Ava stood in front of the giant double doors of the Blackwood mansion, staring at her own reflection in the shiny polished wood. Her heart thumped so loud she swore the security guards standing at the gate earlier must have heard it.
The house wasn't really a house. It was a castle pretending to be a house. Wide glass windows, golden handles, gardens that looked like they belonged in royal magazines, and a driveway long enough to be mistaken for a racetrack.
"This is not dinner," Ava whispered to herself, pressing her palms nervously against her skirt. "This is judgment day."
She had no idea how Ethan had convinced her last night. All she remembered was his calm voice saying things like, "It's only dinner, Ava. Just dinner. Think of it as acting. A contract, remember? Pretend for a while." And her dumb brain agreed. Now here she was, about to face the legendary Blackwood family, who probably ate diamonds for snacks.
The door opened before she could run away.
A tall, smiling maid bowed politely. "Miss Ava, welcome. The family is waiting."
Miss Ava. The words made her want to choke. She wasn't Miss Ava, future Blackwood wife. She was Miss Ava, the typo disaster queen.
She forced a smile and followed the maid inside.
The inside was even worse than the outside. Chandeliers big enough to crush her in one fall, paintings that probably cost more than her life, and a marble staircase that twisted like something out of a fairy tale. Her legs wobbled as she walked through the long hall.
"Relax," Ethan's voice came from behind her.
She spun around. He had come in through another entrance, perfectly calm in a casual dark shirt that still looked expensive. He smirked as he looked at her pale face.
"You look like you're walking to a funeral," he said.
"Maybe I am," she muttered. "My own."
"Don't worry," he leaned closer so only she could hear. "They're going to love you. You don't even have to try."
"That's exactly what scares me," she whispered back.
But he didn't give her time to argue. He touched her back lightly, guiding her into the wide dining hall.
The moment Ava stepped inside, her breath caught.
The Blackwood family sat around a long polished table, and every single one of them turned to look at her. It felt like stepping onto a stage, except the audience could decide her fate with one look.
Closest to her was Mrs. Blackwood, Ethan's mother. A graceful woman with elegant jewelry, her smile wide and genuine. Beside her was Mr. Blackwood, tall with silver hair and sharp eyes that reminded Ava of Ethan only older and scarier. At the far end, a younger woman with wavy hair, probably Ethan's sister, waved at her with a mischievous grin.
And everyone else cousins, uncles, maybe grandparents just stared.
"This is Ava," Ethan said simply, his hand resting casually at her back. "My fiancée."
The word fiancée almost made Ava faint on the spot.
But before she could correct him, Mrs. Blackwood stood and rushed over like a cheerful hurricane.
"Oh dear!" she exclaimed, taking Ava's hands warmly. "So beautiful! Ethan, you finally brought her! I was beginning to think you were hiding her on purpose."
Ava blinked. "Um hi?"
Mrs. Blackwood laughed and kissed her cheek. "You don't need to be nervous, darling. We've been waiting to meet you."
Behind her, Ethan gave Ava a subtle look that said see? Told you so. Ava wanted to step on his foot but held back.
Dinner began, and Ava sat beside Ethan, trying to act like she belonged there.
The table was filled with dishes she couldn't even name. Shiny silver cutlery surrounded her plate like a puzzle. She was scared of touching anything wrong and proving she was not "future billionaire wife material."
"So, Ava," Mr. Blackwood's deep voice cut into her panic. "Tell us about yourself."
She froze, her fork hovering in midair. "Uh… me?"
"Yes, you, dear," Mrs. Blackwood encouraged kindly. "Where do you work, what do you enjoy, how did you two meet?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair, sipping wine like this was the most entertaining show of his life. He wasn't going to save her.
Ava forced a smile. "Well, I… I work for him.. I am his Secretary. Ethan is my boss."
"That's lovely," Mrs. Blackwood said, clearly charmed.
But the sister, who had been grinning at Ava the whole time, leaned forward with sparkling eyes. "Be honest, Ava. Did you fall for him the first moment you saw him?"
Ava almost choked on her water. "What? No! I mean um I…"
Ethan raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "She's very shy," he said smoothly. "But yes, it was mutual."
Ava turned her head sharply to glare at him. Mutual? He was making things up like it was free candy.
The table erupted in happy chuckles, though, and everyone seemed more convinced.
As the evening went on, the questions continued.
One uncle asked, "Do you cook? Ethan likes traditional meals."
Another aunt leaned in, whispering, "Don't worry, dear. He looks cold but he's soft inside. You just need to be patient with him."
Someone else asked about wedding plans. Another about children. Ava felt her face burning redder with each passing minute.
The only one who seemed to enjoy her suffering was Ethan, who kept answering half of the questions for her, weaving the most ridiculous story about how they met in a bookstore and "clicked instantly."
Ava wanted to bury her face in mashed potatoes.
When dessert arrived, Mrs. Blackwood held Ava's hand across the table.
"Darling, I can't tell you how happy we are. Ethan has always been too focused on work. We feared he'd never bring anyone home. And then you came along, like a miracle."
Ava smiled weakly, her chest tightening with guilt. If only you knew this was all a typo disaster, she thought. But the sparkle in Mrs. Blackwood's eyes made it impossible to crush her joy.
"Yes," Mr. Blackwood added firmly. "Ethan needs someone by his side. Someone to keep him grounded. If that's you, then you have our blessing."
Everyone nodded, smiling warmly at Ava.
She felt her heart twist. She had only wanted to cancel a stupid certificate. Now she was sitting in the middle of a family's happiness, pretending to be engaged.
When the dinner ended, Mrs. Blackwood hugged Ava tightly.
"You must come again, darling. And don't be a stranger. From now on, you're part of this family."
Ava hugged her back awkwardly, overwhelmed.
As they finally walked out to the car, Ava turned furiously to Ethan the moment the doors closed.
"Are you insane?" she hissed. "They actually believe we're engaged! Do you realize how wrong this is?"
Ethan leaned casually against the car seat, smirking. "And yet, they love you already. See? That wasn't so bad."
"Not bad? Ethan, your mother just called me her daughter-in-law!" Ava buried her face in her hands. "I feel like a criminal lying to them."
He chuckled. "Relax, Ava. We're not lying. We're just… letting them believe what makes them happy."
Her eyes shot fire at him. "That's literally the definition of lying!"
"Details," he said calmly. "Besides, if this keeps my parents from pushing me into blind dates every week, I say it's a win."
"You're unbelievable," she groaned.
"And you're a natural," he teased. "They adored you. You even survived my sister's interrogation. I'm impressed."
Ava wanted to argue, but deep down, a small part of her felt warm at the way his family had welcomed her. They hadn't looked at her like a stranger or a mistake. For a moment, it almost felt… nice.
Which made everything even more dangerous.
That night, as she collapsed on her bed back home, Ava stared at the ceiling and whispered, "What have I gotten myself into?"
Because now it wasn't just about Ethan and the certificate.
It was about an entire family who believed she was the one meant for him.
And she had no idea how long she could keep up the act.