"Where on earth is he?" Ryda glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time, tapping her foot impatiently. Claire simply crossed her legs and adjusted her pose, not bothering to reply.

"Do people really have no sense of time?" Ryda got up from her chair and padded to the door, smoothening her midnight blue suit.

"It's been five minutes, boss. He might be caught in traffic. Why are you getting hyper?" Claire shrugged, not looking up from whatever she was typing on her phone.

"You seem to be way too busy on your phone these days," Ryda whipped around suddenly.

"And you've fluffed up your collars and smoothened your suit over ten times in two minutes. He's an actor, not your date," Claire replied nonchalantly.

"But first impression matters..." Ryda trailed off, "...wait... don't change the topic."

Claire looked up at her, her cheeks had slight tints.

"Wait, don't tell me it's that guy you met at the café." Ryda widened her eyes.

Claire bit her lips and gave a shy smile.

"Good going, girl," Ryda came and sat beside her again, patting her shoulder.

"Even you should start dating, you know," Claire said absent-mindedly

"I don't do the love thing," Ryda replied crisply, signalling that the conversation was supposed to end there.

Claire was going to say something when a guy burst in through the door. He was wearing a flimsy green shirt and his sculpted muscles were fighting for attention on his body. It took a second for Ryda to tear her eyes away from the gorgeous body to focus on his face. Chiselled jaws, luxurious brown hair in gentle waves that reached up to his shoulder. He was almost perfect in his looks.

"Ryan. Sorry I'm late, Ma'am." He extended his hands in greeting. His eyes travelled over Ryda once and there was unmasked lust playing in his dark ebony eyes. And that was the look that broke the Ryda's reverie. She was tired of the male gaze. She squared her shoulders and shook his hand, introducing herself and Claire, whose jaws had almost hit the floor. Ryan flashed a genial smile at her too, and she practically dropped the papers she was holding.

"So, what will be my work?" Ryan asked.

"To be my boyfriend," Ryda replied.

"What?" Ryan opened and closed his lips, like a fish gasping out of water. Then he looked at Claire in disbelief. She nodded in the affirmation that it wasn't some sick joke being played on him.

"Are you serious?" He looked at Ryda.

"Yes, I want you to act as my boyfriend, so I can secure a deal with the MatchMakers," Ryda explained.

Ryan frowned, his jaws became tight.
"I'll pay you a lot of money," Ryda blurted.

Ryan raised his eyes and looked straight at her. "Miss Ryda. I am not a mercenary. I am an actor, so money doesn't really matter. I can very well act out my part, so it isn't the matter either but..."

"But what's the issue then?" Ryda tapped her foot impatiently again.

"The future," Ryan mumbled.

"I don't want a future with you," come on," Ryda said indignantly. "It's just a game."

Ryan laughed, "I don't want a future with you either."

Ryda froze. The rejection hit her hard. She was a billionaire and a poor, struggling artist was refusing her. It was different that she didn't want a future with him, but how could someone refuse her? Ryda, the owner of Ryda industries. men must be dying to be with her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it in that way." Ryan held out his hand in a gesture of surrender. I just..."

Ryda gave a fake laugh. She had learnt not to react to comments. She said a thousand things in her head, but never aloud. She had an image to keep and hot billionaires didn't cry. "

"Miss Ryda, you are a billionaire. I am no one compared to you but I'd like to give you a little advice on this matter," Ryan stated carefully, watching her for a reaction. Ryda made her face into a neutral mask. There was something really earnest in Ryan's eyes. Ryda gestured for him to go on.

"You are very popular and the eyes of the world are on you. If news goes out that you are dating someone, then the paparazzi will make a big deal out of it and the next day our faces will be in the news."

"But that's good, isn't it?" Ryda asked pointedly.

"That's for a few weeks. You show me off and you secure the deal. But what next? The world will follow us around. The world will expect to see us together. I have a girlfriend. Someday you'd be in a relationship and then the media will start talking again about how we broke up so fast and all this crap." Ryan took a deep breath.

"I'll use my money to silence the media," Ryda replied confidently. She always prided in the power of her money, her hard-earned wealth.

"But the damage will be done," Claire spoke up suddenly.

"I don't understand..."

"If the world knows you ended things with your so-called boyfriend in a few months, people will think you are fickle. You change minds easily," Claire cut her off, "and that would mean that potential partners would be afraid to make business deals. It would ruin the image you've worked so hard to create all these years, Ryda."

Ryda slumped in her chair.

"Ryda is cool, calculative, dependable and firm. Ryda is committed." Claire bent forward slowly, emphasizing her point.

"So what do you think I should do?"

"Get into a relationship?" Ryan offered.

Ryda looked at him sternly.

"She doesn't do the relationship thing," Claire hissed at him.

"Oh, then hire someone who can play the role long term. I'm sorry I can't help you." Ryan shook his head, standing up.

"Ryda, say something," Claire insisted.

Ryda was still staring at the floor, wringing her fingers, immersed in thought. She was a billionaire, and she had made some pretty drastic choices and sacrifices to get to where she was now. She couldn't lose it all just because the judgemental world was not looking at her. Ryda held her head and took a deep breath.

Claire gestured for Ryan to leave. He looked like he wanted to comfort her, but he didn't dare. Plus, he had a girlfriend and getting involved in a fake relationship with a billionaire could cost him a lot more than just his relationship. He didn't trust the rich people or the media. They would hound him till death.

"Ryda is committed, right? Ryda is dependable. The world is looking at billionaire Ryda to get into a relationship," Ryda said slowly, chewing the worlds over and over.

"What are you going to do?" There was fear in Claire's voice. She knew this phase of Ryda. Once she was in this mood, there was going to be a decision taken that would turn everything topsy-turvy in a split second.

"I am going to show those bastards what Ryda is. I'll get married." Ryda announced, confirming Claire's worst fears.

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