They were mere millimeters apart; Ava felt like her heart was about to burst from her chest when Daniel noticed her nervousness. He pulled back slightly to get a better look at her and scrutinized her with his beautiful jet-black eyes.

He gently took her hands in his while caressing the diamond on the ring he had placed on her ring finger, sighed, and said:

"Ava, I know this is a fake engagement, but I want you to know that I will respect and care for you deeply."

She nodded, feeling overwhelmed by Daniel's gesture.

Suddenly, without saying anything, he leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the lips, pressing gently, and a sigh escaped him involuntarily. Ava tried to hide her surprise but couldn't help feeling a bit uncomfortable, unlike him.

When Daniel pulled away, his lips made a smacking sound. Ava discreetly looked around, making sure no one was scrutinizing them closely. Daniel smiled and dared to ask:

"Tell me... Did you like that, Ava?"

Ava bit her lower lip and replied with a forced smile:

"Yes, it was nice, Daniel."

He seemed satisfied with Ava's response and then spontaneously gave her a warm hug. His cologne was refreshing, and his strong arms felt quite comforting to the young woman, who made no attempt to pull away.

"I'm glad we're doing this together, Ava. We're going to make a great team; you'll see. Everything will go perfectly," he told her.

Ava felt a bit more at ease after Daniel's embrace, and they began to discuss work and the company. She needed to learn everything about the entity.

She was still grappling with her feelings, but she was truly determined to do whatever was necessary to help her family.

As they walked hand in hand through the city after dinner, Ava realized that there might be some chemistry between her and Daniel. However, she couldn't ignore the fact that their engagement was fake, and at some point, she didn't want to give Daniel false hope. She decided at that moment to keep her emotional distance, at least for now.

The day after this event, Ava submitted her resignation letter at the restaurant. The strange glances from her coworkers burned her skin; she despised that feeling and was grateful when they gave her the time to leave as if it were a race. She truly wished to get out of that place.

On the same day, Ava started her first day at Daniel's company, Stellar Financial Group, with nerves and doubts swirling in her head. She wore her fake engagement ring on her finger and feared someone would notice it, but to her surprise, it seemed that everyone already knew.

She noticed a couple of friendly looks but quite a few, especially from many women, who regarded her disdainfully, as if they already despised her.

When she entered the office, everyone greeted her and congratulated her on her engagement to Daniel. Ava smiled uncomfortably and struggled to hide the feelings that were burrowing into her chest.

Daniel welcomed her into his office and explained her tasks and responsibilities. Ava was excited to work in such an important company and was ready to learn as much as she could. Besides, the Administration degree she had been pursuing on Saturdays for two years (but had to stop due to financial reasons) was truly helpful in this place.

As the days passed, Ava grew more accustomed to her role as Daniel's personal assistant. She learned to manage Daniel's schedule and coordinate his meetings. Ava also worked on some more significant projects in the company. Daniel gave her the opportunity to work on various tasks and projects, helping her learn more and grow in her role.

As time went on, Ava felt more confident in her job and in her fake engagement to Daniel. However, there were still moments when she questioned her fake commitment. There were times when she felt it was unfair to both Daniel and herself. She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be able to love Daniel as he loved her. Ava felt trapped in an uncomfortable situation and didn't know how to get out of it.

One day, while Ava was working at her desk, she received a call from Daniel. He told her that he needed to speak with her in his office immediately. She felt that something was wrong and hurried to his office.

When she arrived, Daniel was sitting at his desk with a serious expression on his face.

"Dear, I need you to do me a favor," he said, with a hint of excitement.

"What favor?" Ava asked.

"I need you to accompany me to a business dinner in a couple of nights. You must pretend to be the wealthy lady you know you are. You're not Lopez; you're Spencer, understood?" Daniel explained. "It's essential for my business that it appears I'm deeply committed to you and that you're from a high-class background."

Ava was stunned. She didn't know if she was ready to pretend to be someone she wasn't. On the other hand, she understood how crucial it was for his company, and she didn't want to disappoint him.

"Can I think about it?" Ava asked.

"There's not much time to think..." Daniel said. "The dinner is in a couple of nights. I need an answer now."

The young woman took a deep breath and finally agreed; she didn't have a choice. She told herself it was just a business dinner and didn't mean anything more. However, she knew she would be putting her fake engagement to the test. She just didn't think everything would happen so quickly.

Could she pretend to be Daniel's fiancée without anyone realizing it was just a lie?