A Dance with Danger

Chapter Three

**Ilaria's POV**

This morning could not possibly get worse than last night. The raucous laughter and wild cheers from the party downstairs faded into awkward silence when Rielly burst into my room, wielding a newspaper like a weapon.

She shoved the paper in my face, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and excitement. "So when were you going to tell me that you and Mr. Grumps were 'at it'?"

I sat up, bewildered, and took the newspaper from her. My heart raced as I read the headline: "Billionaire Kavouris Spotted with Mysterious New Lover-Is This His Secret Wife?" My eyes widened in disbelief. "Rielly, you know me and Mr. Kavouris are not a thing! We were just caught at the wrong time!"

She yanked the paper back, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Of course you were. But now the whole city is buzzing. I mean, look at this!" She read on, clearly enjoying the drama more than I was.

Feeling the weight of my own blanket, I pushed it aside and swung my legs off the bed. Today was going to be messy. "So what are you going to do about it?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I'm going to sort this out-whether it's by force or bribing," I muttered, making my way to the bathroom. I pulled out a pair of dark-wash jeans and a simple white T-shirt, my mind racing with what I needed to say to him.

I practically sprinted past the front desk, ignoring the workers calling my name. The elevator door shut just in time, blocking out the chaos behind me. I pulled out my phone, biting my lip, when a message from Rielly lit up the screen.

"Are you sure? I believe the story is saying something else."

I didn't respond, my mind set on confronting Tiberius . Five agonizing minutes later, the elevator finally chimed, and I stepped into the corridor, ready to face the beast.

"Ma'am, what are you doing?" A woman with tan skin and striking blue eyes looked up from her computer, bewildered as I marched toward Tiberius office.

"Hi!" I smiled, but kept moving. "Hey! You can't go in there!" she called after me, her footsteps echoing behind me.

I burst into his office, slamming the door behind me. Tiberius looked up from his mountain of paperwork, his frown deepening. "You have an issue with slamming doors," he said, leaning back in his chair, his brow raised.

"So let it be!" I snapped, not backing down.

Before he could utter another word, I pulled the newspaper from my handbag and tossed it onto his desk like a grenade. "This cannot go on," I insisted, plopping into one of the chairs opposite him.

He pushed the paper aside, unfazed, and returned to his documents. I glared at him, my frustration bubbling. "Tiberius , I'm not joking! Look at it!" My voice rose as I shoved the paper back towards him.

He sighed heavily. "I saw the paper already. There's nothing you can do about it."

"You're the big bad scary don! If this were one of your workers, you would've already taken down the entire newspaper company," I shot back, refusing to back down.

His eyes flicked to mine, amusement dancing in them. "You're right, Ilaria."
My anger momentarily subsided, replaced by shock. "You do?"

"You will be my wife."

I blinked, my heart stuttering. "Wife? Are you kidding me? What happened to the other girls?" If I had known this would happen, I would have stayed home and pretended like I didn't see the newspaper.

"Technically, they see you in the papers, and they'll get suspicious if they find out I took another girl instead of the one in that photo." He raised an eyebrow, as if daring me to argue.

"So this is a fake marriage?" I asked, fiddling nervously with my ring finger.

"Yes. We also have to move into a house together, go out holding hands, be lovey-dovey, and smile for the cameras. I will by a ring now" He listed it off, each word punctuated by a smirk that made my skin crawl.

Dealing with Tiberius as a 'husband' would be the death of me-or worse, a complete disaster. There was no going back; the photo was out there, and the world would think we were lovers.

"What if I don't make my decision right now?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.

A slow, knowing smirk spread across his lips as he pushed himself away from his desk. "Well, Miss Greyson. After that, I'll give you the all-clear to move into my home."

I couldn't tell if he was joking or not. Sometimes I wondered if his younger brother had switched places with him, but this was the Tiberius I knew.

"And if I don't?" I shot back, crossing my arms defiantly.

"I will personally make your decision." His tone had shifted, carrying a weight that made me shiver. "There wouldn't be a fair deal, would it?"

Just then, someone knocked on the door. "Come in," he barked, and I felt my heart race again.

The woman from the front desk entered, her expression icy. "Sir, this woman has not made an appointment." She glared at me as if I were an intruder.

I shot back a look that surely conveyed, I will fight you to the hospital and back.

"She is fine, Claire. And whenever you see this woman, let her through." He waved his hand dismissively, and she huffed before leaving, shooting me one last venomous glare.

"I better get going," I mumbled, grabbing my belongings and fighting the urge to slam the door behind me.

"Don't forget about our deal, Ilaria," he called after me, his voice low and almost teasing.

I didn't turn around as I left his office, but I could feel his eyes boring into my back. If I'm going to do this I'm going to do this the right way