Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

‘I don’t believe in magic’
the young boy said
and the old man smiled
‘you will when you see her.’
-atticus

How long does it take for someone to fall in love? At what age does a person ‘mature’? When living one’s life to the fullest consists of nothing but bad habits, does that make the life still worth living? There are so many questions in the world but none of them interest Ava Silva.

Ava Silva, the only daughter of a business tycoon, has everything life has to offer. Money? Luxurious life? Cars? Mansions in every possible country? Her own private island? She’s got it all. People adore her, people worship her. Anything and everything Ava Silva wants, with a simple snap of her fingers, Ava Silva gets it.

In other words, Ava Silva is a spoiled rotten brat. At twenty five, she has nothing to worry about. She has her friends, she’s waiting for her dad to pass the position to her, she has her masters degree in business management, and she’s an eye candy.

“Ava!” she turns to look at her friend, Camila Isigani, who is handing her a shot. “Come on, hoe. You’re not drunk yet!”

Camila is a close friend. They met during high school and have been together ever since. They pretty much have the same lifestyle. Except for the fact that Camila only drinks when she’s heart broken. Camila’s mother owns one of the largest makeup brands, which is the exact reason why they just do whatever they want. They’re just waiting for their parents to call it a day and hand their companies. They already know their craft anyway.

“A shot is too basic, Cami,” Ava takes the bottle from Camila and smiles almost sinisterly. “Watch me down this whole bottle.”

“Remember the last time you did that? You practically burned the whole bar down and we got into so much shit with our parents!” Camila tries to stop her but it’s too late. Ava’s already drinking straight from the bottle. “I’ll call our lawyers just in case,” her best friend says.

~

Hangovers. Hangovers are Ava’s worst nightmares. Every time she wakes up with a hangover far worse than the previous one, she promises to never drink again. Only to end up drinking the same night. What else is there to do anyway?

Despite wanting to sleep more, Ava forces herself to get up so she can get rid of the hangover and go on with her day. She plans to shop for new clothes since it’s been a while and she’s running out of clothes to wear (no, she is not but she wants new clothes). She downs a glass of ice cold sprite before cooking bacon. Once she’s done eating, she takes aspirin for her splitting headache.

While waiting for the medicine to take effect, Ava scrolls through social media. She sees news about her and how she partied hard last night. It’s not new to her to be on the tabloids or what. She got used to it already. There’s a picture of her standing on a table and holding a bottle of whiskey, downing it like she wants to get alcohol poisoning. Ava laughs at that shot before Camila’s name pops out of her screen.

“Cami baby! Missing me already?”

Camila sighs from the other line, “Mom is mad because of our little scene last night.”

“What scene?”

“Right,” Camila lets out another sigh. “You were drunk and you can’t remember. Some group of girls tried to get your boy toy, which happened to be her boyfriend, from last night and you just went ballistic. You said and I quote, ‘I can buy you, I can buy this club, I can buy your friends.’ so yeah, it was caught on cam and before it could go viral, our parents already got to the person who took a video and paid them to shut up.”

Ava runs her fingers through her hair, “Dad is so not going to be happy about that.”

“Uncle gave me an extension for the scolding he has prepared for you. He’ll be there in a while, I think.”

“My dad is coming here?!”

Camila says, “Yes. Good luck, Ava. Love you!” The call ends even before Ava can react. As if on cue, her doorbell rings. It’s like being splashed with cold water because if there’s one thing Ava fears for the most, it’s her dad’s wrath.

Here’s the thing, Ava gets away with almost everything but when her dad needs to step in? Ava knows she’s done shit.

Though scared, Ava walks towards the door and opens it. Her dad, Dante Silva, is looking at her with a grim expression. The last time her dad meddled with her affairs was when she was in high school. Ava literally (and accidentally) burned a building because of playing with random chemicals. She thought she’d be disowned. Her dad grounded her the whole year. Bodyguards making sure that her life goes from partying almost every weekend to going home every after school day. Since then, Ava set new boundaries on what she can and cannot do. Sure, she still gets into some trouble from time to time but not enough to get her dad’s attention.

“I’m sure Camila already informed you as to why I’m here, Ava,” her dad walks past her without batting an eye. He looks around the place, checking if it’s well maintained or a disaster like her college unit. It’s a good thing Ava hired someone to clean her unit yesterday so the place is basically spotless.

“Daddy, I can expl–”

“I didn’t ask you to explain,” Dante says and sits on the couch. He points on the couch in front of him and Ava sits down automatically. “I’ve had enough of your recklessness, Ava.”

“But dad, it’s not what it looks like! I was drunk!”

“That’s even worse! How do you expect me to leave the company your mom and I built if you can’t even take care of your own reputation?” Dante massages his temples and shakes his head. “I am not getting any younger, Ava. Sooner or later, I will have to retire and pass the company to you. I cannot have you ruin everything your mom and I worked hard for over the years. What would your mom think?”

There it is. Her dad is using the ‘mom’ card again. Ava feels the same ache she already got used to in her chest again. It resurfaces from time to time.

Ava shakes her head, “Daddy, there’s a difference between partying and working. You should know that. When it comes to the company, I will take care of it.”

Dante leans forward, propping his arms on his knees as he clasps his hands together. He lets out a sigh, “Ava, I know that you’re more than capable of handling our company. The thing is, even if it’s solely ours, the board does not like you. In fact, they think you’re incapable of leading because let’s face it, princess, your image doesn’t really scream ‘responsible’. They’re asking me to not give you the company.”

“That’s not fair! They don’t even know me!” Ava says. “Dad, you can't seriously be considering their request, right?!”

Dante shakes his head, “I didn’t but they cornered me into making a deal.”

“What? You’re the CEO! How can you be ‘cornered’?!”

“I own the company, yes. But that doesn’t mean they don’t matter. If I don't agree to the deal, they will transfer all their stocks to Gabriel and he will have majority of the stocks, he will take over the company. We’ll both end up company-less, Ava.”

Ava leans back and huffs, “What the hell do they want? If they fucking say that I should give up on partying, they can kiss my ass.”

“No,” Dante says. “It’s impossible to stop you from doing what you’re already used to.”

“What is it then?”

Her dad leans back again and crosses his legs, “You need to prove that you can be responsible enough to have a relationship that will actually last a year.”

“A relationship?!” Ava stands. “Daddy, I don’t do relationships! I don’t even do dates. How do they expect me to just start dating? I hate commitments!”

“Where did I go wrong with you, Ava?”

“What?”

Dante shakes his head, “I will be honest, I agreed to their deal partly because I also don’t want you to continue being like that. You grew up seeing me and your mom and we spoiled you with love and affection. Why can’t you just settle down?”

“I don’t want to. Simple as that,” Ava looks away.

“Get a boyfriend or girlfriend. Whatever you want. Just try, okay? No dating of friends. Meet new people and try to fall for them like how I got completely smitten by your mother.”

Ava looks at him, “What? Friends can be together. Who says I can’t date my friends?”

