Without turning around, I already knew who had come in. I just stood there, frozen.

The hand I’d raised to fasten the clasp behind my neck slowly dropped down.

Edward stepped up behind me, reaching out with calm precision to fasten the clasp—not too fast, not too slow.

His fingers inevitably brushed against my skin, the heat from his touch making my hair stand on end.

“Thank you, Mr. Jennings,” I said, forcing myself to sound calm and collected.

When I turned around, Edward was giving me a once-over. Then he said, “It looks like the kind of color Ryan likes—simple and pure.”

I jumped a little. Edward really did know everything.

“He rushed through dinner with my father, then hurried straight to the airport to pick you up and bring you here. He’s been so busy,” Edward drawled, his tone turning sarcastic at the end.

I stood there, uneasy, my fingers unconsciously curling from nerves.

“So… should I just leave now?” I asked, not trying to read Edward’s reaction—just waiting for him to decide.

Edward scoffed lightly. “He went through all this trouble just to bring you here for his birthday. If the leading lady bails, how bad would that make the leading man look?”

I drew in a sharp breath, my voice weak. “Then what do you want me to do, Mr. Jennings?”

Edward turned to face me, his brow furrowed. “I’ll give you one month. In that time, you need to find someone to marry.”

“A month is way too short,” I protested.

Edward’s voice went cold. “If you can’t find anyone, I’ll set it up for you. Trust me, you’ll be happy with my choice.”

“Fine, you do it then,” I said. Like I could ever find someone myself, I thought.

Even if I’m not bad-looking, what guy would agree to a sham marriage? Unless he’s totally crazy, I muttered to myself.

“Alright, I’ll handle it,” Edward said, not hesitating for a second.

I quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Since Edward hadn’t asked me to leave tonight, it meant I could stay.

While Edward and I were still locked in that tense standoff, I suddenly heard Ryan’s voice from outside. “Vic, are you done changing?”

My heart went numb with shock, and I watched as Edward, completely unfazed, strolled over to the thick floor-to-ceiling curtains.

By the time Ryan came in, Edward had already slipped out of sight.

“See? I knew I had great taste,” Ryan said as he walked in, his eyes locked on me and refusing to budge.

Startled and a little panicked, I put on a shy act and mumbled, “I’ve never worn something like this before. I don’t think it really suits me.”

“Who says that?” Ryan shot back, a hint of displeasure in his voice. “You could pull off any gorgeous dress. What, your ex never took you out to any of those parties?”

I froze—Ryan really knew how to hit where it hurt.

He went right for it. “Seriously, what’s Jared’s deal? You’re this gorgeous flower, and he just wants to keep you all to himself?”

Ryan wasn’t wrong. Jared had even admitted he just wanted to keep me tucked away at home, out of sight.

Strangely, that actually lifted my mood.

At last, there was someone who wanted to take me out and let me see the world.

Seeing me zone out, Ryan gently pulled me into his arms, his hands settling on my lower back. “Alright, just because Jared can’t see what’s right in front of him doesn’t mean everyone else is blind. From now on, I want you to show the world what you’ve got.”

“Ryan…” My nose prickled, and my voice wavered. It just felt so good to finally be seen, valued, and respected.

Ryan caught the emotion in my voice and let out a low chuckle. “Really? I just say a few words and you’re already getting all emotional?”

I shook my head, pulling away and standing up straight. “No, I just think… you really are a good guy.”

Ryan suddenly got a little bashful, looking down with a grin. “So, would you do me the honor of dancing with this ‘good guy’ later?”

“…” I hesitated, feeling a bit flustered.

Ryan caught my hesitation and teased, “Hey, you told me dancing was your specialty. Don’t try to pretend you don’t know how.”

I couldn’t help but smile, giving in. “Alright, I’ll dance with you.”

Seeing me go along with him, Ryan’s mood lifted even more. Out of nowhere, he swooped in and kissed me.

I honestly never saw it coming. When I tried to push him away, his hand was already cradling the back of my head.

He kept his hand firmly there, making sure I couldn’t pull away.

That kiss—so bold and unexpected—left me breathless and blushing, my heart pounding in my chest.

And then it hit me—Edward was right there, watching everything from behind the curtains. The thought made my scalp tingle.

“Alright, let’s head out,” I said, honestly feeling like I couldn’t handle how passionate Ryan was being.