I answered casually. "Kaelen and I are engaged."

Jace choked, spitting his mouthful of water out in utter shock.

He coughed wildly, grabbing a napkin to wipe his chin as he stared at me in sheer disbelief. "What? Kaelen's countryside fiancée is you?"

I nodded slowly, unsurprised by his drastic reaction.

"You two?" Jace gaped at me, his voice rising in volume. "You? From the countryside?"

He was naturally unaware that my supposed 'countryside' home was actually a billionaire's sprawling mansion, complete with luxury villas and a private airport. I shot him a subtle, warning glare across the table.

Jace caught the hint instantly. He quickly snapped his mouth shut, swallowing hard.

Softening my gaze, I turned back to my meal and added, "It's an arrangement. The engagement will be called off after three months if we don't develop feelings for each other."

Jace immediately scoffed, tossing his napkin down. "Well, that is good news. Kaelen doesn't deserve you anyway." He leaned back in his chair, loudly and openly declaring his disapproval. "He is cold, boring, and definitely inferior to me. You could do way better, Val."

The temperature at the table dropped instantly.

Kaelen, whose narcissistic ego clearly could not handle the blatant insult, looked up from his plate. His expression darkened deeply, visibly displaying his bruised ego and sudden jealousy over my affectionate dynamic with the star. He set his knife down with a deliberate, sharp clink.

"Jace," Kaelen threatened coldly, leaning forward. "Remember that sports car you wanted? Your brother promised to buy it for you, and he asked for my help securing it. I think I will cancel my assistance on that purchase."

Jace's eyes widened in instant panic. He waved his hands frantically in the air, letting out a loud, awkward laugh. "Wait! I didn't mean it like that! Come on, man, don't do that!" Jace stuttered, finally shutting his mouth tight and sinking back into his seat.

Without his endless chatter, the rest of the meal passed in a much quieter, enjoyable peace. Kaelen ate his food in silence, though his sharp, jealous gaze kept flickering toward me.

Later, we stood on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. The cool night air brushed past us as Jace reluctantly said his goodbyes.

"I'll see you later, Val. I will find you to hang out soon," Jace said, kicking the pavement like a disappointed child.

I reached out and affectionately patted him on the head, treating him exactly like one of my loyal pets. "Safe travels, Jace. Be careful on your way home."

I stood there for a moment, watching him climb into his awaiting ride. The taillights faded down the busy street.

As soon as he was out of sight, Kaelen finally spoke up. He stepped closer to me, his presence looming in the darkness. His voice was colder and noticeably more hostile than usual.

"So," Kaelen bit out, his jaw clenched as he stared me down, "are you sure you won't like me simply because you already have someone else you like?"