“Who? Your friends? Camila is in an on and off relationship with a model. Mary is married. Michael, the heir to the tech company, is in a closet made of glass. As for JC, the guy’s actually decent enough to be my son in law but let’s face it, Ava, the guy is not your type. He tried. Multiple times and you always put him back to the friendzone. So no, Ava, your friends don’t count,” Dante explains.

Okay. That hurt a bit. So her friends aren’t really her type. So what? She’s not into dating anyway.

“Until you introduce a decent person as your partner, I will be freezing all your accounts except for one card,” Dante adds.

“What?! That’s not fair, dad!” Ava complains.

“All cars that you use will be put back in our house. You will have nothing but one card, the one with the smallest limit. And of course, this unit of yours. You’re still my daughter, after all. But that’s all you will get. Remember, Ava,” her dad stands up and walks towards the door, “Decent person. One year.”

“That doesn’t even make sense!”

“You’re free to not do it. Although it would be such a waste to see all of our hard work fall in the hands of someone else,” Dante says before he closes the door behind him, leaving Ava alone in her unit.

Ava sits on the couch again and annoyingly scratches her head, “What the fuck?”

~

“He is being unfair. It’s like all his love for his daughter disappeared in a flash!” Ava paces back and forth inside Camila’s unit while her friend leans back and watches her. She faces Camila, “That’s fucking crazy, right? I don’t do relationships. I fuck around. I don’t do ‘love’, Camila. Love is fucking overrated. You fucking rely your happiness on one person and when they leave, you end up losing. You’re a loser if you fall in love.”

Camila shrugs, “I mean, you can’t really do anything about it, Ava. It’s already a done deal. You can just find someone and fall in love with that person. Easy.”

“Did you not hear what I just said?” Ava turns to face her best friend and even does that gesture where her three of her fingers are clasped together. “I do not want that. I will not let fucking old people control how I want to live my life,” she adds.

“Get a fake girlfriend then,” Camila says without thinking before she drinks her wine.

“Wait.” The idea hits Ava like a lightbulb moment. “You’re a fucking genius,” she says.

“What?” Camila looks at her. “Ava, ninety percent of fake relationships end up in a mess!”

“That’s because one tends to fall for the other one. Like those fucking sappy romance movies. But..” Ava paces back and forth again, this time with hope blooming in her chest. “If I can find someone who is not interested in dating the same way I am, that can work. We don’t have to be in an ‘actual’ relationship. We just have to pretend to be together in front of those old people. And old people are gullible. They believe what they see. I did acting classes when I was younger because I was bored!”

“I’m not entirely sure that it’s a good idea, if we’re being honest,” Camila answers.

“No, it’s not good,” she looks at the girl and grins. “It’s perfect! Brilliant, even,” Ava sits beside her best friend and hugs the girl, “You’re fucking amazing.”

“Where will you find that person?”

Ava smiles, “You will help me look, silly!”

“Ava!” Camila groans before she throws her head back in frustration.

It’s the perfect plan. Ava just knows that it will work. That person exists somewhere, she just needs to look hard enough to find them. Regardless if it’s a girl or boy, she doesn’t care. It’s a spotless plan. Pure genius.

~

“It’s been a month, Camila!” Ava lets out another deep sigh. She has yet to go shopping because her resources are limited. She’s left with one card and it’s almost maxed out for the month.

They already searched far and wide but there’s no one ‘decent’ enough to be her fake partner. Ava talked to numerous people over the past month. While some were ‘okay’, they weren’t going to pass. Either they’re stupid or their family background would make it obvious that they’re just there for the money. Yes, Ava and Camila decided that whoever ends up agreeing to be her fake partner for a year, will be compensated.

A lot of people are interested but they are just not qualified. Ava will just be wasting money if she chooses someone from that group. She’ll end up embarrassing herself in front of the board. As if they don’t look down on Ava already. She needs someone smart enough to understand the concept of running a business but she also needs this person to have the same wavelength as her so that they can ‘get along’ when they’re pretending in front of the people. Someone who is capable of matching Ava’s energy at the same time, makes the board believe that they’re actually dating.

Ava lies down in the back seat. Camila is driving Lilith to her next photoshoot. Since Ava has nothing better to do, she decided to just tag along and be the official third wheel. Lilith, Camila’s on and off girlfriend, is a supermodel. She’s actually nice but whenever Camila asks her to settle down, they end up breaking up because Lilith is not yet ready to give up her career and have a peaceful life. That is despite being older than both Camila and Ava for around three years. Lilith still refuses to settle down.

Lilith looks back, “Are you still looking for someone to date, Ava?”

“Correction, hot stuff,” Ava raises a finger as she continues, “ Fake date. It’s going to be a pretend relationship. So far, I’ve met people who are just stupid. Cute and hot but utterly stupid when it comes to business talk.”

“You’re looking for what exactly?”

Deciding to humor Lilith further, Ava answers, “Someone smart. Smart to the point that they can answer business questions from the board when I introduce them. But I also need someone who is not interested in dating so there won’t be any complications in the future. Especially when we have to ‘break up’ already. I don’t want complications. I don’t want any relationship and I need someone to understand that so they wouldn’t catch any feelings.”

“I think I know someone,” Lilith says. She looks at Lilith, raising an eyebrow. The model nods, “She fits the description.”

Camila turns around the corner before asking, “Who is she?”

“Remember my friend who is planning to start her own business?” Camila shakes her head, making Lilith roll her eyes. “Beatrice. Beatrice Yun. She just moved here two months ago. She doesn’t date because she’s focused on starting that business of hers and when I ask her if she will ever date, she said she’s not interested in temporary things. I think she’d fit?” Lilith explains.

“Is she smart?” Ava asks.

Lilith looks at her with a grin, “Summa cum laude of management engineering. Full scholarship ride too from first year to fourth year. I think she’s kinda smart.”

Ava never sat up so quickly in her life before. She thinks about all the things she’ll buy once she gets her life back. The places she’ll visit for a road trip when she gets her car back. Just everything falling into place again once that stupid board gets off her back. She looks at Lilith with hope gleaming in her eyes, “Let me talk to her.”

~

“No.”

“What?!” Ava stands, clearly caught by surprise that someone will actually decline her offer.

The person in front of her. Beatrice Yun. Ava doesn’t like her. She’s proud, uninterested, and clearly too full of herself. Who in the right mind will say no to what Ava is offering? No one! Clearly, this Beatrice person is not as smart as Lilith claims her to be.

“You heard me,” Beatrice answers, the thick upper class accent is so evident that Ava nearly rolled her eyes and mocked her. “I am not interested.”

“Why not?” she asks in a calmer tone despite her annoyance. Beatrice might be older than her but she is slowly losing her patience. She needs to get someone as soon as possible because it’s a whole year they are talking about. It didn’t start when her dad froze her cards. It will only start when she finally introduces someone. Safe to say, she’s running out of time.

