Page 18 of The Substitute Fiancée

“And risk her blackmailing me later? Selling her story to the tabloids in six months? No thanks. The gossip press would pay a fortune for ‘The Truth About the Fake Engagement of the MatchMapping CEO.’ That would be worse than anything.”

Silence again.

“You need someone you can trust,” he says. “Someone who would never betray you.”

Suddenly, a face imposes itself in my mind.

Dark eyes.

A bright smile.

A woman who held me while I fell apart.

Who has never lied to me.

Oliver seems to read my thoughts.

“Sam,” he murmurs.

I nod, my heart pounding.

“Sam.”

He doesn’t look surprised.

“It could work. You’ve been close for years. No one would question it.”

“And she’s Kristel’s half-sister. The story holds.”

Oliver nods.

“And if Kristel tries anything… you end her with a single fact.”

“Exactly.”

Then he looks at me, suddenly serious.

“One thing, though.”

“What?”

“Don’t play with her feelings.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.

“Sam,” he says. “She was in love with you three years ago. When you got together with Kristel, it nearly destroyed her.”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” I snap. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it? You never wondered why she moved in with the Lacroix sisters so suddenly back then?”

I freeze. Memories rush back. Her sudden distance. The declined invitations. The sadness.

“Oliver…”

“I’m just saying—be careful. Don’t hurt her.”

Is it possible that…? No. That’s absurd. I would have known.