The CEO's Contractual Wife

Chapter 32

Olivia

“Keep scrolling, Alexander instructed, his breath warm against my ear.

I swiped through more photos, each more intimate than the last.

“My face isn’t completely visible in most of these,” I said, relief washing over me. “But anyone who knows me would recognize me instantly.”

“That’s the point.” Alexander took the tablet back, scrolling to another gossip site that had already picked up the story. “The right people will know it’s you.”

“This is real,” I whispered, the reality of our arrangement suddenly hitting me. “People are going to think we’re together.”

“Probably,” Alexander agreed, seeming unconcerned. He scrolled through more photos, pausing at one where his hand was positioned dangerously low on my back. “That’s the point, isn’t it?”

I sank deeper into the couch, my mind racing. My coworkers would see this. My parents might see this. Everyone would think I was dating Alexander Carter.

“We should head to the office,” Alexander said, checking his watch. “Separately, of course. For now.”

Twenty minutes later, we stood in the lobby of Carter Enterprises.

Alexander gestured toward a private elevator tucked behind a discreet panel.

“Use this one,” he said.

I shook my head. “I can’t just start using the private elevator. People will notice.”

“That’s-”

“Next time,” I promised, already backing toward the public elevators where other employees waited. “We need to ease into this, remember?”

Alexander’s jaw tightened, but he nodded curtly. “Tonight. My place. Seven o’clock.”

It wasn’t a question. I gave him a small smile and turned away, feeling his eyes on me until the elevator doors closed.

The marketing department buzzed with morning energy when I arrived. Nova was already at her desk, typing furiously.

“Morning,” I called, setting my bag down.

She glanced up, eyes narrowing. “You look different.”

“Different, how?”

spun in her chair. “Did you

on my saliva. “What?

get over an ex like getting

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hapter

respond, Alice hurried in, waving her phone

Did you see this?” She thrust her phone toward us, the screen displaying a gossip

dropped. Nova grabbed the

hot.” She squinted at the screen. “Wait a

it just me,

them, coffee in hand.

of eyes turned to me. I felt my face heat

that,” I said, reaching for the phone. The photo showed Alexander and me leaving the restaurant, his hand possessively on my waist. My

not what it looks like,” I said weakly.

with Alexander

a date,” I

screen. “That’s not a ‘just dinner‘ dress. That’s a

that dress?”

hard. “Look, it’s complicated. He invited me to dinner, and I went.

that the man who’s been named ‘Most Eligible Bachelor‘ just happened to invite his junior marketing executive out for a fancy dinner

work,” Alice suggested, though she

was impressed with something else,”

this?” I begged. “I

to their desks. I could feel them watching me throughout the morning, whispering when they thought I

felt eyes on me in the cafeteria and heard the hushed conversations that stopped when

declared, dropping into the seat across from me. “How does it

I muttered, pushing salad around my plate. “Everyone’s

are. You’re sleeping

not sleeping

raised her hands in surrender. “Whatever you say. But if you’re not, you might want to consider

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Chapter 32

couldn’t help the flush that crept up my neck. The memory of Alexander’s hard body pressed against mine in bed this morning flashed unbidden through