JOAN’S POV
The room was filled with activity as my glam team moved around me with their palettes and brushes in hand. My makeup artist, Sophie, leaned in to add the final touch of shimmer to my cheekbones, and I tried to hold still, but my hands were trembling in my lap. It wasn’t nerves from being in the spotlight-I should have been used to that by now. I’d walked countless red carpets, smiled for cameras, and played my part in the perfect image Derrick and I had been carefully crafting.
But tonight was different. Tonight, Derrick was going to propose.
The audience wouldn’t know it was fake, of course. This wasn’t just any event; it was the beginning of our contract marriage. I tried to focus on the strokes of the makeup brush, but my mind kept drifting to what tonight meant.
I always dreamed of getting married-falling in love with someone who looked at me like I was their entire world. The kind of love that made my mom’s eyes light up when she talked about my dad. But that wasn’t what this was.
Sure, I had feelings for Derrick-how could I not? He was handsome, intelligent, and when he wasn’t being his usual brooding self, he had moments of unexpected kindness. But he didn’t love me. He never would. He didn’t even like me in the slightest moment.
The thought sent a feeling of sadness through me.
“Joan,” Sophie said gently, pulling me back to the present. “Tilt your chin up a little, sweetie.”
I did as she asked, blinking rapidly to push back the sting of tears. I couldn’t cry now, not when they were so close to finishing.
The door opened, and David entered with his usual air of urgency. He scanned the room before his eyes landed on me.
“Joan, we need to talk,” he said.
“David,” I said, forcing a smile. “What’s up?”
“This isn’t just a charity event,” he began, stepping closer. “You know what’s happening tonight. It’s the proposal.”
I nodded, already painfully aware.
“You’ll need to sell it,” he continued. “The cameras will be on you from the moment you step onto the red carpet. The chemistry has to feel real, Joan. Not just passable-believable. The public needs to believe this is the happiest moment of your life even before he proposes. They need to believe both of you are in love”
“Of course,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I understand.”
“Good,” David said, but he didn’t leave. Instead, he hesitated, then added, “When you’re on the carpet, kiss his cheek. Just a little kiss. It’ll drive the point home.”
I stared at him. “Kiss his cheek?”
“Yes,” he said firmly. “It’ll be a sweet, spontaneous moment. Trust me, it’ll look great.”
I doubted Derrick would be thrilled about it. He wasn’t exactly the type to like public displays of affection, even for appearances. “Are you sure Derrick’s okay with this?”
“He’ll manage. Just do it.”
I nodded slowly, even though my stomach twisted at the thought.
By the time Sophie stepped back and announced I was finished, the tension in my chest had only grown. Then came the dress.
Two assistants carried it in. It was a shimmering silver gown adorned with delicate diamonds that caught the light in every direction. When they slipped it over my body and fastened it, I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
I looked like someone else entirely.
“Wow,” Sophie breathed.
I barely recognized myself. The woman in the mirror looked glamorous, confident, perfect for the role she was about to play. But beneath the makeup and diamonds, I was still just me-Joan, the maid, the girl who once dreamed of a real proposal, not one orchestrated for show.
The door opened again, and Irene stepped in. Her eyes widened when she saw me.
“Oh, Joan,” she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. “You look stunning.”
Her words were so genuine that it cracked the hard exterior I’d been holding onto. Before I could stop myself, tears filled up in my eyes.
Irene rushed to my side, wrapping her arms around me.
“Hey,” she whispered, pulling me close. “What’s wrong?”
“I just…” My voice broke. “I wish my mom could see this. She’d know what to say to make me feel okay about all of this.”
Irene held me tighter, her hand smoothing over my hair. “You’re so strong, Joan. Stronger than you realize. And you’re not alone. I’m here, okay? I’m always here.”
I nodded against her shoulder. My tears soaked into her blouse. She pulled back slightly, cupping my face and wiping the tears from my cheeks.
“Now,” she said softly with a small smile on her lips, “no more tears. You’re going to walk out there and shine brighter than any star in the sky. And I’ll be right here, cheering you on.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Irene pressed a kiss to my forehead and gave my hands a reassuring squeeze. As she stepped back, I took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders, and turned to face the mirror again.
