Liar, Liar

Kinda, Sorta

Soaking in hot water was exactly what you needed. Life seemed to be throwing too much at you lately and you weren't sure just how much more you could handle but this took off the edge you've been feeling lately. The lavender scent wafted in the air as you listened to the calming playlist you put on.

You took a deep breath and slid underwater, staying there for a few seconds. The world was finally quiet and it felt like nothing or no one could touch you. The disgusting feeling of his hands slithering all over you disappeared and you feared it would come back the minute you sat up.

Your lungs started to burn so you forced yourself bag up and took a few deep breaths, you missed the weightless feeling already. Soon, the water turned lukewarm so you hopped out and finished your relaxing routine: skincare, your favourite pyjamas, and a nice cup of hot tea.

You were in the kitchen making your tea when you heard several knocks at your door. You weren't expecting anybody but deep down, you know it was him.

You crossed to the door and opened it, gasping when you saw him. His clothes were askew and his knuckles were bruised. "What did you do?"

"Handled business," he replied as he walked last you to your freezer, pulling out a bag of peas.

"I'm scared to ask what that means," you said as you closed the door and joined him in your kitchen.

"Then don't." He sat down and wrapped the peas on a towel and set it on his hand.

You didn't know how to respond to that so you sat down next to him and stayed quiet. Anybody could put two and two together and see that he went to go find that pervert from earlier and told him off and things had gotten physical. You felt sad that he had hurt himself just because of a trash can with legs but a small part of you was satisfied that he taught said trash can a lesson. Hopefully it was a painful one. Painful enough to stop him from ever doing that to someone again.

"Should we just come out and say that we were faking it?" He said suddenly, startling you.

You glanced at him but he avoided your eyes. "What would that change?"

"Maybe it'll make things less harder for you. It suddenly hit me today — you've put up with so much just because your name got attached to mine. It's not fair," he mumbled.

You stood up and placed your chin on his head as you hugged him. "As someone once said, love ain't easy."

He grunted. "I know things have been...unconventional for us, but I could almost taste our happily ever after. I swear it." He set the peas on the counter and maneuvered you until you stood in between his legs. "I won't give you up."

"What if I give you up instead?" You teased.

"I won't let you," he said as he pulled you in closer and set his head on your stomach. "Also, weren't you the one who just said we should tell people that we started out as fake fiancés?"

"Yeah but that doesn't mean I have to let you go," he responded.

"Fine. But we really should tell your mother first because I'm not about to be married in a month."

He groaned but then nodded. "Okay, we'll go tomorrow."

The Next Day

You both sat across his mother as she peacefully sipped some tea that was in a teacup that looked like it was from the renaissance. You wondered if it would shatter into a million pieces once she dropped it in shock over what you were about to tell her.

She set the cup down. "What was so urgent you had to come so early? Is it the napkins? You don't like them, do you? I knew it. Well, we can find others."

"No that's not it, mother," h/n said as he looked down at his hands. "We have something to tell you."

"You're not pregnant, are you?"

"No!" You said, appalled at such a suggestion.

"It's about our relationship," h/n said.

Your palms started to sweat as h/n told her everything. Once he finished, you sat and waited for the screaming to start but it never did.

"So this entire time, you've been faking?"

"Not exactly. Somewhere along the line, our feelings became real," you answered, twisting your hands together.

"Uh huh." His mother stood up and tapped her finger against her chin as she faced the window. She was too calm and it was eerie. H/n looked over at you and his eyes read the same thing you were thinking: had we broken her?

What felt like eons later, she turned around and sat back down in her spot but stayed silent.

"Mother, aren't you going to say anything?"

"What would you like me to say? Sorry that I was foolish enough to believe my son who had somehow become allergic to long term relationships suddenly found a fiancé? I've been gloating in front of everyone I came across that you were finally engaged — now I have to see the 'I told you so' look in their eyes when they find out everything was a lie."

"Not everything. Just the start," h/n reminded her.

His mother was telling the truth — it was never a good idea to begin this fake relationship and now it felt like the worst idea. You never realized, until now, how much this meant to her. All those annoying emails and phone calls about this wedding had been her idea of bonding with you and suddenly all of that was taken away from her. Guilt rendered you speechless as you sat there, chewing on your lip.

"Mother," H/N said as he reached over and held you hand, "what I feel for y/n is not and has never been fake."

"Oh, such good that'll do. I still have to call everyone and cancel everything."

She didn't have to. Wait, what? Where had that thought come from? You were totally not ready to be married to h/n and you two sitting here was proof of it...but just because you weren't ready now, doesn't mean you wouldn't be some day.

"Let's postpone it," you said. "I would like some time to work on our relationship, discover ourselves as a couple. And if it all works out, we can have that wedding. Just not next month."

His mother turned to you. "Are you saying you'd still want to marry my son?"

You turned to look at h/n, who had a dumbfounded expression on his face and you smiled. "Maybe? He's not so bad."

"Of course he isn't, I raised him."

"You did a really good job except the arrogance is a little high so maybe we can work on that —" You laughed as h/n tickled your side. "All jokes aside, I kinda sorta think he might be the one for me."

"I kinda sorta think you might be the one for me too, y/n," he said, warm eyes pulling you in.

"You two are making me nauseous," his mother said as she eagerly leaned forward. "Continue."

You all bursted out into laughter and suddenly, the air cleared out and the burden was lifted. It felt so much better to finally just tell the truth.

Which reminded you....

You were kinda, sorta, irrevocably in love with your arrogant, jealous, insanely hot, billionaire boss.