Fake Dating The Billionaire Boss

Chapter 4 — Terms of Engagement

Liam’s POV

The office was quiet except for the hum of the city below and the faint tapping of fingers on keyboards. I leaned back in my chair, steepling my fingers, eyes fixed on Sadie as she arranged files on my desk with her usual precision. She was efficient, poised, competent — every bit the perfect candidate for the task I had set before her. And yet, the thought of what I was asking her to do made the air in the room crackle with tension.

“Sadie,” I began, my tone clipped, controlled, as always. “We need to go over the terms. I want to be perfectly clear about expectations.”

She looked up, eyes wary, lips pressed into a thin line. “Of course, Mr. Blackwell.”

I rose and began pacing slowly, letting the words settle like carefully measured commands. “This arrangement is temporary. Strategic. Professional. Every appearance, every interaction, is a calculated move to control perception. We are partners in this charade — nothing more. Nothing less.”

Her eyes flickered toward mine, searching, curious, and I felt the tiniest spark of… something. A dangerous undercurrent I was determined to ignore.

“You will appear as my companion in all events I specify,” I continued. “You will maintain composure, follow my lead, and adhere to the rules of discretion. Social media, outside conversations, anything that could leak details — strictly off-limits. Agreed?”

She nodded, a faint shiver running through her as she did. “Agreed.”

“Good.” I paused, letting the silence linger just long enough to assert control. “Now, regarding boundaries: this is not a romance. Any deviation — emotional, physical, or otherwise — will end the arrangement immediately. Professionalism is paramount. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she said, voice steady, but I caught the subtle tightening of her jaw, the almost imperceptible tension in her shoulders. She understood the stakes. She was fully aware of the rules. And yet… there was a spark in her eyes I could not ignore.

I stepped closer, the space between us charged with energy neither of us acknowledged. “I will not tolerate distractions,” I said. “You will execute your role flawlessly, or there will be consequences. This is not a game, Sadie.”

“I understand,” she replied, meeting my gaze. Her voice was calm, controlled — professional — yet beneath it I sensed vulnerability, determination, and a flicker of something else. Desire? Curiosity? I wasn’t sure yet.

“Now,” I said, moving to the window and surveying the skyline, “we need to discuss public appearances. Every event I attend — gala, meeting, press function — you will accompany me. We will present a united, composed front. Your behavior, your speech, your interactions — all must be calculated. Flaws will be noticed. Weakness will be exploited.”

She nodded, absorbing every word. “And if I… slip?”

I turned to her, eyes sharp, voice low. “Then the arrangement ends. No exceptions. Understand?”

“Yes.” Her voice was steady, unwavering, but her hands fidgeted slightly. Small, human gestures I noticed because I observed everything.

I studied her, trying to assess where her boundaries truly lay, and realized something I hadn’t anticipated: she wasn’t just capable; she was resilient. Resourceful. Smart. And far more dangerous than I had initially considered — not physically, but emotionally. She would challenge me, push me, force me to confront… things I had long buried.

I inhaled slowly. Discipline. Control. Ruthlessness. That’s who I was. That’s who I had to remain.

Yet the more I watched her, the more impossible it became to maintain that emotional distance. Every glance, every precise movement, every fleeting expression was like a thread pulling at the carefully constructed walls around me.

“Do you have questions?” I asked finally, my tone softer than intended, betraying the faint crack in my armor.

She hesitated, then shook her head. “No. I… understand what’s expected.”

“Good.” I leaned back against the desk, letting the weight of my presence fill the space. “One more thing. This arrangement benefits you as well. Financially, personally… professionally. Your sister’s care will be covered. Your living situation stabilized. But this is not charity, Sadie. You are being compensated for performance, loyalty, and discretion. Do you accept these terms?”

“Yes,” she whispered, almost reverently.

“Then we begin immediately,” I said, the finality of my words resonating through the room. “Public events start next week. You will observe, learn, and adapt. Your role is crucial. Your behavior is under scrutiny. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she said again, and I noticed the slight tremor in her fingers. The subtle human flaw that reminded me she wasn’t a machine like me. She was vulnerable. Alive. And that… that complicated everything.

I walked past her desk, deliberately close, feeling the pull of proximity. The air between us thickened, charged with an energy I couldn’t yet name, couldn’t yet control.

“You will not allow personal feelings to interfere,” I said quietly, letting my voice brush against her consciousness. “This is a business arrangement. Nothing more. Any emotional deviation will be addressed immediately.”

“I understand,” she repeated, voice steady, though I sensed the conflict beneath it. Desire, fear, uncertainty — all intermingled.

And yet… there it was. The undeniable spark. The tension that no amount of discipline could erase. The knowledge that the lines we had drawn were already blurred, even before we officially began.

I returned to my desk, scanning the documents before me, but my mind was elsewhere. Observing. Calculating. Assessing. Not just the risk to the merger, but the risk she posed — emotionally, physically, irreversibly.

Because she was perfect for the role. Too perfect. And I knew that sooner or later, someone as human, as vibrant, as unpredictable as Sadie Reed would push me past the boundaries I had set.

And I would not know how to resist.