From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress (Riley and Lucas) novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18 Dinner With Sebastian

Torres Group… Sebastian.

Riley’s fingers drummed lightly against the folder. Her eyes sharpened.

She stayed at the office until noon, then headed to a high–end salon nearby.

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Her hair–straight, falling past her waist for years–was finally getting a change. She had it styled into soft, vintage waves.

With her striking features–bold, almost sharp–she’d always played it safe for work. Professional. Polished. Dulled down. Not

anymore.

The new cut brought out something fierce. Something she’d kept hidden.

Riley studied herself in the mirror and smiled.

Then she drove to a discreet private restaurant on the outskirts of town–the kind of place where people came to not be seen.

She’d barely settled into the private room when Sebastian walked in. Less than ten minutes.

He was dressed casually today. Didn’t matter. The guy had that effortless edge–the kind you couldn’t buy.

His eyes landed on her, and for a second, something flickered in that usually indifferent gaze. Interest.

“New hair suits you.” He pulled out a chair and sat, but his eyes lingered on the waves curling past her shoulders.

Then he reached into his pocket, pulled out a small velvet box, and slid it across the table.

Riley opened it. A camellia brooch, delicate, paved with tiny diamonds.

She raised an eyebrow. “What’s this for? It’s just dinner–quite a generous gift.”

Sebastian nodded, deadpan.

“Mm.

“My mother said I shouldn’t show up empty–handed to my first solo dinner with my fiancée.”

Riley blinked.

Had she accidentally landed herself a secret mama’s boy? In a marriage of convenience, of all things?

The thought almost made her laugh. One look at his keep–your–distance energy killed it.

She let it go.

Poured him a cup of coffee. Got straight to business.

“Mr. Torres…

“We’re probably going to be legally married in about a month. And since we’ve got overlapping projects in this city, I think we should get one thing straight before we start.

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1:14 pm

Pp.

Chapter 18 Dinner With Sebastian

“This marriage isn’t built on love.”

Sebastian’s gaze cooled slightly. Then he nodded. “Understood.”

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He lifted his cup, eyes sharp over the rim. “From what I’ve heard, the Ashfords are one of the top families in this city. You married Lucas because you actually loved him at the time. So why the sudden divorce?”

Riley was quiet for a long moment. “Because the man I thought was right turned out to be a liar.” She paused. “And I wasn’t the one who signed the marriage license with him in the first place. So it’s not really a divorce for me. More like… correcting a mistake.”

Sebastian’s shoulders tensed slightly. He caught the weight in her words but didn’t push. Just nodded. “I see.”

Riley turned it back on him. “Does that bother you?”

“I don’t dwell on people’s pasts.” He paused, then added, “Long as this… arrangement runs smoothly.”

He looked up, expression shifting into something almost arrogant. “Besides. I outperform Lucas in every category. Choosing me isn’t exactly a downgrade.”

Riley,blinked at him.

Objectively? The guy was stunning. Sharp features. Strong jaw. Even seated, his presence filled the room.

Arrogant? Sure. Wrong? Not really.

The door slid open–the first dishes arriving–breaking the tension between them.

Riley reached for her fork. Her phone rang.

Lucas.

She answered, voice slipping effortlessly into the polished tone.

“Riley. How was your coffee time? Did you connect with the ladies?”

“It was fine,” she said vaguely. “First meeting, though. Nothing solid yet.”

“Don’t worry about it.” His voice was gentle, reassuring. “These circles take time! Give it a few more outings.”

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