Love In The Shadows | Fred Weasley x OC

Chapter 87

Chapter 87: A Deal Between Us

Adhara sat in the quiet of the Malfoy Manor garden, her mind a storm of thoughts she couldn't escape. She had been here for hours, staring at nothing, replaying her father's words over and over again.

She was out of time.

Her engagement was set.

And the worst part?

She had no idea how to stop it.

Lucius Malfoy had been clear. He had found the perfect match for her—pure-blooded, well-respected, and wealthy beyond measure. Someone who would secure her place in the world and restore the Malfoy name after the war had tarnished it.

The problem?

That someone was Max.

Her colleague from Bordeaux.

Her friend.

Adhara hadn't seen it coming, and from the look on Max's face when they were told, neither had he.

She heard footsteps approaching but didn't bother turning. Max sank into the bench beside her, exhaling like the weight of the situation was finally settling in.

"I suppose we should talk again," he said.

Adhara huffed a humorless laugh. "Is there even anything to discuss?"

Max tilted his head. "I'd say our impending forced marriage is worth a conversation, don't you think?"

She shot him a glare, but he only smirked in response. It was the same look he always gave when they debated laws at the Tribunal des Sortilèges–the expression that said he was already three steps ahead in whatever argument they were having.

She sighed. "So? What now?"

Max leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "There are two ways we can handle this. One, we accept it, go through with the marriage, and spend the rest of our lives playing perfect little heirs for our families."

Adhara grimaced. "Not happening."

Max smirked. "Didn't think so." He sat back, stretching his arms across the back of the bench. "That leaves option two: We stall."

She frowned. "Stall?"

"Delay. Create obstacles. Find loopholes. Do everything in our power to make this arrangement as inconvenient as possible," Max explained. "And maybe—just maybe—they'll grow so frustrated they'll call it off themselves."

Adhara considered it. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was better than nothing.

"How do we start?" she asked.

Max's smirk widened. "We make them believe we're the worst match possible."

Adhara arched a brow. "You are insufferable."

"And you're impossible," he shot back smoothly.

For the first time that day, Adhara felt a flicker of something close to amusement.

Maybe they actually stood a chance at getting out of this.

That evening, Lucius summoned them back to the drawing room.

Adhara entered first, keeping her expression neutral, while Max strolled in with the confidence of someone who had never been forced into anything in his life.

Lucius studied them both. "Your engagement will be announced next week at a formal gathering. I expect you both to behave accordingly."

Adhara's stomach twisted, but she kept her face impassive.

Max, however, gave a casual shrug. "If we must, we must."

Lucius narrowed his eyes slightly at Max's tone, but he didn't comment on it.

Instead, he turned back to Adhara. "You will be fitted for the family ring tomorrow."

Her fingers instinctively curled around the ring already on her hand.

The one Fred had given her years ago. The one she still wore, hidden beneath the gloves of her robes.

She should take it off.

She should have taken it off long ago.

But she hadn't.

And she didn't want to.

Not now. Not ever.

Lucius didn't notice her hesitation. "That will be all. I expect you both to act properly in public from now on."

Adhara bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying something she'd regret. Instead, she gave a stiff nod and turned to leave, Max falling into step beside her.

Once they were out of earshot, Max sighed. "And so it begins."

Adhara shook her head. "This is going to be a nightmare."

Max smirked. "Then let's make sure we're the ones causing it."

The next day, Adhara found herself back at work, throwing herself into cases to distract from everything else in her life.

It worked.

For a while.

Until she found herself staring out the window, fingers absentmindedly twisting the ring on her finger.

She wondered what Fred was doing.

Whether he had moved on.

Whether he was happy now.

She thought she had seen him happy—with Angelina, standing together outside the joke shop, looking every bit like a couple. She had walked away before she could see more, before she could let it break her further.

She had no idea Fred had broken things off right after she left.

No idea that he was just as lost as she was.

Adhara exhaled sharply and forced herself to focus.

Max's ridiculous plan had to work.

Because if it didn't—

She wasn't sure she'd be able to live a life that wasn't her own.

That evening, Max arrived at her office unannounced, leaning against the doorway like he had nothing better to do.

"Bad news," he said casually.

Adhara sighed. "What now?"

"Our families expect us to have dinner together this Friday," Max replied. "Just the two of us. A proper 'date' to celebrate our upcoming engagement."

She groaned. "Perfect."

Max grinned. "So, how terrible do we want to make it?"

Adhara tapped her fingers against her desk. "We could argue in public."

"We do that already," Max pointed out. "Needs to be more dramatic."

She thought for a moment. "What if I pretend to be an insufferable perfectionist?"

Max smirked. "And I'll pretend to be a reckless disaster who doesn't care about anything."

Adhara gave him a dry look. "That won't be pretending for you."

He laughed. "Fair."

Despite everything, Adhara felt a little lighter.