I could do this. I had to.
–
The limousine came to a smooth stop, and the sound of the crowd outside became louder My heart thudded in my chest as the door opened. Derrick stepped out first, tall and commanding. He turned back to offer me his hand as I stepped out.
This is it.
This is the moment that changes everything.
I took his hand. I couldn’t help but think about how warm his hand felt in mine. The moment my heels touched the carpet, the blinding flashes of cameras bombarded us. The paparazzi shouted questions.
“Derrick! Joan! Over here!”
“Joan, are the engagement rumors true?”
“Derrick, how does it feel to be with your woman tonight?”
Their words hit me hard but I kept my smile firmly in place, remembering David’s advice. Smile, pose, make it look real.
I glanced at Derrick as we moved together down the red carpet. His face was unreadable as usual. He looked untouchable. I wished I was as unbothered as he was.
When we reached the photo area, Derrick did something that caught me completely off guard. He stepped back, his hand slipping from mine, and gestured for me to take the spotlight alone.
It was a small gesture, barely noticeable to anyone else, but to me, it meant everything.
For a moment, I just stared at him, surprised. My ex would have never done something like this. He had been a narcissist who thrived on stealing the spotlight, always making sure I was a mere accessory to him. This gesture made me remember all the awful things he would do to me.
But Derrick? He stepped back. His expression was cold but he nodded at me. In his eyes, I could see that he was encouraging me as if saying ‘Go on. You’ve got this”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat, and turned to face the cameras. My confidence grew as the paparazzi shouted compliments.
“Joan, you look stunning!”
“Who designed your dress, Joan?”
I posed, letting myself enjoy the moment. For once, I felt like I truly belonged in the spotlight.
After a few moments, I turned back to Derrick and reached for his hand, pulling him into the frame.
“Come on,” I whispered, smiling up at him.
He allowed himself to be dragged into the photos, and I decided to take David’s advice. I leaned up and kissed his cheek.
The reaction was immediate. Cameras flashed like crazy, and the paparazzi’s voices grew even louder. But it was Derrick’s reaction that truly stunned me.
He turned his head to look at me. His icy exterior momentarily cracked with genuine surprise. For a second, we just stared at each other and the noise around us faded away. In that moment, it felt like it was just the two of us in that moment.
I stared into his beautiful blue eyes, admiring how handsome he looked under the lights. The way he looked at me intensely, like I was the only person worth looking at, warmed me.
And then he leaned down and kissed me.
It wasn’t a chaste kiss meant for the cameras. It was intense, passionate, and completely unexpected. His lips moved against mine with an intensity that left me breathless. I melted into him, kissing him even deeper. His hand came up to cradle my face as he deepened the kiss even more.
Soon, his hands wrapped around my waist, drawing me even closer. My skin tingled wherever he touched. Being in his arms like this felt right. It felt perfect, like this was how it was meant to be.
The kiss was sweet. His lips were sweeter than anything I could have ever imagined.
The world around us disappeared. The cameras didn’t matter, the crowd didn’t matter. It was just us, tangled in a moment that felt far too real to be for show.
When he finally pulled away, I was breathless. My cheeks were flushed. Derrick’s now darkened eyes searched mine, and for a second, I thought I saw something vulnerable in his gaze.
The paparazzi erupted, shouting louder than ever, but Derrick ignored them. He took my hand firmly and pulled me toward the venue without saying a word.
I followed him. I was stunned. What just happened?
My lips still tingled from the kiss, and my heart raced as I tried to make sense of what just happened.
Was that for the cameras? Or had it meant something more?
As we entered the venue, the noise of the crowd was muffled by the heavy doors. I couldn’t help but glance at Derrick again. He looked straight ahead but his grip on my hand was firm.
The kiss replayed in my mind, over and over, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that it hadn’t been just for show.
But I didn’t have the courage to ask him. Not yet.
Instead, I walked beside him, trying to ignore the growing ache in my chest.
Whatever that kiss had been, I knew one thing for certain: I was in deeper than I ever intended to be.