Beatrice looks at her with a bored expression, “That is a year of wasted time pretending to be in a relationship. I can spend that year finding investors for my startup. I will not waste my precious time helping someone who can’t seem to solve their own problems. Besides, I am not looking for any relationship. And if I was…” Beatrice looks at her from head to toe and shrugs, “You’d be the last on my list.”

“Which makes you the perfect person for this!” Ava groans in frustration. She lets out a sigh and explains again. “I don’t need an actual relationship. I just need someone to pretend to be in a relationship with me. Like you, I also don’t want commitments or anything. Look, you just said I’m not your type. That will work. No complicated feelings in the end!”

“Even if there will be no complications in the end, as I’ve said, I can use that one year to find investors for my startup company. I can’t dilly dally over some rich kid’s problem,” Beatrice explains.

“I’ll invest!” Ava says. This catches Beatrice off guard that even Lilith and Camila are looking at her with confused expressions. “Your startup business. If you agree to help me, you don’t need to find an investor. I’ll invest in your business, enough to get it going. Granted, you successfully helped me, of course.”

Beatrice looks at her with cautious eyes. Then she looks at Lilith and Camila before crossing her arms. “Why are you so insistent that I should be the one to help you?”

“It’s not like I have a choice,” Ava sits down again and sighs. “I’ve interviewed a lot of people already but they don’t know business talk that much. They’re all looks. Lilith told me you’re smart and if you’re starting a business, that means you can answer board-level questions. It’s also a plus that you’re not interested in dating. I don’t want any complications but I need to make sure that the company my parents worked hard for remains ours. Camila knows this.”

Camila nods, “It’s true. I wouldn’t support her if she’s just playing around.”

Lilith looks at Beatrice, “What do you say, Bea? I think it’s a good deal. You’ll get a sure investor at the end of this. During that one year, you can try to get clients and work more on that business you’ll be starting.”

Ava waits. She (unwillingly) waits for Beatrice’s answer. She’s desperate and if Beatrice doesn’t agree, she will have to go back to square one. Ava hates to admit it but so far, Beatrice is the perfect candidate. Plus, she has a good head between her shoulders. Her dad will definitely believe their act.

Beatrice leans back, craning her neck and unconsciously flexing her jawline. It’s like the girl is thinking everything through. The older girl lets out a deep breath and looks at Ava, “I want a written agreement with clauses and details. Have Camila and Lilith as witness and sign it. If someone fails to keep their end of the deal, the deal is automatically off.”

“Yes!” Ava jumps up and hugs Beatrice. “Thank you so much!” the older girl automatically makes space between them and dusts her shoulders, as if Ava carried germs and passed it on to her.

“Get your hands off me,” Beatrice says.

Ava chuckles, “Oh get used to it!” She playfully hits the taller girl’s shoulder and winks, “Girlfriend.”

Beatrice gives her a displeased look, “I will only let you get your hands on me when there are people and I will only touch you when people are looking. Don’t get carried away.”

Off to a great start, Ava thinks. 

~

“Are you sure this will work out just fine, Ava? I mean, you and Beatrice didn’t even get along when you two met two days ago. How do you plan to make uncle Dante believe that you two are ‘serious’ about dating each other?” Camila asks as soon as they are alone inside Ava’s apartment.

Her best friend has a point. The point is so huge, it will look like a comet. Camila is right though. She doesn’t like Beatrice. Hell, the girl doesn’t even know how to smile and Ava hates it most when people are stoic as if they don’t feel anything. But that’s also the best part of choosing Beatrice as the person who will help her. Sure, it might cost a lot in the future but Ava has this belief that money will eventually come back.

“I’ll just have to talk to her to make up a story on how we met and why we clicked,” Ava answers. She sits beside Camila. Leaning back, she says, “Will have to get to know her a bit though. Basic things such as birthday, favorite color, and the likes.”

“How do you expect to do that when she’s all focused on her startup company? I mean, she does look like she will do anything to get her shit going,” Camila asks again.

Here’s the thing: Ava needs to convince her dad first that she is really dating Beatrice. That won’t be a problem (she thinks) because she’s basically a flirt and she’s never had a problem making someone believe that they’re into them. The problem is: will Beatrice be able to act with her? While she doesn't doubt Beatrice’s knowledge on business, acting like being into someone might be a different topic. It’s a little tricky.

Ava takes her phone and looks for Beatrice’s number. Yes, she got Beatrice’s number from the girl herself because since she already agreed to be Ava’s partner in crime (temporarily), they need to be acquainted. Or at least, be civil with each other enough to not bicker in front of others.

She types a message and hits send as soon as she’s done. Ava waits a few minutes before she receives a reply.

Ava:
Hey, it’s Ava. Don’t you think that we need
to at least get to know each other? Like, to ‘prepare’
for people’s questions?

Beatrice:
I will only ‘get to know’ you once
I see the contract about this deal.

Ava:
Geez, you’re so uptight about this. It’s
not like I’m going to scam you into being
in a relationship with me.

Beatrice:
It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Beatrice:
Do you need anything else? I’m a busy person.

Ava:
Just your email. I’ll send the draft about
our deal. Read through it and let me know
what you think. Okay?

Beatrice:
Alright. Send it to
[email protected]

Ava:
Thanks!
Read 18:29

“Bitch left me on read,” Ava huffs. She tosses her phone somewhere on the couch. “What could the contract have? The clauses and all. Of course, there’s a clause there about not catching feelings. That’s important.”

Camila moves to where her bag is, by the end of the couch. She pulls her laptop out and opens the document app. “I think, first and foremost, you should be specific with what she needs to accomplish before you invest in her business. I mean, this is a business deal, if you think about it.”

“You’re right,” Ava says. She leans her head on Camila’s shoulder. They work on her clauses first, making sure it discusses everything. They made it as detailed as possible to lessen the questions that may arise. So far, the contract is divided into three sections. Ava’s terms, Beatrice’s terms, and what they agree together. Ava realizes that it’s a bit more complicated than she initially planned it to be. Trust a ‘smart’ person to make easy things complicated, right?

After finishing the draft, Ava takes the laptop and sends the document to Beatrice herself. Then, she messages the older girl again.

Ava:
Sent the draft! Fill up your part for
the terms then send it back so we
can discuss if they are doable or not.

Beatrice:
Alright. Got it. Thanks.

Eager to get even, Ava leaves the girl on ‘read’ too. Yes, she’s that petty. She’s not used to people being rude to her. She’s Ava for Pete's sake. No one is ever rude to her. Except for this Beatrice girl who seems to have been living under a rock because who is she to not know Ava? Clearly, she’s not updated on the latest things in the business world. Everyone who wants to be anyone in the business industry ends up groveling on Ava’s foot. This girl, however, blatantly rejected her offer if it weren’t for the invested thing that Ava promised.

Camila leaves to be with Lilith, giving Ava more time for herself. She doesn’t do much. She’s also not in the mood to party so she just ends up watching something on Disney+ since Netflix is a sore loser. Bored, Ava opens her own laptop and checks on what is happening with their company. She’s still a stockholder so she gets email updates on what is happening and what not. Aside from the fact that their stock value rose by five percent over the last quarter, nothing much changed.

