Page 17 of The Substitute Fiancée

“If she talks now, she can say whatever she wants. Truth won’t matter. Investors will remember only one thing: media chaos.”

I look at him.

“‘Young MatchMapping CEO entangled in romantic scandal.’ With an IPO looming, the slightest instability becomes a red flag.”

Oliver gets up and starts pacing. He always does that when he’s thinking seriously.

“You have to be able to stop her.”

“I don’t know,” I say quietly. “I feel like I’m discovering someone I never really knew. Or maybe someone I refused to see. I keep wondering how far she’s willing to go to get what she wants.”

I swallow.

“I’m not even sure she ever loved me.”

My voice cracks. Because suddenly, everything collapses.

A long silence settles between us.

Oliver finally stops pacing. He looks at me, thoughtful.

“You might be able to cut the ground out from under her.”

“How?”

He hesitates, as if weighing the consequences.

“Hear me out before you tell me I’m insane.”

“Go on.”

“Officially, no one knew you were with Kristel.”

“No.”

“Then you take back control of the narrative.”

He pauses.

“You announce your engagement.”

“Oliver—”

“Not with Kristel. With someone else. Someone credible.”

I go still.

“You give investors the image they expect,” he explains. “And Kristel looks like a bitter ex if she tries anything.”

“It’s risky.”

“But doable.”

I think. The entrepreneur in me is already running risk-benefit analyses.

“Where do you expect me to find that person?”

“An actress? An escort? Someone professional?” he suggests.