The CEO's Pretend Wife

A small college town in Florida

Ruhi's brand new Mini Cooper roared to a stop at her friend Lisa's home.

"Ta-da! How do you like it? 300 horsepower, fully loaded, all-wheel drive."

"Wow! Looks fantastic, Ruhi. Suits your personality." Lisa marveled at the tiny, flashy car.

"I know, right! I just went to test drive, but they had it in this brilliant metallic red. I can't take my eyes off it even after two days."

Lisa smirked. "You could have bought a low-end BMW for the fortune you spent on this, I bet."

"Pfft! Come on, it's cute, and it's red. Besides, only jerks ride BMWs and Mercedes. Ready to roll?"

"Yep, gimme a second. I'll give some dry treats to Romeo and be back. He has been giving me the evil eye all day today." She took quick, long strides and disappeared.

Romeo is Lisa's handsome little cat. Ruhi has known Lisa ever since she moved to the US, which was like four years ago. Ruhi is twenty-five and Lisa is only two years older, but Ruhi considers her very level-headed and pragmatic.

Despite the opposite personalities, they have become good friends. She keeps Ruhi's whimsical acts and shenanigans in check. And that's the reason Ruhi didn't take her car shopping with her. She wanted to indulge herself as much as possible when it comes to spending her earnings, and Lisa would advise against it.

'After all, we live only once,' is the mantra that Ruhi wants to live by.

Born and brought up in India, she comes from a very frugal family. Her mom thinks twice before putting cilantro in any dish because every penny counts and 'why spend on cilantro when food can be cooked without it' is her logic. The bulk of Ruhi's clothes, toys, and books were hand-me-downs from her older sister, Adira. There was no way she was going to buy a used car.

Her dad's not-so-profitable diamond business turned successful some five years ago, but her parents' lifestyle and mindset haven't changed even then.

Ruhi grabbed a light jacket from the trunk as Lisa walked back to her car and sat down in the passenger seat. They were going to their favorite breakfast place and then Ruhi was going to head to Atlanta for a few days to spend the holidays with her boyfriend, Dhruv.

"Nice interiors," Lisa said, running her fingers over the dashboard and marveling at the fancy leather padded steering wheel cover. "Didn't expect so much leg space. Not that you will need much." She chuckled.

"I'm not short. You are the Amazonian woman here!" Lisa was 5'11'' tall with pencil straight red hair, bright green eyes, and perfect porcelain skin while Ruhi was 5'2'' with sunkissed skin, deep brown eyes, and black hair with wispy bangs.

We always like what we don't have, I guess. Ruhi envies Lisa's straight silky hair and slender legs while Lisa complains about Ruhi taking away all her potential dates when they hit the clubs together. 'Men love short and cute women who look exotic. They feel intimidated by my height and find my skin color boring.' Lisa says this a lot.

Lisa has no idea how Dhruv ogles at all long-legged, light-skinned women while Ruhi wishes to kick him in the nuts. She had countless arguments with him when his eyes wandered around without his knowledge and she found it offensive.

Whatever happened to all those dreamy-eyed romantic men from the movies who would die to make their woman feel special. Ruhi was waiting for one forever and decided to settle for Dhruv when she finished her studies and didn't find anyone more interesting. Although not her first choice, she had grown to love a lot of things about him over time.

"You're being awfully quiet. What happened? Having second thoughts about your flashy car?" Lisa asked, still exploring the glove box and floor mats.

"No way!! I love it. I got a crazy dream this morning when I woke up early to pack my bags. It felt so real that it's been on the back of my mind all morning."

"What dream? That Dhruv proposed to you?"

"No silly, I told you he asked me a long time ago."

"But he didn't get on his knee and present you with a ring. So that asking and all don't count."

"Things work a little different back in the motherland. The minute I tell my parents about him, they will want the wedding and babies right away. Dhruv and I want to wait a couple more years before tying the knot because I don't want to pop babies left and right and be the mother of two in the next few years. There's still so much to live, explore, and experience."