As for her other investments, they’re all doing good so there’s nothing to worry about. Ava hears her phone’s message alert tone so she grabs it from the side table. It’s Beatrice. She frowns while opening the message.

Beatrice:
I read everything and added my
own terms. Just sent it back.

Ava:
I’m not doing anything right now.
I’ll read it and send some things I might
want to discuss further. When are you
free to go over this?

Beatrice:
I’m free right now. If you want
to hop on a call, just let me know.

Ava lets out a deep sigh as the document is loading. She reads through it, carefully taking in the details and noting down the things she wants to discuss with Beatrice. Most of the clauses under Beatrice’s terms are doable. Although Ava notes that they will have to discuss the physical limitations of their set up. So far, that’s the only issue Ava has in mind. She’s not worried about catching feelings or anything because she’s been there before. She’s had fuck buddies and never did she catch any feelings for anyone. She’s not about to start catching feelings for someone now. Ava has her priorities. Feelings aren’t one of them.

Ava:
I’ll call now.

Beatrice:
Okay.

Ava presses the call button. On the first ring, Beatrice answers and says, “I assume you have other demands aside from the endless demands you have entered there on the contract?”

“What do you mean you’re not moving in here? Do you not get it? We need to convince people that we’re serious about this. Moving in is needed. It’s not like you’re going to share a bed with me, Beatrice. I have two rooms here,” Ava says under one breath.

Beatrice sighs, “I can’t just give up my apartment. That would be very stupid of me. The agreement is one year. I commented there. I can do sleepovers but I will not give up my apartment and move in with you just because we’re in a pretend relationship.”

She hates it when other people make sense compared to her. Ava huffs, “What about three D? What do you mean I have to accompany you in some business meetings?”

“It’s what it is. The business world is small, Ava. If people find out that we’re together, it’s most likely to spread among other business people. While I help you convince your company’s board that we are dating, you are also expected to help me get other people to avail my company’s services. It’s a give and take deal,” the girl says from the other end of the line.

“One meeting a week.”

“Two at max or I’m not signing anything,” Beatrice says.

Ava lets out a frustrated groan, “Fine! Two. But that’s it!” She looks at her notes again, “Three C. I’m not allowed to see other people?”

“Do you want to risk being called a cheater? You mentioned that your father told you that your reputation is at its worst. If you ever become a ‘cheater’ while being in a ‘relationship’ with me, you will never recover from that. Everyone hates cheaters.”

That makes sense but it’s also annoying. Ava sighs, “But what about sex? I have to be celebate the whole year?!”

“Would you rather lose your company because of a random one night stand or be celebate for a year and then have everyone and anyone after securing your spot as the next CEO?” Beatrice says.

“Fine. Number four is still empty,” she answers. “You’re not a virgin, right?”

She hears Beatrice’s mocking laugh from the other line. It’s annoying. Ava hates it. “You can ask some of Lilith’s model friends if I’m a virgin, Ms. Silva. I’m sure they will love to talk to you about it.”

“Okay, not a virgin. Got the idea already, gigolette,” Ava says. “Then there will be no problem discussing the physical limitations of this set up, right?”

“Holding hands in public?” Beatrice asks.

“Definitely part of the act, yes. Kisses?”

“Hands, cheeks, lips, I’m alright as long as it’s necessary. Neck kisses, if requested,” the older girl jokes.

“You wish I’d request it. So that’s hands, cheeks, and lips. I’ll put it here now,” Ava rolls her eyes even though Beatrice can’t see it. She continues, “If needed and necessary. It will most likely be to prove the relationship further.”

“Hugs are fine too. I think a hug is the most common thing partners do these days to show affection,” Beatrice adds. “Are you okay with people hugging you?”

“People, no. But remember, you’re my ‘girlfriend’ until further notice so I should be okay with it,” Ava answers. “You can read social cues, right? You’re not dumb in the real world unlike other smart people?”

Beatrice hums, “Trust me, I’ll know when to do what is needed.”

“This has to be perfect, Beatrice. This is my parents’ company we’re talking about,” she reminds.

“I know,” Beatrice sighs. “My company’s pretty much on the line here as well. I will not risk it.”

“It’s good to be clear,” she answers. “We can’t really foresee what else is there to discuss when it comes to this arrangement but let’s get one thing clear, Beatrice,” Ava clears her throat.

“What is it?”

“No feelings. No falling in love. No complications,” she says in a firm tone.

“I’m only agreeing to this for my business. No feelings, no falling in love, and definitely no complications,” Beatrice assures. 

Ava types everything while her phone is on speaker. She nods, “Alright. The contract’s done. I’ll sign it and send it over to you.”

“No.”

“What now? Are you backing out?”

Beatrice chuckles, “No, Ava. Don’t send it. Emails can be accessed if hackers are thorough enough. Print it, delete our email conversation even from the trash folder and then just send me two hard copies. One for you, one for me. That way, no one will find out aside from us and of course, Camila and Lilith.”

“Oh,” Ava clicks print and nods. “You are smart,” she says.

“I am. Don’t worry, now that it’s final, I’ll be nice to you,” Beatrice says. “After all, you are an investor. It’s only right to be decent towards you.”

“If I had known that you’d be nice like that, I would have gone with the investment card instantly,” Ava can’t help but smile as she waits for the document to be printed.

She hears Beatrice laugh, a bit lightly this time, “Don’t get used to it. I’m only doing this for the money you have.”

“I know,” Ava answers. “Don’t worry, I’ll be a good fake girlfriend to you as long as you can be of use to me.”

“I look forward to working with you, Ava. I have to go now,” she hears something from the background. “I’ll leave it up to you to think of the details on how we met and how far we’ve gone in terms of our ‘relationship’. Just let me know so I can follow the narrative you’ll come up with. Have a great night,” Beatrice ends the call even before Ava can answer.

Once the documents are printed, she puts them in two separate folders.

Ava Silva and Beatrice Yun hereby agree to the following:

        A. Throughout this agreement, the term “relationship” will refer to any information related to Ava Silva and Beatrice Yun’s agreement that is generally not known to any third parties (except for Camila Isigani and Lilith Theoper). The ‘relationship’ includes, but is not limited to:

1. 1. Ava and Beatrice being affectionate with each other in public;
   2. Going on ‘dates’ to prove that they are in a relationship.
   3. Relationship discussions.
   4. Discussion of other matters as deemed needed.
   5. Not being in relationship with anyone else during the ‘relationship’.

        B. Beatrice Yun understands that any any intentional or unintentional disclosure of confidential information may be detrimental to Ava Silva and accordingly agrees:

1. 1. Not to disclose discussions with Ava Silva except when required by law
   2. Not to use any confidential information in any way other than for ‘relationship’ purposes.
   3. To not entertain other people while being in a ‘relationship’ with Ava Silva.
   4. That during the third (3rd) month of being in a ‘relationship’, Beatrice Yun will start to do sleepovers at Ava Silva home as proof that they are ‘serious’ in their ‘relationship’.
   5. If Beatrice Yun starts to develop feelings for Ava Silva, they will ultimately and automatically ‘break up’ and the agreement to invest in Beatrice Yun’s business will be void.
   6. Ava Silva will only invest in Beatrice’s Yun’s business after it is sure that she’s successfully helped in securing Ava Silva’s position in the company.

