jlstevens
Evania lives a quiet, book-loving life, working in a cozy mini library café where stories feel safer than reality. Everything changes the day Callahan walks in for coffee. Their eyes meet across the counter, the moment charged with something neither of them expects. But before Evania can gather the courage to speak to him, he's gone.
Callahan's world is built on power, pressure, and expectations. When his parents give him an ultimatum- marry or lose the company- he's forced into a search for a suitable wife. Yet no one compares to the barista he can't stop thinking about, the woman who didn't even know his name.
When fate brings them together again, Callahan makes a shocking proposal: a fake marriage. Strict rules. No emotions. To his surprise, Evania agrees instantly. She doesn't negotiate romance or affection-only that she gets to spend his money. Her easy acceptance unsettles him more than refusal ever could.
As they step into their carefully staged marriage, Callahan struggles to read her. Is her affection real, or is she simply playing her role? The more time they spend together, the more their arrangement begins to feel dangerously real, blurring the line between pretending and falling.
Just as their fragile balance starts to shift, Callahan's ex-girlfriend shows up with a devastating claim: she's pregnant. Secrets threaten to unravel everything, forcing Callahan and Evania to confront what's real, what's been faked, and what they might lose if the truth never comes out.