"Fair enough. So what's the crazy dream about then?"

"That I got married to some stranger. That's my worst nightmare."

"Oooh!! Who was this guy? Did he look hot?"

"I don't know. I didn't realize for a while that it was my wedding I was dreaming about. The moment I knew, I got nervous and woke up sweating before he touched my hand to put the ring on."

"That's probably nothing. I guess you are just desperate to get Dhruv to commit to you because he's got such a wandering eye. Mmm... they are still doing breakfast tacos!"

Lisa skimmed through the menu excitedly while Ruhi asked for unlimited coffee, which she very much needed. Atlanta was almost five hours away, and this was the first time she was going to drive alone that far.

While eating, Lisa told her about her work and complained about how this town was such a wretched place for anyone who was not a student. Dating life sucked big time because everyone was either too young or too old.

"Maybe I should also be willing to drive five hours to meet my man," she teased Ruhi.

"I wish he remained in Atlanta. He got a new job in San Francisco and will be leaving in a week."

Ruhi's phone went off, but she put it away. It was her mom. She has made it a habit to call Ruhi every Saturday morning and express her displeasure about some random guy Ruhi rejected for some silly reason.

"Are you willing to fly across the continent for him? East to West flights suck and with the time difference between Florida and California, it will mess you up, besides burning a hole in your wallet."

"We will figure something out. He was the one who did most of the flying and driving from Atlanta this last one year. I didn't have much vacation time because of the new job. He won't get time off now, and I have been working for twenty months to accumulate enough vacation time and savings. I think it's expected of me to fly to San Francisco more often than he flies down here."

"That's not your problem, Ruhi. Make the man earn your time and company. You don't want him to take you for granted and dump you when he finds someone else in Frisco."

Ruhi tends to get a lot of mixed relationship advice from everyone around her. She believes that Dhruv has been very sweet about the long distance and never complained about having to visit such a small town so often for her sake.

They finished eating and walked back to the car. Ruhi beamed at the phone when she saw Dhruv's name flash on the screen. She dropped Lisa off and called him back as she headed to the grocery store to pick some snacks for the road.

"Hey!"

"How far did you reach?"

"Zero miles. I'm still hunting for some sea salt chips."

"Forget chips and come soon. I'm making your favorite lamb biryani."

"Oh, my God! I love you! Hold on a second. My mom is calling me over and over for some reason."

She dumped the grocery bags in the back of her car and connected her mom's call to the Bluetooth."

"Is the lazy bum still sleeping? I called you half a dozen times."

"Yeah, I was preparing for a presentation all night."

"When is this presentation?"

"Monday, why?"

"Adira already told us your winter holidays have started. Who are you trying to fool--"

"Not this Monday, Mamma. I meant the following Monday after the week long break." She muttered under her breath for getting caught. 'Dang it, Adira. When will she learn to keep a secret?'

"Your dad and I have some good news for you. All your dreams have come true, Ruhi."

Ruhi braced herself for the information about the next guy her parents will want her to meet. 'They must have told him to book the flight tickets already and shared my contact number,' she thought.

Ruhi's dad took the phone from her mom, which was not at all a good sign from her experience.

"Congratulations, my dear! God has found you the best partner you have ever asked for."

"What? Who?"

"Rafael Fernando Carvalho. He is Antonio Castelo Carvalho's son. They have multibillion dollar businesses all over the world. I told you about his diamond business many times."

'A Latino? Have my parents gone crazy or what? They wanted a guy from my religion, caste, community, and whatnot. Dhruv was everything they would approve of. Where did this Rafael come from?' She was confused.

"Papa, what are you both saying? This guy isn't even Indian. There are tons of Americans I would have happily--"

"Who said Rafael's not Indian? He's a Portuguese Indian and lives in San Francisco. His dad will ask him to call you today. He's currently in Greece and must be busy with some work meetings. Don't leave your phone in the bag and wander off to nameless beaches."

