The Maeers' family estate was like something out of a fairy tale—an entrance covered with sprawling greens, exterior brick walls, and dark wood details, nestled in the heart of the idyllic Northwood countryside. As my red McLaren wound its way up the endless cobblestone drive, I felt my nerves return full force.

This was it. The moment of truth. The first real test of James's and my ability to sell our relationship to those closest to us. If we couldn't convince his parents that we were madly in love, how could we hope to fool the rest of the world?

I glanced down at my dress, smoothing a hand over the dark blue silk and lace. I'd spent hours agonising over the perfect outfit, and my bed eventually resembled a war zone. But the moment I slipped on this dress, with its figure-hugging lines, I felt like a goddess—powerful, confident, ready to take on anything. Even dinner with my future in-laws.

The car rolled to a stop, and I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "You can do this," I told myself firmly. "You have played bigger boardrooms and higher stakes than this." It will be a piece of cake!

The front door swung open before I could knock, revealing an elegant woman in her mid-50s. She had James's warm smile and red hair pulled back in a sophisticated chignon.

"You must be Noreen!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug, her hazel eyes shining brightly. "Oh, I'm so thrilled to meet you finally! James has told us so much about you."

I returned her embrace, breathing in her subtle floral perfume. "All good things, I hope," I joked, pulling back to shoot James a pointed look over her shoulder.

He stood in the foyer, looking his usual dashing self in his tailored black suit with a lopsided grin. "Only the best bits," he teased, coming forward to press a kiss to my cheek.

I blushed at the casual intimacy of the gesture, my skin tingling where his lips had touched. Thankfully, his mother seemed not to notice, too busy ushering me into the grand marble entryway.

"Come in!" she fussed, taking my coat and handing it to a waiting maid. "Charles is in the study, but he'll join us shortly. Can I get you a drink? Some wine, perhaps?"

"That would be lovely, thank you, Mrs Maeers." I smiled, allowing her to link her arm through mine.

"Oh please, call me Evelyn. We're practically family now!" She patted my hand, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "And I must say, it's about time James settled down. I was beginning to worry he'd never find the right girl."

I shot James a questioning look, but he just shrugged, that infuriating grin still firmly in place.

Evelyn led us into a sumptuous sitting room, all plush sofas and gleaming mahogany. A fire crackled merrily in the grate, casting a warm, inviting glow in the room.

"Your home is beautiful," I said sincerely, running a hand over the intricately carved mantelpiece.

Evelyn beamed, clearly pleased by the compliment. "Thank you, dear. We've tried to maintain the original character as much as possible. This estate has been in the Maeers family for generations."

A distinguished older gentleman entered the room as if on cue, his salt and pepper hair and neatly trimmed beard giving him an air of authority. But his eyes, the same striking blue as James's, were soft as they settled on me.

"Ah, finally, we meet the lovely Noreen!" His tone was businesslike, crossing the room in a few long strides and clasping my hand in both of his. "Charles Maeers. It's an absolute pleasure to meet you, my dear."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr Maeers," I replied, shaking his hand. This man nearly ruined what we now tried to save - NexusWave. Unlike Evelyn, I found it hard to act warmly with Charles, knowing of his deeds.

"Please, call me Charles," he insisted, gesturing for me to take a seat. "Mr Maeers makes me feel ancient."

I laughed, settling onto the sofa beside James. He draped an arm across my shoulders, pulling me snugly against his side. I relaxed against him. To an outside observer, we looked every bit the lovestruck couple, comfortable and affectionate in each other's presence. If only they knew the truth.

The conversation flowed easily, lubricated by the vintage merlot Charles kept topping off in my glass as he regaled us with stories of James's childhood - the time he tried to build a treehouse and ended up falling out of the oak tree in the garden, the summer he convinced the cook to let him "help" in the kitchen and nearly set the house on fire - each one more adorable and embarrassing than the last.

"Dad, please," James groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Noreen doesn't want to hear about my youthful misadventures."

"On the contrary," I grinned, sipping my wine. "I'm finding them quite enlightening. Who knew the great James Maeers was such a troublemaker?"