        C. Along with the terms above, Ava Silva agrees:

1. 1. Not to bother Beatrice Yun when she is working on her business.
   2. Not to demand more time than necessary.
   3. While Beatrice Yun is not allowed to see other people outside the ‘relationship’, Ava Silva is also not allowed to entertain anyone.
   4. If needed, Ava Silva will be attending some business meetings with possible clients and investors with Beatrice Yun. Meetings will be limited to twice a week.
   5. There will be no feelings involved. This arrangement is purely for business only.
   6. At the end of the ‘relationship’, Ava Silva promises to invest in Beatrice Yun’s business as compensation for helping her secure her position in the company.

        D. A relationship will require ‘physical contact’. Both parties are adults and agree to the following:

1. 1. Hand holding
   2. Hugs
   3. Kisses only if necessary. Kisses are allowed in the following areas:
      1. Hand 
      2. Cheek
      3. Lips
   4. Both parties agree that they will not do anything without the other’s consent.
   5. Both parties agree that there will be no developing feelings, no falling in love, and no complications during and even after the ‘relationship’ has ended.

“This is as good as it’s gonna get,” Ava says after signing both documents and putting it in a secure envelope for her to bring tomorrow. It’s already late and she’s tired. Deciding that there’s nothing much better to do, Ava takes a quick shower before heading to bed. The future is looking better. She’s sure that with the help of Beatrice, she will not lose their company.

Ava just hopes that Beatrice doesn’t do anything to complicate things.

~

It’s going to be perfect, Ava repeats in her mind as she paces back and forth. Beatrice is sitting on the couch in front of her, seemingly nonchalant as she reads a book. She faces the girl, “Are you not nervous?”

Beatrice looks up from her book and raises an eyebrow, “Not really. Do I have a reason to be nervous?”

“You’ll meet my dad! He needs to believe that we’re really dating for, I don’t know, three weeks already! It’s been two months since he froze every account of mine and I’m not having fun in my life anymore,” Ava says. She’s literally on the brink of a mental breakdown because if she can’t convince her dad, she sure as hell won't be able to convince the board about her dating someone seriously. It doesn’t help that her so-called ‘partner’ is not really fazed by anything. “Did you memorize the details I sent you? Even some of the things about me?”

The older girl nods then pats the space beside her, as if telling Ava to sit. When Ava doesn’t, she sighs, “Come on, Ava, sit here and relax.”

“How can I relax, Beatrice? My life literally depends on this. This whole setup and the three weeks of us planning everything depends on this. If this doesn’t work, we just wasted weeks for nothing!” she starts pacing back and forth again. Ava is not the nervous type but this is serious. Sure, the board didn’t give her an ultimatum on when she needs to ‘introduce’ someone but the more she waits, the more the board will be convinced that she doesn’t deserve to inherit the company her parents worked so hard for. And she misses her old life back. Ever since she and Beatrice signed the contract, it’s been just her and some of her toys . It’s fun, yes, but it’s not fun enough.

Beatrice stands and walks to where she is. She puts her hands on Ava’s shoulders to stop Ava from moving, “You’re Ava Silva, twenty five years old, turning twenty six on August eighteen. You’re an only child. Your favorite color is beige, you hate orange. You don’t eat raisins, you think a tiger is an orange cow and it’s the only orange thing you’ll accept. You hate pineapples on pizza. You like going on road trips but you hate driving. We’ve been dating for three weeks. Lilith introduced us to each other. We talked and it started from there. We didn’t actually call it a ‘date’ until Camila pointed it out. We usually just hangout at a cafe and then do casual drinking from time to time. We were on our third night of hanging out when you asked me if I’m making a move on you and I answered you with a yes.” The older girl tucks Ava’s loose hair behind her ear, “Because apparently, I was interested in you the first time we ever met.”

Ava lets out a deep breath and nods, “Alright. Fine. Fine.”

“Good enough, madam?”

“You memorized everything down to the littlest detail,” Ava says as she breathes out once more. “I just want this to be perfect, Beatrice. I can’t let my parents’ hard work fall into the hands of someone else. That’s our company.”

“I know. I understand where you’re coming from,” Beatrice returns to the couch and picks up her book again. Before she starts reading, she looks up, meeting Ava’s eyes along the way, “Trust and let me lead when there are other people, okay? They’ll believe that we’re so in love with each other to the point where their teeth will rot.”

Ava plops herself on the space beside Beatrice and puts her legs up so she can hug them. “My dad better believe that we’re dating or everything’s for shit,” she murmurs in a soft voice, just loud enough for her and Beatrice to hear.

The older girl looks at her, “What time do we have to leave to meet your dad?”

“We should be there by seven at the latest.”

“We should get going then,” Beatrice closes her book and stands. Ava looks at her as if she grew another head, “What? I can’t come there late. It’s better to be earlier than your dad to make a good impression. He wanted a decent person, am I right?”

Ava nods, “Fine. I’ll just change my clothes.” She stands too and makes her way to her room.

Over the past three weeks, Beatrice and Ava have gotten acquainted with each other. They’re not close enough to be considered friends but they don’t argue over the pettiest things anymore. In fact, they can now be left alone without ending in a screaming battle on why one is obnoxious and the other is being unreasonable. During those three weeks, they calmed down and realized that it’s tiring to always fight and they won’t make any progress if they continue what they’re doing. Sometimes, Beatrice ends up spending the day at Ava’s place just so they can plan everything accordingly. There will be times wherein Ava needs to meet Beatrice in a cafe just to ‘spend’ time with her.

One time, while Beatrice was staying at Ava’s place, her dad called. Beatrice called Ava to let her know about her phone ringing. Thinking that it was just Camila, Ava told her to answer. Beatrice, not thinking about it, answers the call. That’s when Dante found out that there’s another person in Ava’s life. Ava felt terrified when she saw Beatrice talking to her dad on the phone while looking at her with a confused expression. After the call ended, Beatrice handed the phone back to Ava and simply said that her dad is asking to meet them both as soon as possible. That was two days ago. Ava told her dad that they can meet him today, which is why they’re on their way.

They arrive at the restaurant thirty minutes before seven. The host ushers them towards their booth. To Ava’s surprise, Beatrice pulls the chair for her. When she looks at the girl, Beatrice merely raises an eyebrow and points to the chair with her lips. Ava sits and Beatrice sits beside her.

From her peripheral view, she sees Beatrice leaning towards her to whisper, “Are you still nervous?” Ava nods. “Alright, drink some water.  I’ll put my hand on your leg, okay? Just to make it look intimate from other people’s perspective. You can shake your leg twice if you start to feel uncomfortable with it and I’ll remove my hand in an instant. Is that okay?”