"But papa--"

Ruhi's mom took over.

"We have already said yes because we knew you won't be able to refuse.

"You guys know nothing about me! I found a man for myself and I'm not interested in this Rafael con rich jerk."

Ruhi was furious and hung up. She called Dhruv and told him everything. The entire drive was crazy with her over-caffeinated hot blood and Dhruv's calls asking her to calm down and not get a speeding ticket.

"Look up his name and find out if he has a girlfriend or some weak point, Dhruv."

"I'm already on it. What are your parents smoking? This guy would never marry an ordinary Indian woman. He's currently dating another billionaire, Lucas de Mello's daughter, Alisha. He had a string of girlfriends in the past and they all look like supermodels."

"You fucker, are you calling me ugly? Stop staring at them and tell me more about him."

"You just stop biting your nails and think about the biryani."

Greece

Rafael walked into his secluded beachfront villa the minute he was done with work. This was his fourteenth time visiting Greece, and the paradisiacal, rugged Greek islands left him gasping in disbelief every single time. Of the six thousand islands and islets out there, he had twelve favorites.

This time, he took his girlfriend along to the sleepy little Chios with its untouched shorelines and charming backcountry patched with olive groves and fig fields.

Alisha was sprawled out on their suite bed, waiting for him. Her heavy breasts were straining against the soft, bright red lingerie. When she saw his eyes roam on her barely covered sexy body, she leaned in towards him, giving him a clear view of her perfect, inviting duo. She ran her hands down her front and looked at him with those bewitching eyes.

He was tired and needed a massage, but she had ignited a fire within him which could only be quenched when he sucked on those breasts until they were sore to the touch of his tongue.

He removed his jacket and pulled the tie off, quickly unbuttoning his shirt. Grabbing her by the waist, he snapped the thin strap of her panties while smashing his lips on hers. She pressed her body against his exposed chest, snaking her arms around his broad shoulders.

His skillful hands palmed her soft mounds and took them into his mouth. Her back arched up in response to his every lick, and she moved her hand over his pulsating member, stroking it fervently. Licking and biting her skin, he traveled down and dropped his head between her legs. As his rough tongue ran over her sensitive bundle of nerves, she thrashed on the bed, moaning from uncontrollable pleasure.

His phone, which he put on the side table before lunging at Alisha, buzzed quietly but in a nonstop manner.

"Aahh..." Alisha's fingernails dug into his naked chest as he ignored the call and continued pleasuring her.

"Just a second, must be something important," he said and reached for the relentlessly buzzing mobile.

It was his dad, and he could not have an open conversation with him while Alisha was close by. Antonio Castelo Carvalho and Lucas de Mello were business partners for two decades and grew their business empire together. They were the top leaders in the world diamond market and owned several automobile companies and casinos on the side.

Although their dads were such close partners, Rafael and Alisha only knew about each other's existence for a while but never met until last year. Rafael finished his MBA from UPenn and returned to help his dad more proactively back then. Alisha also returned just in time with a business degree from London Business School. Sparks flew when they challenged each other in board meetings, and soon they were dating.

There were rumors floating around that their engagement was going to be announced along with the official launch of another sports car model from a company that they both co-founded earlier this year, and Alisha was its Vice President. The rumors were true; they wanted to mark their one year anniversary by throwing a gala to celebrate their business partnership and taking their private relationship to the next level.

But that was all until yesterday. Alisha's dad got greedy over the years and ran internal politics behind Antonio's back to get the board meetings to go in his favor and to make investment decisions at his whims.

His partnerships with the high-flying rival companies and money laundering surfaced when Rafael unintentionally dug through the paperwork for a diamond mining company they owned in Australia.

