Page 45 of Her Holiday Arrangement
And no one even knew.
To the world—her family, the staff,Riley—she was still ice-cold Elizabeth Hale. Unflappable. Controlled. Performing the part of the perfect daughter, the charming girlfriend, the gracious host.
But inside, everything felt shaky and uncertain.
She thought of Riley again, of her voice, low and hesitant in the dark. The way she’d opened up by the fire, talking about money, about fear, about not being enough. That was the moment everything shifted, really. That was the moment Elizabeth’s carefully constructed defenses had started to crack.
Because no one ever confided in her like that. People admired her, respected her, feared her, but they didn’ttalkto her. Not like Riley had.
And she’dlistened.She’d wanted to listen. She remembered her own voice, surprising even herself:You’re not replaceable, Riley. Not to me.
She meant it. That terrified her most of all.
Because this wasn’t just a fake relationship anymore. It wasn’t a scheme, or a script, or a transaction. Somewhere along the way, Riley had become something else, something Elizabeth didn’t have a name for.
A threat. A possibility.
Maybe both.
And that wasn’t even addressing the sex.
Elizabeth rubbed at her temples, trying to will the thoughts away. They weren’t helping. They wouldn’t change anything. This had always had an expiration date. Christmas would end, the snow would clear, and they’d go back to their respective lives. Riley would move on. And Elizabeth would pretend none of this mattered.
But the ache in her chest said otherwise.
Footsteps echoed down the hall, and Elizabeth sat up straight instinctively, smoothing her expression into something neutral.The door creaked, and she half-expected Riley to appear, hair still damp from the shower, eyes soft and searching.
But it was just a housekeeper passing by.
She let herself sag back in the chair, alone again.
Last night had been a mistake.
She would keep telling herself that until it became true. Until she believed it.
Until Riley was gone and the ache faded.
But even now, the memory of those gasps and whispers, the intimacy, the feelings of completeness, clung to her like static.
And no amount of control could make it disappear.
8
December 19th Evening - Elizabeth
Elizabeth stood before the mirror in her private dressing room, smoothing down the line of her black velvet gown with the same precision she used when finalizing multi-million-dollar contracts. Her earrings caught the light, diamond drops with an edge sharp enough to wound, a gift from a hedge fund board she’d saved from collapse. She pinned them in with careful, practiced hands.
The room smelled faintly of white peonies and bourbon from the bottle she kept tucked behind the wardrobe mirror. Her reflection was glossy, impeccable, cold. That was the point.
Armor. Always armor.
Outside the frosted windows, snow was falling again, silent, perfect flakes that dusted the tall hedges lining the walk to the ballroom. The charity gala was an annual Hale tradition, the kind of event society pages ate up: discreet wealth, old money elegance, just enough benevolence to cleanse the indulgence. Elizabeth had co-hosted it every year since her grandfatherpassed, and she always wore black. She never quite knew if it was for him or for herself.
A soft knock at the adjoining door interrupted her thoughts.
Riley. Of course.
Elizabeth cleared her throat and opened it.
