I Slept With My Fiancé’s Elder Brother

"Two million dollars." Jasper tapped the manila folder against the glass coffee table. "That’s the exact price of this charade, Loren."

I stared at the thick stack of papers. My parents' debt. My life sentence.

"I know how much they owe," I said.

"Then you understand our arrangement." Jasper leaned back in his leather armchair. "This isn't a romance. It's an acquisition."

"I am fully aware of my position."

Jasper offered a cold, practiced smile. As the second son of the Hawthorne family, he treated human lives like line items on a spreadsheet.

"Good. Because my mother wants a grand spectacle tomorrow, and I need to know you will not ruin it."

"I have no intention of ruining your party, Jasper."

"It's not just a party. It's a press event. The media thinks I'm a reckless playboy. You are going to fix that image."

"By playing the devoted fiancée."

"Exactly." He crossed his legs, smoothing the crease of his trousers. "Let's get the boundaries straight before we stand in front of those cameras."

"Go ahead."

"We will live in the main villa, but we occupy different sides." He pointed toward the sprawling hallway. "You take the east wing. I stay in the west."

"Separate rooms."

"Separate lives," he corrected. "No unannounced visits to my quarters. If you need something, tell the staff."

"That will not be a problem."

"Second rule." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "No physical contact behind closed doors. We share a marriage certificate, nothing else."

"I would not dream of touching you."

His jaw tightened for a fraction of a second before relaxing into total apathy. "Glad we agree