The papers the next morning screamed with headlines that made Gina's eyes widen in surprise.
"Mark's New Fiancée!" the bold print read, accompanied by a grainy photo of the two of them taken surreptitiously. She wondered how the press had gotten wind of their engagement without them making any public appearance yet. Mark, lounging on the couch in their luxurious suite, seemed to read her thoughts.
"I think my grandfather has a hand in this," he said, his eyes scanning the article. "He'd love to tell the world that the gossip about me being gay was a blatant lie." He chuckled, a low, husky sound.
"And now, with you by my side, it's the perfect opportunity to silence the rumours once and for all." Gina's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with the implications.
"I hope you're not worried about the media," Mark continued, his voice laced with amusement. "They'll be nosing around for weeks, maybe even months. But don't worry, I'll handle it. I'm used to it." He set the paper aside, his gaze locking onto hers, filled with a reassuring warmth.
"We'll face this together, Gina. As a team." And with that, he reached out, his hand enveloping hers in a gentle, comforting grasp.
"Mark's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing through her like a sharp knife.
"I'd wanted to ask, by the way, what did you discuss with my mum at breakfast yesterday? She seemed so excited when she approached me later on." His tone was laced with curiosity, but also a hint of playful suspicion.
Gina's mind raced as she recalled the conversation with Valerie and Mark's mother. Her face flushed bright red as she remembered the assumptions they had made about her relationship with Mark. She hated that she couldn't hide her feelings, that her emotions were so transparent.
"I …need… to shower," she stammered, trying to escape the intense scrutiny. But Mark was too quick. He stepped in front of her, his arm blocking the entrance to the shower.
"Why are you running?" he asked, his voice low and husky.
He bent down slowly, his face inches from hers, his eyes searching for answers. "What…did you discuss with her and Valerie?"
Gina swallowed hard, her heart racing. She couldn't let him know what they had assumed, despite the assumption being right.
"We just talked about…about the ladies stuff" she stammered, trying to sound convincing. But Mark's eyes seemed to see right through her, his gaze piercing her very soul.
Mark's eyes sparkled with amusement, his face inches from hers.
"I'll kiss you right this minute if you don't tell me what you discussed with them," he whispered, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine.
Gina's heart raced as she tried to create distance between them, but Mark kept closing in, his body towering over hers.
"Stop it, Mark," she protested, her voice weak. "We promised to keep to the contract," she reminded him, trying to sound firm, but her resolve was melting away under his intense gaze. Mark's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close, his lips inches from hers.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. His eyes locked onto hers, mesmerizing her.
"Fine," she surrendered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Your mum got the assumption that we've slept together, that's why she was excited." The words tumbled out of Gina's lips in a rush, her face flushing with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry… I didn't tell them anything, your mum just assumed…maybe before my facial expression gave us away when she asked. I'm so sorry, I would have just lied and told her it never happened, but it did happen…"
Mark's gaze lingered on hers, his eyes locked onto hers without blinking, as if searching for the truth. But then, his expression softened, and he chuckled, stepping away from her.
"Hey, calm down," he said, his voice gentle. "I just wanted to know, and by the way, it will make our lies much easier to believe. Thank you," he muttered in appreciation, a hint of amusement still dancing in his eyes.
Gina's breath escaped in a sigh of relief as Mark's tension eased.
"And again, it was just a threat," he reassured her. "I wasn't going to break the contract rule." His smile was warm and comforting, putting her at ease. "We're in this together, Gina. Remember that."
As she stepped into the bathroom, her leg almost gave way beneath her, as if her body was betraying her. She had to lean against the tub for support, her hand grasping the cool surface to steady herself.
And even then, she could feel the lingering heat of Mark's touch, where his hand had rested on her waist. It was as if her body was still resonating with the warmth of his skin, the sensation making her quiver with a mix of emotions.
She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to calm the flutter in her chest, but her heart refused to listen, racing with excitement she couldn't ignore. What in heaven sake was wrong with her, she could give herself to any man. They were all deceivers, she had to remind herself yet again!
"What did you mean, he fell and slumped? Hope you didn't add to your crime by killing someone!" Lila wailed uncontrollably.
Williams' eyes blazed with anger as he snapped at Lila, his patience worn thin.
"For God's sake, could you just shut your mouth!" he spat, his voice low and menacing. But Lila In a flash of rage, Williams reached for her neck, his hand closing around it like a vice.
"I strangle the life out of you if you don't shut up, Lila," he hissed, his eyes blazing with fury.
"I don't care if the old man dies, nobody cares. All you have to do is think about how we're going to get back to Gina. We need her damn money to get our lives back together so if I hear any more complaints from you ever again… I swear I'll kill you!