Chapter 28
ELIZABETH
Iwandered through the massive place, pausing to look at some of the art in the ornate hallways.
Oil paintings in gilded frames lined the walls.
There were portraits of stern-looking aristocrats and landscapes of rolling English countryside that probably cost more than twelve cars combined.
I wished I had more time to appreciate the beauty of the place.
It was like a museum, but I knew someone probably lived here.
Or had lived here. Maybe they rented it out now for events like this, trading privacy for the income needed to maintain a property this size.
I passed caterers carrying trays of champagne and delicate hors d’oeuvres.
Models in various states of undress hurried by, some already in full hair and makeup, others still in sweats with their faces bare.
Production assistants rushed past with clipboards and headsets, speaking in urgent tones about lighting cues and music transitions.
I had to pinch myself to remember it was all real.
Two weeks ago, I’d been serving coffee to rude customers and wondering if my fashion degree had been a waste of money. Now I was in a centuries-old English manor, about to watch a fashion show that would be livestreamed to millions of people around the world.
And I was here as Adrian Blackwell’s fiancée.
Fake fiancée, I reminded myself. Can’t forget the fake part.
But after what Sebastian had said—that whole comment about our arrangement, said so casually, like it was obvious this was all just business—the reminder stung more than usual.
I found the east wing and counted doors until I reached the second one on the left. I knocked softly before entering.
Annika looked up from a table covered in fabric swatches, pins, and what looked like half a dress. “Elizabeth! Perfect timing. I need a second opinion on this hemline.”
I smiled at the organized chaos that followed Annika wherever she went.
I studied the dress, black, almost transparent in places, with strategic panels that preserved modesty while suggesting everything underneath. And by preserving modesty, that was generous. I wasn’t sure if it was an evening gown or lingerie.
“It’s gorgeous,” I said. And then laughed. “Very Sebastian.”
“Right?” She grinned. “Decadence means I get to play with all the things that would never fly in a traditional show. This one is my favorite. Wait until you see it on the model. It moves like water.”
I could see it would. The construction was incredible, showing the kind of technical skill that made difficult things look effortless. There would certainly be a lot of boob tape involved, but it would be stunning. No man, or hell no woman for that matter, would be able to look away.
Which was the goal.
“You look a little down,” Annika observed. “Everything okay?”
“Fine. Great, actually.” I forced myself to smile. “I know you’re crazy busy, and you can totally tell me to kick rocks, but can I show you something?”
“Always. What is it?”
I pulled out my sketchbook and opened it to the three designs Adrian and I had created. “I designed these. Well, Adrian helped. He said if I can get them made by Wednesday, they can be in the Milan show.”
Annika’s eyes went wide. She took the sketchbook, studying each design with the intensity of a scholar examining ancient texts. “Elizabeth, these are incredible.”
“You really think so?”
“I know so.” She moved to her worktable, laying the sketchbook flat to see the details better.
She adjusted her light to shine on the paper.
“This is ambitious. Challenging. But achievable.” She touched the sapphire dress sketch.
“This is going to photograph beautifully. When did Adrian say he wanted these?”
“By Wednesday. For Dash’s show in Milan on Thursday.” I twisted my hands together. “Is that crazy? Three dresses in four days?”
“It’s ambitious. But not impossible.” She was already making notes, her brain clearly working through logistics. “We’ll need to start tomorrow morning, first thing. The London show is tonight, so once that’s wrapped, we can focus entirely on your pieces.”
“You’ll help me?” Relief flooded through me.
“Of course. Adrian must really care about you to take such a chance.”
I frowned and shook my head. I was under the impression she knew about our arrangement. I didn’t want to mislead her. Yes, I was misleading the rest of the world, but I didn’t want to lie to her.
“Oh, I, um—”
“I know it’s fake,” Annika said gently, returning to her work on the sheer dress. “Adrian told me from the beginning. Asked me to help you with outfits, make you comfortable. I’m one of the few people in the inner circle who knows.”
The relief of not having to pretend with someone was overwhelming. “Then you know this is all temporary. After Love Week—”
“Things will go back to normal. You’ll just be an employee, and Adrian will go back to being married to his work.” Annika said it without judgment, but I heard the skepticism underneath. “Except I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve known Adrian for fifteen years, and I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. I’ve never seen him prioritize anyone above work. And I’ve definitely never seen him collaborate on designs with anyone—not even his brothers.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“You two are just doing this as a PR stunt, I know. But Elizabeth, I can’t help but notice there’s some heat between you two. Real heat. The kind that can’t be faked for cameras.”