Rafael knew that sharing this information with his dad would fuel chaos and threaten his relationship with Alisha, but he couldn't let anyone destroy the dynasty his dad built. After his wife passed away, this business was the only thing Antonio lived for. Rafael was confident he would figure something to get his relationship out of the sticky situation.

Lucas de Mello was found guilty of Rafael's allegations when IT and accountants found incriminating evidence against him. Lucas conveniently passed the blame onto the company's subordinates to avoid legal litigations, but Antonio didn't want to trust him anymore. He had to dissolve several businesses and lock his partner out to avoid further embezzlement.

The problem didn't end there though. Lucas knew too many of their business secrets and was the in-charge of market access and advertising campaigns for years. Without him, the Carvalho empire will come crashing down in less than a decade unless they have the right people on their side now.

Lucas already got the South African market under his control because he was from there and had much stronger ties with their mutual partners in South Africa. It was time for Antonio to look back to his roots and strengthen them up before it was too late.

"Did you call Ruhi yet?" He asked his son.

Rafael put the call on mute for a second to kiss Alisha and apologize to her. He got up from the bed and stepped onto the balcony facing the Aegean Sea.

A light breeze rolled in from Turkey as he looked at the views with bitterness. He was done with his work stuff for the rest of his trip and was looking forward to a day of sightseeing and fun with Alisha, but his dad had a different plan for him.

"Dad, I told you I will not call her. I'm serious!"

"I'm also damn serious! Why don't you get the point? You can't be with Alisha anymore. Blood runs thicker than water and this apple must have fallen real close to the tree."

"I don't care where the apple fell. She can't ruin anything even if she wants to. I haven't involved her in any of my main businesses and will put her at an arm's length even in the future. But you can't tell me what to do with my personal life. I have already made up my mind about her."

"It's not about what she's capable of. I need Samarth Bakul more than ever right now. You have to marry his daughter because that's the condition he put forth. That bastard is a small fish, but he knows that he's got the leverage right now. He's an old friend. You may not remember, but you met Ruhi a long time ago when she came to spend a couple of days at our place one summer. "

"I'm sure we can find a way to do without him or his daughter."

"We need him if you want us to be on the top for at least the next decade. Diamonds were first discovered in India, and it is the number one manufacturing hub. He is--"

"I know all about that dad. I am not looking for a beginner's guide to diamonds. I was in the middle of something."

"Do whatever you want until tomorrow, but you are meeting Ruhi right after that. We have to move fast. Ruhi's father does not directly control the production and supply but has a stranglehold on the diamond market. If he sides with our rivals and backs that asshole de Mello, I assure you we are doomed."

Rafael sighed when he realized he can't keep Alisha in the dark anymore.

"Call Ruhi. Don't disappoint me. She must be waiting and wondering already."

'She can wait all her life,' he muttered under his breath.

"I will have to talk to Alisha. She's not going to disappear overnight and has a right to know what's happening."

"You will not tell her whose daughter Ruhi is until the wedding date is fixed."

Rafael hung up when he heard the word wedding. He was about to go back into the suite when his phone beeped indicating a text message.

Hi Rafael, this is Ruhi. Call me when you get a moment. I have a plan.

'The hell??' He got annoyed the minute he saw her name.

Two Days Earlier

Dhruv kept Ruhi busy on the call when she stopped for breaks and to fill up gas in the car. Usually, when flying to meet him, she couldn't get out of the airport fast enough to run to him. But as she drove to the parking lot of his condo, she gave in to the temptation of looking Rafael up before walking to the main door.

It was chilly in Atlanta at 55F. She went back into the car and spelled Rafael's long name in the search bar. Her heart jumped out of her chest when she saw his picture. The same hazel brown eyes, shrewd and sparkling with the sort of gaze that can make people forget to breathe and a lot more. Memories of her trip to his dad's summer home thirteen years ago flooded her.

She was twelve, and he was sixteen. Rafael's dad owned a place in Coonoor, a beautiful Indian town high up in the mountains called the Nilgiris or the Blue Mountains.