“Yes,” Ava answers. She takes a sip of water while the waiter hands the menu to them.

“Ava!” she hears her dad’s voice approaching them. Dante looks like his usual self. Ava stands and hugs her dad, “Why didn’t you tell me you’re seeing someone?”

“Dad, at least sit down before you start asking questions,” she gestures to the table where Beatrice is seated. When the older girl meets Dante’s eyes, she stands and offers her hand.

“Mr. Silva, it’s a pleasure to meet you in person. I am Beatrice Yun,” she says.

Dante squints his eyes, trying to see if Beatrice is faking it. Ava feels nervous. To her relief, Beatrice doesn’t yield and keeps her eyes on Dante. The man nods and accepts her handshake, “Just call me Dante. Nice to put a face on that voice I heard the other day.”

Once seated, they order first before talking. Ava starts to feel nervous again. This is worse than defending her thesis with a terror panel during college. She just wants to escape, to make a run for it but she also needs to make sure that she will make her parents proud. Sure, it will be through deceiving her dad that she’s in a ‘relationship’ with someone but it’s better than losing the company altogether.

“So, Beatrice, is it?” Dante starts.

“Yes, sir,” Beatrice nods. She gets the idea that Ava is nervous beside her so under the table, Ava feels Beatrice’s hand on her leg again. The older girl pats Ava’s leg gently, as if telling her that everything will be alright.

Dante notices that Beatrice’s hand is on Ava but he doesn’t comment on that. Instead, he looks at Beatrice, “Were you not hired by Ava?”

“Daddy!” Ava exclaims.

Beatrice puts a hand on Ava’s shoulder. It’s the same hand she used to hold Ava’s leg. She swiftly maneuvered it from Ava’s leg to her shoulder, “Darling, settle down.” She turns to Dante and smiles, “I wish that was the case, Dante. It would be easier than struggling to get my business to start. Sadly, I didn’t even know that Ava was related to you until I got to talk to you.”

“How did you two meet?”

“It's a funny story, actually,” Beatrice glances at Ava before looking at Dante again. “I’ve been friends with Lilith since college and when she heard that I just moved here, she told me to tag along in one of her gigs. That’s when I first saw Ava. She was with Camila, Lilith’s girlfriend. I asked Lilith about her but instead of introducing us to each other, Lilith told me that Ava’s not interested in anything. The next time I saw her, she was outside the studio, carrying three drinks. I helped her and when we got inside, Lilith introduced us. I honestly gave up since I already know that she’s not interested in relationships. But that day, I think Ava was bored so we just talked about anything, everything, and went from there.”

Dante studies Beatrice’s expression. Ava confirms that she did get half of her dad’s traits and it shows. The man’s expression softens, “You don’t know Ava’s current situation? You really just genuinely like my daughter? Are you sure?”

Beatrice smiles. For the first time, Ava sees a smile on Beatrice’s face. It’s not usual for the girl to smile. Ava thinks that ever since she met Beatrice, there’s only a handful of times she saw her smile and this is already one of it. 

Beatrice should smile more often, Ava thinks.

The older girl looks at Ava then back at Dante, “I don’t think there’s something not to like about your daughter, Dante.”

Ava blinks. She looks at Beatrice, who is smiling still. Then she looks at her dad. Dante leans back and crosses his arms, “Alright. I’ll let you off the hook for now. But I will keep an eye on you, Beatrice.”

“I would too if I had a daughter like yours,” Beatrice answers.

Dinner goes by with Dante and Beatrice talking mostly about business. Every once in a while, Ava will get startled by Beatrice’s gestures. She’s not used to it. Beatrice literally wipes her lips with a napkin, slices her steak into bite sizes for her, asks her if she’s full or if she wants anything else. It’s completely different from the asshole Beatrice that she’s used to.

“Enough about business. Did Ava talk to you about herself? She’s extra close to her mother,” Dante smiles, now comfortable with talking to Beatrice.

Ava, on the other hand, is not. There are things she prefers to not talk about. One of those things is about her mother. Beatrice sees how Ava’s mood turns sour before she stands up. “Excuse me. I’ll just go to the washroom,” Ava excuses herself.

Before she can even go far from the table, Ava hears Beatrice say, “No. We have yet to touch familial topics. We’re taking things slow, as you can see. I’d want Ava to be at her most comfortable before sharing personal things…”

Inside the washroom, Ava leans her hands on the counter and stares on the tiled floor. She hears the door open but she doesn’t pay attention to it. Ava feels a hand on her arm, cautiously squeezing to get her attention.

“Are you alright?” Beatrice asks in a soft tone.

“We’re alone. You don’t have to pretend,” she answers in a tone that is more aggressive than she originally planned it to be.

Beatrice doesn’t seem to mind. As if she doesn’t care. She merely lets out a sigh, “We agreed to only discuss things when it’s necessary. You don’t have to tell me about your mother if you’re not comfortable about it. I also won’t ask anything.”

Ava turns her head. Looking at Beatrice, she asks, “You’re really good at acting, by the way.”

The older girl’s lips quirk into a lopsided grin, “I told you to trust me, didn’t I? I never disappoint.”

“Dad will probably tell the board about you. We might get invited to different events in our company just for them to meet you and judge if our relationship is real.”

Beatrice lets her arm go. The older girl completely turns her back on the faucet and leans against the counter before crossing her arms, “Nothing I can’t handle. Don’t worry.” She cranes her head and looks at Ava, “Shall we go out and bid goodbye to your dad so we can both call it a night?”

Ava takes a deep breath and nods, “I’m exhausted.”

They start walking towards the door, Beatrice opening the door for her. Once outside the washroom, Ava feels Beatrice’s hand on hers, which causes her to look at the girl. Beatrice winks, “Your dad’s watching. I have to make it look more believable.” To add a cherry on top, Beatrice even kisses the back of Ava’s hand before she gently tugs the girl back to their table where her dad is watching them with a smile on his face.

Maybe they can actually pull this off. Ava feels hopeful. She looks at her hand, the same hand Beatrice is still holding, and nods to herself. They’ll pull this off. She just needs to go with the flow and let Beatrice lead when they’re in front of other people.

Somehow, Ava finds herself trusting Beatrice. It’s not like she has a choice. She did make a deal with Beatrice, after all. And their deal is to pretend like they’re in love. So far, Beatrice is doing a pretty damn good job at it.

They’ll pull this one off without any complications. Ava just knows it.

~

It’s just another normal day for Ava. Except her normal days went from going shopping to actually just being inside her apartment while Beatrice occupies the dining table with her paperwork and other business related stuff. So again, today is a normal day for Ava.

“Why are you here again?” she asks Beatrice while she lazes on the couch, flipping through the channels despite knowing that nothing there interests her. Ava raises her head, peeking over the backrest so she can see what the girl is doing.

Beatrice is on her laptop, dressed in her casual clothes. The older girl looks in her direction, pausing from typing before answering, “It’s cold here.”

“That doesn’t even make sense,” Ava says.