I sank into a chair, the weight of everything suddenly too much.
“I’m catching feelings. Real ones. And I know that’s the stupidest thing I could possibly do because this was supposed to be business. We both agreed. No complications, no feelings, just a professional arrangement that benefits both of us.”
“And Adrian?”
“Adrian seems like it’s still an arrangement. And rightly so. We weren’t supposed to fall for each other.” I pressed my palms against my eyes. “God, I feel like such a fool.”
“Hey.” Annika’s hand was warm on my shoulder. “Never apologize for falling in love. If he doesn’t feel the same way, it is what it is. But falling for him doesn’t make you a fool. It makes you human.”
“It makes me an idiot who’s going to have her heart broken in less than a week.”
“Maybe. Or maybe Adrian’s just as confused as you are.” She squeezed my shoulder. “I saw how he looked at you on that runway in New York. That wasn’t acting, Elizabeth. That was a man who couldn’t believe his luck.”
I wanted to believe her. Wanted to think that what I felt was mutual. I would love to believe Adrian’s touches and kisses and words meant something beyond physical attraction and the adrenaline of the situation.
But then I remembered his words to Sebastian: The plan is working great.
Like I was just a successful strategy. A problem solved. A box checked on his massive to-do list.
“I need to focus on what I can control,” I said, straightening in the chair. “These dresses. My designs. Building a career. If I can’t get the man, at least I can show the world my creations. That’ll have to be enough.”
“Will it though?” Annika asked gently.
“It’ll have to be,” I said.
Annika and I flipped through many of the fabric swatches, discussing what might work for my designs. It was what I needed. I had to focus on something other than my love life that didn’t exist.
Models started filtering in about twenty minutes later, each one more stunning than the last. They came in groups of two or three, chattering excitedly about the venue, the clothes, and the sheer audacity of Sebastian’s vision.
Annika looked up from pinning a particularly daring bodice. “Elizabeth, I could use another set of hands. These pieces need to be assembled on the body. Would you mind helping?”
“I’d love to,” I said, genuinely meaning it.
What followed was organized chaos of the best kind.
I found myself helping models into creations that barely qualified as clothing.
One dress was essentially tissue paper held together by body tape and prayer.
Another was a sheer bodysuit with crystals placed to preserve the model’s modesty—barely.
One cough or sneeze and there would be some serious flashing.
“Okay, hold still,” I instructed a tall brunette as I adjusted a piece of fabric that covered approximately three-square inches of strategic real estate. “If you breathe too deep, this whole thing might fall apart.”
She laughed. “That’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Decadence.”
I stepped back to assess my work. The dress, if you could call it that, was essentially a collection of silk ribbons that wrapped around her body in ways that suggested everything while technically showing nothing.
It was scandalous. Gorgeous. And absolutely something that would give my mother heart palpitations.
“My family would be having collective strokes right now,” I said, laughing as I helped another model into what could only be described as lingerie masquerading as evening wear. “My mother thinks showing your ankles is risqué.”
“Seriously?” The model looked at me with wide eyes. “Like, religious conservative?”
“Just conservative conservative. Very traditional values, very concerned about propriety.” I adjusted the barely there straps on her shoulders. “If she could see what I’m doing right now, she’d probably disown me.”
“But you love it,” Annika observed from across the room.
“I do,” I admitted. This was exactly the kind of boundary-pushing, convention-defying fashion that made my heart race. “Don’t get me wrong. I love classic elegance too. But this? This is art. This is making people feel something, making them question what fashion can be. It breaks all the rules.”
A blonde model emerged from behind a screen wearing what I could only describe as chains. Crystal chains draped over her body, creating the illusion of coverage while revealing almost everything. The light hit the gems and it was truly a piece of art.
“Wow,” I breathed. “That’s stunning.”
She looked nervous. “I don’t want to ruin this. I have to hold my arms out.”
“It’s perfect. It’s exactly what Sebastian wanted.” I circled her, making sure every chain lay correctly. “You look like a goddess. A very naked goddess, but still.”
She laughed, relaxing. “My boyfriend is going to lose his mind when he sees the photos.”
“In a good way, I hope.”
“Oh, definitely in a good way.”
I loved the chaos. I loved getting to see everything up close and personal. I would never design anything like what I was helping the women put on, but I could appreciate the art. I wasn’t sure if this was all Sebastian or if he had help, but damn, someone was very creative.