Ruhi's family visited Coonoor when her dad wanted to complete a tea estate deal. Until his diamond business took off, he ventured into several side businesses, trying his luck here and there. While he was busy with contracts and negotiations, Ruhi went sightseeing with Adira and her mom for a few days.

Summer showers cut their trip to the waterfalls short, and they returned to the guest quarters of Antonio's place. Adira and Ruhi spent the rest of the afternoon playing Call of Duty until Ruhi got thirsty and went to the kitchen to grab a water bottle.

She saw a tall figure in a tight black t-shirt and Bermuda shorts walk out of the dining area and take the stairs. The sight of his muscles moving in his back as he climbed up to his room put her stomach in knots. He was so hot from the back, making her curious and excited about how his face looked. She followed him in a trance and stopped outside his room to watch him throw the water bottle he was carrying at a girl sitting on his bed.

The girl who caught the bottle was wearing the most revealing blouse and tiniest skirt Ruhi had ever seen until then. Her parents were extremely conservative, and she was sure they would throw her out of their home if she even thought of ever wearing such clothes.

Rafael moved next to the girl and sat down on the bed, leaning against the headboard and watching something with her on his laptop. The girl stroked his thigh, and he responded by moving his hand under her skirt and cupping the back of her neck with his other hand. She leaned back, allowing him to capture her lips in a deep kiss while they rubbed against each other's bodies.

Ruhi gawked at how sexy the scene looked and admired his brawny arms and the way he wrapped them around the girl. He pulled his t-shirt over his head, tossed it on the floor, and reached for her skirt again. The girl moaned and clutched onto his arm as he moved her panties aside and rubbed her. Ruhi forgot about being quiet and gasped out loud at this.

Two pairs of startled eyes suddenly peered at her, and she froze. She could have run and pretended like she saw none of it. But the way his stare seared through, she was spellbound and couldn't look away from him. She gulped as his naked chest approached closer. He placed a hand on the door for support and looked down at her.

"Yes?"

Ruhi looked up into his eyes and her cheeks turned hot. He knew the effect he had on her, and that made her turn a darker shade of red.

"Who the hell is she?" The girl in skimpy clothes walked up to him and demanded an answer.

"I don't know. Must be the chauffeur's daughter."

"Your driver's daughter is nine. I'm twelve," Ruhi said with a frown.

"The fuck I care. Get the fuck out of here." He slammed the door shut, leaving her outside in a mortified state.

Ruhi panicked at the idea of Rafael getting the girl pregnant. She thought it was her duty to rescue her from his spell, from taking the wrong step and regretting her entire life. 'Men are charming pigs who think with their stick,' her mom told her many times, 'it's the woman who must be sensible at all times.'

Little unstable on her feet, she almost tumbled down the steps, landing on her head. Long after returning to the guest room, she was still spaced out and shaking like a leaf.

"She looks so pale! Saw a ghost??" Adira mocked her, drawing her mom's attention to Ruhi, who was staring at the computer screen without blinking.

"Ruhi... Where are the water bottles?" Her mom asked.

When Ruhi heard the words water bottle, she remembered how she wanted to feel the hot guy's biceps beneath her fingers as he played with the bottle, going up the stairs.

"RUHI! Snap out of it. What's wrong with you?"

"The charming pig... um, I mean, Uncle Tony's son is in the house," she mumbled.

"Yes, he's here for the summer holidays."

"I meant to say, he's here with a girl. She's wearing a skirt this short," she pointed to her thighs, drawing a line with her hands high above.

"That short?" Her mom covered her mouth with her hands.

"Wait, is he making out with her?" Adira asked.

"Making out? Where are you learning such words?" Her mom yelled at Adira.

"We only know the words, Mamma. That girl is getting pregnant out there," Ruhi blurted out.

"Oh, my God. He doesn't have a mom to raise him well. His dad has no time for him. We have to let him know."