Evelyn laughed, reaching over to pat James's knee. "Oh, he was a handful, all right. But he always had a good heart. Even when he was driving us absolutely mad."

I glanced at James, something warm and unfamiliar blooming in my chest. Seeing this side of him was strange - the loving son, the naughty boy who just wanted to build a treehouse. It humanised him in a way I hadn't expected, chipping away at the carefully constructed image of the ruthless businessman I'd built up in my mind.

Evelyn must have noticed my softening expression because she leaned forward conspiratorially. "You know, I always thought there was something special between you two. Ever since university."

I nearly choked on my wine. "Pardon?"

James shot his mother a warning look, but she waved him off, her eyes twinkling. "Oh, he never said anything outright. But a mother knows. He would come home on breaks, talking about this girl in his class who stole his first place, got the best grade, and made a brilliant presentation. The way his face would light up... I thought it would only be a matter of time, but then it all stopped, so suddenly, I lost hope at a certain point. But here you are now!"

I felt James tense beside me, his arm tightening almost imperceptibly around my shoulders. My mind was chaotic, trying to reconcile this new information with the harsh reality I had remembered until today: James, the bully. James, my tormentor. She has probably mistaken me for someone else...

Before I could dwell on it further, Evelyn clapped her hands together. "But enough about the past. I want to hear all about this engagement! How did he propose? What was it like? Oh, I'm so excited to start planning the wedding!" And just like that, I was swept up in a whirlwind of questions about our relationship.

When we moved to the dining room for an extravagant meal, my head spun pleasantly, and I was fully immersed in my role as blushing bride-to-be. I barely noticed how much wine I was imbibing, Charles ever attentive with the refills as we chatted.

By dinner's end, my mind and body were fuzzy and relaxed from all the wine. It had been hard to say no to this man, always retorting with 'Nonsense' and adding more. I eyed James in a panic at a certain point, but he merely shrugged it off with a wicked smirk.

It wasn't until we retired to the living room, me clinging tipsily to James's arm, that the realisation hit. How am I going to drive home like this?

Panic spiked through my hazy thoughts, and I turned to James with wide eyes. His eyes shone like stars as he looked down at me, his arm moving to hold me by the waist.

"You are enjoying this?" I whispered, annoyed at my predicament.

"Very much," he purred shamelessly.

"How am I to drive back home, James? Your father has quite the heavy hand..." My tone was still hushed as I complained. "A warning would have been nice."

James's eyes glinted with barely suppressed amusement. "I tried to warn you, love. They're very...generous hosts." I shot him a dark look.

"Noreen, darling, I'd feel much better if you stayed the night rather than drive back to London in this state. It's late, and you've both had quite a bit to drink."

My mouth fell open, and I glanced at James in panic. Were we spending the night together with his parents under the same roof? We weren't ready for that level of intimacy, fake relationship or not.

I side-eyed James, not sure what to say. "I would not want to impose, Evelyn..."

But Evelyn was insistent, waving away my feeble protests. "Nonsense! You're family now. And this way, we can all have a family brunch tomorrow morning. I would love to have you stay with us a little longer to have more bonding time with my future daughter-in-law." Her voice was full of tenderness and genuine eagerness.

I smiled shyly. "I don't know Evelyn...and the nightwear or clothes for tomorrow...I have nothing on me besides having you prepare a room this late..."

"I can lend you something of mine; it should fit closely, and you'll stay with James. There's no sense in making up a guest room." She smiled slyly. "You're both adults, after all."

James cleared his throat, looking equally taken aback by his mother's bold assumptions. But one look at my wide, pleading eyes, and he grabbed my hand, reassuringly squeezing it.

I took a deep breath, weighing my options through the wine-induced fog. Staying was not my preferred choice, but persisting in saying no might seem weird for a couple to be married.

Evelyn was already heading upstairs, promising to leave clothes for me in James's room.

"Okay," I agreed, quietly resigning myself to the turn of events. My heart was pounding at the thought of sharing a bed with James.

He grazed his thumb on my hand. "Sorry about that. I guess she's just too excited about the idea of having a daughter-in-law..." he sighed. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, feeling defeated.