I Married My Ex To Save My Family

Sweat dripped down his chiseled jawline, landing on her damp chest. It was an intimate moment that could unsettle anyone.

Her throat went inexplicably dry, and she swallowed hard. "All that sweating in such a short time? You nervous, or something?" she teased.

Emiliano Mason pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek, choosing silence. The truth, he feared, might send her running.

As they stepped from the shadows into the light, Amaris Mason's anxious gaze flitted everywhere, never quite settling. He read every flicker of expression, sensing exactly what she was thinking.

"I'm afraid you'll rat me out to Grandfather," Emiliano said, trying to cut the tension.

"What?"

"That I'm keeping you from entering the house."

"......"

"It's your first time here. Thought I'd come down and show you the way. Not like I was just waiting for you."

"Well... thanks, then."

The warm, stuffy elevator made the awkward conversation even more suffocating. Luckily, the ride was short.

The elevator opened straight into the foyer—one unit per floor. Emiliano kicked off his shoes and set her down. "I carried you all the way up here without breaking a sweat, and you call me weak?"

Years had passed, but he still held a grudge.

"Where's my luggage?" she asked, dodging his remark.

Emiliano gestured impatiently. "Do I look like your assistant or something?"

"Of course not. Thanks for the help, Mr. Mason."

Her formal tone made Emiliano want to say a whole lot more, but he decided it wasn't exactly appropriate for their first day living together.

Wanting to dodge any more awkwardness, Amaris asked for the bathroom and quickly excused herself.

Emiliano sighed and headed to the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of ice water and downing it to cool his frustration.

When Amaris returned, her hair damp from washing her face, she looked refreshed. This was Emiliano's private space, free from the household staff bustling around the family estate, giving her a sense of freedom.

Studying his unreadable expression, she asked, "Where's the guest room?"

"I don't intend for this to be a platonic arrangement," he quipped.

Amaris shot him a frosty glare, one that could slice right through him if looks could kill.

It was only the first day, and Emiliano wasn't expecting any miracles. If she held back the sarcasm, he'd call it a win.

After a brief silence, he gestured down the hall. "Both rooms are master suites. Mine's on the left. Feel free to knock anytime."

That was his final act of defiance.

Amaris simply replied, "Thank you," and headed to the right with her luggage.

A chill settled over Emiliano. Irritated, he loosened his shirt collar and shrugged off his damp shirt as he retreated to his own room.

An annoying ringtone cut through the air—Martin Rose was calling.

Emiliano answered tersely, "Hello?"

Martin immediately burst out laughing. "Picking up the phone now? Guess you got shut down."

Once the door was closed, Emiliano didn't bother hiding his disappointment. He sighed heavily. "Yeah, so, Martin the Casanova, got any tips for your little brother?"

Martin was taken aback, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Are you seriously asking me for advice? Well, first off, call me 'big bro.'"

"Dream on!"

"Hey, I've known Amaris for years. Maybe I could put in a good word for you."

"In her eyes, you're just like me."

"That's not fair. You're the king of bad boys; I'm just the jester."

"Buzz off. If you're no help, quit bothering me."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, these things take time, you know."

"To hell with patience, you jerk!"

With a final curse, Emiliano hung up, ignoring any further calls. Patience had never been his strong suit.

——

The next morning, Amaris arrived early at Mason Group headquarters. As the new head of the executive office, building a good rapport with her team was essential.

The office had two secretaries: Kayden Wilson, who managed meetings and schedules, and Alexis Patel, who handled personal tasks.

A new female chief secretary parachuting into the department was bound to stir up some feelings.

Amaris fired up her computer, planning to review her colleagues' reports before calling a meeting.

An unexpected call from Hazel Wilson interrupted her focus.

"Why the early call?" Amaris asked, a little surprised.

Having just woken up from a hangover, Hazel's voice was hoarse but urgent. "I got a solid tip—someone's out to get you."

"What?" Amaris almost laughed at the absurdity. In a law-abiding society, who would actually act on a grudge?

"Hazel has a wealthy backer named Karl Reyes, well-known in capital circles. Strange that they came after you instead of the real leaker, which makes me think you're being targeted."

"Amaris, maybe you should lie low for a bit."

Calm and collected, Amaris knew little about the darker side of the entertainment industry and wasn't afraid. "No need. I'm safe inside Mason Group—they won't get in."

"But you do have to leave to go home."

At that moment, the office door beeped, signaling someone's arrival.

Lowering her voice, Amaris replied, "I'll handle it. We'll chat later." She ended the call just as Alexis walked in.

"You're here early, Ms. Mason!" Alexis said, pleasantly surprised, holding up a paper bag. "Had breakfast yet? I accidentally got extra—want some?"

"Thanks, but I've eaten."

Going over Alexis's report on Emiliano's dietary habits, one detail caught Amaris's eye: cilantro was listed as his favorite.

Cilantro, a favorite? No way. Emiliano couldn't stand even a hint of it and would have every speck picked out of his food.

Alexis wasn't new to the role. She'd been Emiliano's secretary since he became CEO at twenty-five, earning a rep as Mason Group's "top secretary" for her meticulousness and charm.

Such a glaring mistake coming from the usually meticulous Alexis hinted at a hasty brush-off, and a clumsy one at that.

Amaris watched as Alexis carefully arranged a plate, then delivered it to the CEO's office.

A ten-dollar sandwich, presented with her flair, looked like a hundred-dollar delicacy. True effort, indeed.