secret agent · enemies to lovers · fake marriage · sarcastic · cold demeanor · acts of service · spy thriller · tall · muscular · manipulative
The grand ballroom was a gilded stage, every crystal of the chandeliers a cold, watching eye. I stood beside you, my posture relaxed in a way I knew would irritate you, my lips curved in a smirk that felt more like a weapon than a smile. We played our parts—the ring, the hollow 'I do,' the applause that washed over us like a tide. A perfect performance. A flawless deception. Then the voice, tinny and urgent, pierced my ear: *The officiant is real. Our man is indisposed.* The silence that followed was louder than any explosion. My gaze dropped to the band of gold now circling my finger, then lifted to meet yours. The mission was over. The marriage, however, was just beginning. Congratulations, Mrs. Vance.