He can find someone new. Someone better suited to playing the part without getting emotionally entangled.
The thought of him with another woman, maybe even that sophisticated creature from last night, makes my chest ache in ways I don't want to examine too closely. But that pain is proof I'm already too involved, already in too deep to navigate this situation safely.
That's why the ring sits on my dresser instead of my finger. Why I left it there this morning deliberately, a small act of self-preservation.
The next chance I get, I'll talk to Luan. Tell him this arrangement isn't working for me, that I'm not comfortable continuing.
He's been closed in his office with Artan and Erion since early morning, their voices a low murmur behind the heavy door, discussing business.
But after lunch, which I absolutely will not be sharing with them because that's part of the boundary I'm reinstating, I'll have that conversation. Get it over with. Start the process of untangling myself from this situation before I get hurt worse than I already am.
I need to remember what I actually am here.
Not family. Not a partner. Definitely not a fiancée, fake or otherwise.
My phone vibrates against the counter, the buzz loud in the quiet kitchen.
I wipe my hands on a towel and check the screen.
Henry.
Hey sis. Wanted to give you an update. The nursery is coming together. We painted it yellow, gender neutral since we don't know what we're having yet. The crib arrives next week. Sarah picked out the cutest mobile, little woodland animals that play lullabies.
My throat tightens. He sounds happy. Excited. Like he's finally getting his life together, finally becoming the person he's supposed to be.
Then the next message arrives:Things for the baby are really expensive though. Formula and diapers and clothes and all the gear they need. And I still have some debts from before that I'm working on. I hate to ask but could you maybe help me out? Just a loan. I'll pay you back as soon as I can.
The resolve I'd built up over the sleepless night, the decision to back out of this arrangement with Luan, vanishes like smoke.
I need that money. Not just for my own living situation, for finding an apartment and starting over somewhere new. But for the baby. For my brother. For making sure that child comes into the world with everything it needs, that Henry has a real chance to be a good father without drowning in debt and desperation.
My fingers move across the screen automatically:Can I come by the house later?
His response is immediate:I'll be here. You can meet Sarah too. She's been wanting to meet you. Says it's important to know family.
Something loosens in my chest despite everything else weighing heavy there. My family is growing. A niece or nephew on the way. A sister-in-law I haven't met yet. Connections that matter, that are real, that will last beyond whatever temporary situation I'm navigating now.
That's a good thing. A genuinely good thing in a life that's felt increasingly complicated and confusing.
The sound of footsteps in the hallway breaks my concentration. Voices, low and masculine and too muffled to make out words. The office door opening with its distinctive creak.
They're done with their meeting.
Erion appears in the doorway first, leaning against the frame with that easy confidence he always carries. His pale blue eyes track over me in a way that makes my skin heat despite my resolve to maintain distance.
"Something smells incredible," he says, his voice carrying that edge of flirtation that seems permanently built into how he communicates.
"Are you staying for lunch?" I keep my voice neutral, functional, the tone I'd use with any employer asking about dinner plans.
"Wouldn't miss it." The way he says it suggests he's not just talking about the food.
I turn away before he can see my face, before whatever I'm feeling shows through.
Artan walks in as I'm setting the last plate down. His eyes go immediately to the table, taking in the setup.
"Only three?" The question is neutral but pointed.
I hesitate, my hands resting on the back of the fourth chair that won't be used. "I won't be having lunch with you. I need to do some shopping. Actually, I'll be out all afternoon if that's okay."
