Thirty One Days

The black sedan rolled to a smooth stop in front of a pair of towering silver gates.

Alana glanced at the address displayed on the GPS one last time before switching off the engine. Ryan had given her the location and assured her that his friend was expecting the delivery.

She reached for the large brown envelope resting on the passenger seat, stepped out of the car, and pressed the intercom.

The gates began to slide open almost immediately.

Driving into the sprawling estate, Alana slowed the car as she took in her surroundings. A neatly trimmed lawn stretched across the front of the mansion, interrupted by elegant fountains and rows of carefully pruned hedges.

Luxury cars occupied one side of the circular driveway, while marble steps led up to a grand entrance framed by towering white pillars.

Whoever Ryan's friend was, he was clearly rich.

After parking where one of the security guards directed her, Alana climbed out with the envelope tucked securely beneath her arm.

A middle-aged man in a neatly pressed black suit was already waiting for her.

"You must be Miss Alana," he said politely, offering a small bow. "Mr. Gates informed us of your arrival. Please, come with me."

"Thank you."

Alana fell into step beside him.

As they crossed the courtyard, she noticed a few members of the household staff looking her way. A gardener paused midway through trimming a hedge, while two maids standing near the entrance exchanged quick whispers before pretending to busy themselves with their work.

A small crease formed between her brows.

She discreetly glanced down at herself. Her blouse was neatly tucked into her jeans, and there wasn't a stain or wrinkle in sight. So why were they looking at her like that?

She brushed the thought aside and continued after the butler.

The moment they stepped inside, cool air greeted her.

The mansion was even more impressive from within. A magnificent crystal chandelier hung from the soaring ceiling, casting shimmering reflections across polished marble floors.

Dark walnut panels lined portions of the walls, while elegant artwork and sculptures filled every corner without making the space feel cluttered.

"This way, Miss."

The butler led her into an expansive sitting room.

"Please have a seat. I'll inform the master that you've arrived."

Alana nodded politely.

"Thank you."

The butler disappeared upstairs, leaving her alone.

With nothing else to do, her gaze wandered around the room.

Every piece seemed carefully chosen, from the antique furniture to the paintings decorating the walls.

Her eyes locked onto a familiar landscape painting hanging above the fireplace. Her heartbeat skipped.

"No way..."

Almost without thinking, she walked toward it. She knew every brushstroke.

Every blend of color, and even the tiny imperfection hidden beneath the layers of paint, because she had created it seven years ago.

She was thirteen when, during a family vacation to the Philippines, she had spent nearly two weeks painting that exact landscape. It had been the first piece she had ever poured her whole heart into.

Then her mother had sold it, without asking or even telling her.

Alana reached out carefully, her fingertips hovering over the edge of the frame before lightly brushing the canvas.

A faint smile tugged at her lips when she spotted her tiny signature tucked into the lower corner.

"So this is where you ended up," she whispered, as though speaking to the artwork.

"I see you couldn't resist touching it for even two minutes," a cold voice teased from behind.

Startled by the sudden voice, Alana spun around, her heart racing. Her face paled as she locked eyes with Roman, who stood just feet away.

"You..." Alana blurted out, her voice trembling.

"Wow, I'm surprised you remembered the stupid blind man," Roman said calmly, though a hint of something else flickered in his eyes. "I see you came to make up for your mistake."

A wave of confusion washed over Alana.

'What was he doing here? And what did he mean?'

Realization struck her, causing her eyes to widen further.

Was this why Ryan sent her? Was it a setup?

Roman was dressed for a lazy Saturday in dark jeans and a dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. One hand rested casually in his pocket as he regarded her with that same unreadable expression.

He closed the distance between them without another word.

With one more stride, Roman stood right in front of Alana, causing her heart rate to skyrocket. Her gaze remained fixed on his chest, and she dared not meet his intimidating eyes.

She anticipated that he was about to take some action, but to her surprise, he simply reached for the envelope she tightly clutched in her hand. He gently pulled it from her grasp before stepping back and taking a seat.

Alana exhaled with relief as soon as he moved away from her.

"Sit," Roman said, tearing open the envelope to reveal a brown paper.

"I can't. I should be on my way," Alana replied, attempting to leave.

"Sit," Roman said, his voice turning colder. "You'll want to hear this."

Alana glanced at the wall clock. Seeing she still had some time, she decided to stay and listen to whatever he had to say.

Roman finally set aside the file, his full attention fixed on her. "You must have seen the disaster you caused, right?" he asked.

"What disaster did I cause?" Alana asked, confusion evident in her voice.

"When was the last time you checked social media?" Roman asked, a brow lifting.

"A month ago," Alana replied, wondering where this conversation was heading.

"Someone exaggerated what happened at the cafe the other day on social media, saying I assaulted you," Roman said.

"Oh," Alana responded, realization dawning on her.

She had completely forgotten about that incident since it happened a week ago.

Now she finally understood why everyone had been staring at her in school and even here.

"But I still don't see how this is my fault. I wasn't the one yelling like an insane person," Alana said, the last part spoken in a lowered tone, though Roman still heard her.

"I'm not putting the blame entirely on you," Roman replied calmly.

"If I recall correctly, you said I caused this disaster," Alana retorted.

"Can you please be quiet for five seconds?" Roman frowned, his patience wearing thin.

He sighed, calming himself.

"I didn't ask Ryan to send you here so we could pick up where we left off last time."

"You were the one who asked Ryan to..."

"Yes," Roman cut her short with his answer, already knowing what she was going to ask.

Alana frowned. She was definitely going to have a word with Ryan about this.

"So why am I here?" Alana asked, her impatience evident. She wanted to get this over with and leave, hopefully never to see his face again.

Alana looked away, her jaw tightening. She couldn't believe her own cousin would trick her like this.

"I need your help," Roman said calmly as he leaned forward, interlocking his fingers.

Her gaze settled back on him.

"What could I possibly do?"

"I've considered every other option," he said. "None of them will work. There's only one left." Roman paused, a slight frown appearing between his brows, as if he didn't particularly like what he was about to say next.

"Be my girlfriend for thirty-one days."