“I noticed a certain man around my apartment’s area. Pretty sure that’s your dad’s employee,” Beatrice stands to walk to the couch. She places her hands on the backrest and looks down, particularly looking at Ava, “He’s not doing anything harmful but it’ll be better if he could report to your dad that I often come here, right? Or would you rather have me in a cafe where other girls are hitting on me?”

Ava frowns, “You’re not allowed to entertain other people while we’re in this thing, remember?”

The corners of Beatrice’s mouth turn up. “My loyalty and faithfulness remains but it’s a different story when other people are hitting on me, Ava. I can’t really control them if they think I’m attractive, can I?”

“You know, at first, I thought you had a stick stuck up your ass because you’re so uptight and serious,” she answers.

“And now?”

“I just think you’re an asshole who is fixated on her business. Still an asshole, nonetheless,” Ava says without any doubt in her voice.

Beatrice shrugs, “You’re ‘dating’ this asshole.”

“Are you getting carried away, Beatrice? You’ve been bringing up that ‘dating’ word since earlier,” she teases.

The older girl uses a finger to tilt Ava’s chin up. Ava is frozen while Beatrice leans down with their eyes on each other. She literally holds her breath and before Beatrice can come too close, the older girl stops. “It concerns me that you’ll actually let me kiss you even without people watching,” Beatrice says in a low voice before she pulls away and crosses her arms. “You do remember that everything about this is fake and just pretend, right?”

Ava rolls her eyes, “I’m not one to swallow my own words. Don’t worry, you’re not as irresistible as you think you are.”

“That’s good. At least there’s one thing we can agree on,” Beatrice turns her back and returns to the dining area so she can continue working.

Ava throws her head back and puts an arm over her eyes. She takes deep breaths, calming herself down because Beatrice doing that stunt when it’s just the two of them isn’t on her bingo card today. She’s glad though. Ava is beyond glad that Beatrice is doing her end of the bargain. The invested amount will be worth it in the end.

~

“A random ‘I’m on my way’ is not how you should invite a lady for dinner, Beatrice!” Ava hisses as she rummages through her closet with Beatrice leaning against the doorframe. “What the hell do you expect to wear to a dinner with some possible client of yours? I know I agreed to help you with this but on such short notice?!”

Beatrice slightly loosens her tie and sighs, “It’s not like I had a choice. I was also caught by surprise when Dr. Perez called. He said he’ll be flying to Singapore for a month-long convention and that his only free time is tonight. If it were up to me, I’d prefer to plan at least a week ahead of time. I agreed thinking that it would be just me and him but then he said to bring my girlfriend along.”

Ava pulls a dress out. It still has the tag because Ava never really wore it before. She looks at Beatrice, “Your tie’s red. This will do.”

“It’s just dinner,” Beatrice answers. “I think he’s still not convinced that I’m not into his daughter.”

“It’s not ‘just’ dinner, idiot. It’s dinner with a possible client. You mentioned that he has a convention? That means more network. If you manage to impress him, he will probably recommend you to his friends. More clients for you,” Ava navigates herself around her room, grabbing accessories, stilettos, and even a bag that will match her shoes. She looks at Beatrice, “What do you mean by his daughter?”

Beatrice raises an eyebrow, “Jealous?”

“Are you an idiot through and through?” Ava walks up to the older girl and pulls the tie down so they can be on the same level. “If we fuck this one up, he’ll insist for you to date his daughter and I will be left without a fake girlfriend and a company. Get your shit together. Rumors spread like wildfire.”

The older girl gently tugs her tie back, “The daughter’s been bugging me since before you entered the picture, darling. I didn’t look at her before, I’m not about to look at her now. Not when this…” Beatrice points at her then at Ava, “Can be compromised.”

“Fine,” Ava turns around and starts unbuttoning her shirt. She looks over her shoulder, “Are you gonna watch me change into the dress?”

Beatrice puts an arm on the doorframe, leaning on it with her tie loosened and her hair a bit of a mess. She has that annoying grin on her face when she teases Ava and says, “I didn’t know I could watch. Is that another fake girlfriend perk?”

Ava presses her lips together. “Out.”

The older girl laughs and closes the door, “Don’t take too long, Ava. I don’t like coming in late.”

“Shut up and let me do what I need to do then!” Ava yells.

She continues what she’s doing and removes her clothes completely. Ava removes the tag on the dress and wears it. The velvet texture makes her look sultry even without trying. Ava remembers why she bought it in the first place. She combs her hair, not bothering to tie it because her hair’s in a good mood today. Ava takes her gold earrings from the jewelry box, along with a gold necklace with a simple pendant. She doesn’t forget to put perfume on because everybody likes someone who smells good.

After slipping on the stilettos, she’s done. Ava goes out of her room with her clutch bag in hand. She finds Beatrice on the couch, head thrown back on the backrest with her eyes closed.

“Are you dead?” Ava teases. “You can’t die until next year.” Beatrice moves her head, looking at Ava. She doesn’t fail to notice how the girl’s lips part in awe when she sees Ava. To tease her further, Ava does a short spin, “Cleaned up pretty good, didn’t I?”

“I hate to admit but you are gorgeous,” Beatrice stands, grabbing her coat from the couch’s arm rest.

“Did you just compliment me?” Ava is confused. Beatrice never compliments her. It’s always bickering and petty arguments but never compliments and admiration.

The taller girl looks at her, “I may be every bit of a menace to you but I know when to say compliments when compliments are due.” She pats her pocket, seemingly checking if her car keys are there. “Let’s go,” Beatrice says when she finds her keys.

“Hold on,” Ava stops her and steps forward.

“Fell for my charms already?” Beatrice raises an eyebrow.

Ava shakes her head and sighs. She pulls Beatrice by the tie, “You’re an idiot. A smart idiotic asshole. Your tie’s a mess.” Ava doesn’t look at her as she fixes Beatrice’s tie. She’s feeling something warm inside her and it’s annoying her. To get rid of the warm feeling, Ava glances at Beatrice then tightens the tie, playfully choking the girl.

“You she-devil,” Beatrice quickly loosens the tie. “You nearly killed me!”

“It didn’t even make a dent to your lifeline, don’t worry,” Ava walks past the older girl, making sure to sway her hips.

“Ava!” Beatrice chases after her. When Ava stops, Beatrice stands in front of her again, “Please, fix the tie again and don’t choke me this time.”

Ava laughs and does what she’s told. She expertly fixes the tie and looks up, “What will you do without me, hmm?”

Beatrice tilts her head, “I don’t know, darling. Would you like to find out?”

Again, she can’t help but laugh. “You know, among all the endearments in the world, I didn’t think you’d use ‘darling’ on me. I thought people like you were more of a ‘babe’ type.”

“Are you a pig?”

“What?”

“Babe is the name of the pig in a movie, isn’t it?”

Ava lost count on how many times she had laughed because of Beatrice’s dry humor. It’s not really funny when she thinks about it but the way Beatrice says it with her straight face makes it the funniest. Ava finishes fixing the tie. She doesn’t know why but instead of pulling her hand away, she gently uses her fingers to trace Beatrice’s chest, watching it carefully until it stops just by the girl’s sternum. 