Rest all was history. Antonio was furious and scolded Rafael in front of everyone while Rafael threw a death stare at Ruhi. Her dad was done with acquisitions and signing the papers, and they left that place the next morning.

She crushed on him for months after going back to her hometown and then gradually forgot about his existence. Her heart skipped a beat every time her dad said tea estate or Coonoor for the next few years, but she didn't dare to ask who Uncle Tony was or what his son's name was.

"Hello, ma'am!" Dhruv tapped on her car window, breaking her away from her thoughts.

"My lease doesn't end until Thursday, so you don't have to sleep in the car." He teased her, pulling her into a tight hug when she stepped out and slipped her arms around him.

"I missed you so soo much!" She pressed her lips against his and was near tears.

"Hey! It'll be fine. Stop worrying so much." He brushed her hair out of the way and planted a light kiss on her lips and turned to examine the car.

He let out a whistle and thumped on its back in approval before grabbing the bags.

"Looks much better than the picture. We will take your car for dinner tonight and I'll drive," he said.

"Sure, feed me first. I'm starving."

*********************

It started pouring when they thought about getting ready for dinner.

"I'm not really hungry after eating all that biryani. Maybe we can order a pizza late at night. Let's get this packing out of the way." Ruhi walked into the cluttered study room and grabbed some boxes.

Dhruv got up from his nap on the couch and turned the TV back on.

"I'll make some chai first." He checked his phone for messages and walked into the kitchen.

The minute he was out of view, Ruhi unlocked her phone, trying to find more information about Rafael and Alisha. She was looking with Dhruv after lunch, but he got insecure when she told him about her trip to Coonoor. She left out as many details as possible and didn't expect him to give much thought to her pre-teen encounter.

Dhruv's dad was in the textile business, and they were pretty well off. But he got all bothered and started comparing everything with the Carvalho opulence.

"A filthy rich dude with a perfect life and hobbies. As if that wasn't enough, he has to look good too? How does he find time to stay so fit and athletic? Does he do any work besides fucking women, racing cars, and going to the gym?" He sighed in exasperation.

He asked her to relax, but he was the one hyperventilating.

"Let's hope he wouldn't call me. Looks like he's in a committed relationship, not a fuck boy anymore." she tried to reason.

He got irritated when she was lost with her phone, searching and reading up about the issue with Alisha's dad and all the litigations. Her mom had told her last week about some dad's friend getting cheated on and losing millions of dollars, but she didn't pay attention at that time because her mom always had such stories. She had to put the phone away until Dhruv went to sleep, but she was tired and passed out before he did.

"Stop secretly reading and come out." He set two cups of tea on the coffee table.

"Well, it's a good sign he hasn't called yet."

They both felt better when another day passed, and they didn't hear from Rafael. But then, her parents called and within twenty minutes, Rafael's dad talked to her.

"Looks like the wedding will happen no matter what," she said to Dhruv, feeling scared after talking to Rafael's dad. She remembered how intimidating Uncle Tony was, especially when scolding Rafael.

"What did the fucker say?"

"That he will ask Rafael to call me, and he will. He gave me Rafael's number. I told him I have a boyfriend, but he's worse than my parents and disregarded it completely."

"Looks like Rafael doesn't want to talk to you. Will he be up for faking the whole thing?"

"What? A fake wedding?" Ruhi's mind was racing with ideas when she heard him.

"Yes, these businessmen will go whichever way the wind blows. And paying your parents a big chunk of fortune to shut your mouths and getting a divorce is likely in the future. Why not fake it right from the beginning?"

"Wow, Dhruv. I love this idea. I can be with you then." She engulfed him in a bear hug.

"Text that asshole to not be a chicken and call you. We will sort this out together."

Ruhi typed into her phone furiously, hoping Rafael would cooperate and not tell on her to her parents.

"Text sent." She reached out for the teacup. "Oh my God! He's calling me. What do I say? Write my lines down, Dhruv!"