“All done,” she says. They don’t move, though. Instead, Ava feels Beatrice’s hands on her waist. She looks up, finding Beatrice looking at her already, “Aren’t you a bit touchy even though we’re alone?”

Beatrice’s lips twitch, “It’s better to warm up before the actual thing, isn’t it?” Ava feels the hairs of her back starting to stand when Beatrice moves her hands up, tracking the curve of her waist before settling it back on her hips, “You look wonderful, Ava.”

Ava’s throat dries up. She nibbles on her bottom lip, deciding to ‘warm up’ as well. Grabbing Beatrice’s tie, she gently tugs it down and presses her lips against Beatrice’s. It’s just a peck. Before Beatrice can respond, Ava already pulls back and smiles.

“Why did you do that?” Beatrice asks in a low voice.

She shrugs, walking past Beatrice again, “Warm up.”

Ava balls her fist. Her heart is racing because of the adrenaline. It’s been so long since she last kissed someone and now that she did, she is suddenly reminded of what is at risk.

Her hand is now held by Beatrice. Without looking at each other, they make their way to the elevator. Without looking at each other, Ava finds it comforting that their fingers automatically lace with each other.

~

Dr. Perez is a shithead. Ava is convinced that this person is better left to rot than to become a client. She’s pretty sure that Beatrice thinks so too. With the way Beatrice is just nodding and not even a hundred percent into the conversation is a dead giveaway.

The worst part of the night is that when Ava and Beatrice got to the restaurant, they were expecting Dr. Perez was there with his assistant and not his daughter. Ava is sure that the man is still trying to set up his daughter with Beatrice. The desperation is so thick that it can be sliced like a hot knife through butter.

“So, Beatrice, how long have you two been dating?” Vania, Dr. Perez’s daughter asks.

Beatrice glances at Ava while smiling, “A while. I’m particularly a very private person. I don’t go around broadcasting that I have a girlfriend.”

“Is it because you’re not that proud of the relationship?” Vania follows up. Ava wants to just get the fork and gouge the girl’s eyes out. Or maybe like Rengoku from Demon Slayer, she should punch a hole through this girl’s chest instead?

Nevertheless, Beatrice doesn’t let it slide. Ava feels the girl take her hand and soon rough, she feels Beatrice’s lips on the back of her hand, “I’m very proud to call myself Ava’s girlfriend, Vania. But people tend to ruin beautiful things and I won’t let that happen to our relationship.”

That shut her up. Ava feels Vania’s stare on her so instead of being petty (despite wanting to be), she looks down and chuckles, “You don’t have to be so romantic, love. Not in front of others.”

Beatrice laughs lightheartedly, “I’m sorry, Dr. Perez. I know that romance isn’t necessarily needed in this meeting but I can’t help it when I’m around my woman.”

My woman, Ava thinks. She mentally laughs at how corny that sounds but then again, they have to pretend that they’re helplessly in love with each other so she might as well go with it.

Vania never said a word after that. Ava thanks the heavens above that the poor girl finally understood that Beatrice is not interested in her. There’s that certain smugness spreading through her veins. It’s toxic, slowly poisoning her without her knowledge but Ava doesn’t have any antidote for it. Although even if she did, she wouldn’t have taken it anyway. Not until she gets what she wants.

After dinner, they walk out of the restaurant with their hands still interlocked with each other. Beatrice leads them to where the car is, and since there are still people watching, she even walks Ava to the passenger door.

Ava sees Dr. Perez and Vania walking out of the restaurant as well. From the looks of it, the father-daughter pair are on their way to Ava and Beatrice’s direction. Now, Ava thinks she can be petty.

She stops Beatrice and turns her back on the car, confusing the older girl. Beatrice raises an eyebrow, “What?”

“Kiss me.”

“Have you gone mad?”

Ava pulls Beatrice by her tie again and grins, “Vania and Dr. Perez, they’re walking towards our direction. While you might have stopped that bitch from insulting me, I want to make sure she remembers that she doesn’t stand a chance on you. Ever.” She twists Beatrice’s tie around her fingers, their lips merely an inch apart, “So be a good fake girlfriend and kiss me like you can’t help it.”

Beatrice doesn’t need to be told twice. Ava feels the girl’s hand gently touch her cheek, her slender fingers tracing a line down her jaw. Her heart races as their lips meet, soft and gentle at first, then with a growing intensity. Ava can’t help but wrap her arms around Beatrice’s neck, her back arching to feel more of the girl’s body against hers. Beatrice isn’t shy about kissing her as well, one hand slowly tracing down every curve before settling on the curve just above her bosom. Ava doesn’t miss the way Beatrice’s hand rakes through the dress’ cloth though.

She feels Beatrice smiling against her lips. Annoyed, Ava unwraps her arms and uses a hand to tug Beatrice’s tie once more. The kiss lasts for what feels like a lifetime, their lips parting only for brief moments to catch their breath.

They hear someone clearing their throat. Ava looks to her left and sees Vania with her dad, looking at them like they just broke her heart. Maybe they did but Ava doesn’t care.

Ava chuckles softly and utters, “Sorry,” before looking on the ground to look embarrassed that they were caught red handed.

“No, by all means, don’t mind us,” Vania says with pure venom in her mouth.

Beatrice, who has her forehead resting on Ava’s shoulder, slightly looks up by turning her head and smiling, “My apologies, Dr. Perez, I couldn’t wait until we were inside the car.”

Vania huffs, pulling her dad away. Dr. Perez doesn’t look like he’s interested.

“You just lost a client, I think,” Ava says.

Beatrice shrugs, “I’d rather lick a shoe than have him as a client. He’d be very difficult to work with.” The girl pulls her and opens the door, “You’re a terrible kisser, by the way.”

Ava takes that in the most offensive way possible. She glares at Beatrice, “Terrible?! You fucking enjoyed that!” The girl closes the door, completely ignoring her as Beatrice walks around the car to get to the driver’s seat. Once she gets inside, Ava starts again, “You take that back! I’m a goddamn good kisser and I will not let you insult me like that after helping you tonight!”

“I do not lie, Ava,” Beatrice starts the car but before she can even put her seatbelt on, Ava tugs her shirt, “What the bloo–”, their lips crash together. In half a second, Beatrice kisses back, not wanting to let Ava dominate. But before she can actually take the lead, Ava pulls away with a smug grin. The younger girl gently pats her cheek.

“Yeah,” Ava sits back and puts her seatbelt on. “You sure seemed to like it when I put my tongue in your mouth while we were kissing.”

Instead of being annoyed, Beatrice literally laughs. “Careful, darling. My kisses can be quite expensive.”

“I’m rich,” Ava rolls her eyes. “I’ll kiss you if I want to and I need to. You’re the one who should be careful.”

“And why is that?”

“You think I don’t notice how your hands are starting to roam? With or without people, that is.”

Beatrice shrugs, “If we’re being technical, darling , you don’t exactly complain when I do that.”