Contract Marriage with My Secret Partner in Crime-Chapter 41: Roleplay

Zephany stared at the message on her phone as if it had personally offended her. Her eyes widened, her lips parted slightly, and her fingers trembled above the screen. She read the words again, blinking twice to make sure she hadn’t misread it.

"Ms. Draven,

You have an important appointment this evening. Please meet Mr. Montclair in the Varen Tower lobby at 7:00 PM. Dress elegantly and be prepared for a romantic dinner at Le Rêve. This is your opportunity to make a genuine connection. Observe the small details and enjoy the evening.

Warm Regards, Sophia Sparkle"

"What the heck?" she muttered under her breath, lowering her phone. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked around her desk in disbelief. "A genuine connection? Romantic dinner? Is she serious right now?"

Zephany sighed heavily, slumping in her chair and covering her face with both hands. "That damn Cassius... Is he writing a romance drama now? Should’ve opened an entertainment company instead of meddling in our lives."

She groaned, peeking through her fingers. "Seriously. Dress elegantly, enjoy the evening... what’s next? Hold hands under the moonlight?"

Meanwhile, in his art studio, Kendrick was staring at a fancy envelope in his hands. The Varen insignia stamped in wax already gave him a bad feeling. He peeled the seal open and unfolded the note.

"Mr. Montclair,

You are cordially invited to a romantic dinner date with Zephany Draven. Please meet at the Varen Tower lobby at 7:00 PM sharp. Dress elegantly, and be the gentleman you are. The destination is Le Rêve, one of our city’s finest restaurants. You are expected to arrive with a small bouquet of roses. Make sure to hold the door and pull out her chair. This is your chance to show your affection and commitment. Enjoy the evening.

Yours Sincerely, Sophia Sparkle"

Kendrick’s expression was blank for a solid five seconds. Then he tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "Show affection? Commitment?" He slowly dragged a hand down his face. "What is this, some kind of roleplay fantasy?"

He glanced up at the ceiling as if Cassius was watching from above. "Dude... are you that bored with your life? You could just hire actors, you know. Make a movie. Don’t use us as your personal drama characters."

Still holding the note, he walked over to the window, looking out with a long sigh. "A bouquet? Pull her chair? Do I look like I know how to date someone?"

He glanced down at the roses he had already bought, the irony of the situation not lost on him. "I do missions, not rom-coms."

Back in the office, Zephany looked around the room, her eyes scanning for Pia. The weight of the lie she was about to tell was already making her chest heavy.

Right on cue, Pia entered the office holding a steaming cup of coffee. She took one look at Zephany’s face and stopped in her tracks.

"Zeph? Are you okay? You look... weird."

Zephany hesitated, forcing a small smile. "Um... Pia... I need to tell you something. I-I won’t be able to join the celebration tonight."

Pia blinked. "Wait, what? Why not?"

Zephany bit her bottom lip. The truth would be ridiculous. She couldn’t exactly say she was going on a fake date with her contracted husband for a mission orchestrated by a man who clearly missed his calling as a scriptwriter.

So she looked down and mumbled, "My brother... he’s coming home later."

Pia’s expression softened. "Oh. Reynold, right? He’s hardly ever home."

Zephany nodded, still avoiding eye contact. "Yeah... So I just want to be there when he arrives."

Pia reached out and gently patted Zephany’s hand. "It’s okay. I understand. Family comes first. We can celebrate another time."

Zephany looked up at her with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Pia. I’m really sorry."

"Don’t be," Pia said, waving her hand dismissively. "Just make sure you enjoy your time with him. And give him a big hug from me!"

Zephany nodded, guilt gnawing at her for lying. "I will."

As evening approached, Kendrick stood in front of the mirror in his art studio, dressed to the nines in a sharp black suit. The crisp white shirt beneath it was perfectly tucked, and the sleek tie was neatly tied.

His shoes were polished to a shine, and he’d spent an embarrassing amount of time combing his hair to perfection.

In his hand was the small bouquet of red roses, just as Sophia instructed. He stared at his reflection with a sigh.

"You’ve done infiltration, chased international targets, and hacked security systems under pressure," he muttered to himself. "But pretending to be in love? With someone you barely know? That’s the real mission."

He shook his head. "And what the hell do couples even talk about? What if she expects me to be funny? Or... charming? I don’t even know how to compliment a dress without sounding like I read it from a script."

Still, he straightened his tie. "But for Dad. For Mom. For Levy. For everything I’ve been working for. Let’s get this over with."

Back in the apartment, Zephany carefully zipped up the back of her dress. The midnight-blue fabric shimmered slightly under the light, hugging her frame just right. Her red hair had been curled softly, falling past her shoulders. She had applied just the right amount of makeup to look elegant, yet natural.

Staring at her reflection, she let out a frustrated groan.

"Damn you, Cassius," she muttered. "You and your ridiculous instructions. Do I look like some actress in a sappy romance movie?"

She paced the room in her heels, mumbling to herself. "Make a genuine connection, my foot. I should’ve connected my fist to your smug face when I had the chance."

Zephany sighed and sat at the edge of her bed. "This isn’t just awkward. It’s painful. Who even says ’observe the small details’? What does that even mean? Is Kendrick going to wear a rose-scented cologne?"

She rolled her eyes. "You really outdid yourself this time, Cassius. If this was your plan to punish us from yesterday stunt, then congratulations. Mission accomplished."

Still, she stood, took one last glance in the mirror, and inhaled deeply.

"Alright. I can do this. For the contract. For the information. For the bigger picture."

She reached for her clutch bag, squared her shoulders, and whispered to herself,

"Just act. You’re a journalist now—shy, timid, soft-spoken Zephany Draven. Not the amazing, awesome, super-duper cool Eclipse. You can do this."

On the other side of the city, Kendrick slipped the note from Sophia into his jacket pocket. He looked down at the bouquet and gave a small, dry chuckle.

"Flowers. Right. Like that’ll magically make me Prince Charming."

His phone buzzed with a message from his sister.

Levy: "You better not be late again. Mom says dinner is tomorrow. And don’t forget the pudding."

Kendrick smiled faintly. He replied quickly.

Kendrick: "Noted. I’m on a mission tonight."

Levy: "A mission? You work hard! Hope it’s not boring like the last one."

He pocketed his phone and shook his head. "Not boring. Just... weird."

As the clock neared seven, both Zephany and Kendrick prepared to step into roles neither of them ever imagined they’d play. Not as agents(nulls). Not as themselves. But as a couple, deeply in love—or at least, good enough to convince the world they were.

And somewhere, Cassius was probably watching and laughing his heart out, while Sophia Sparkle sipped wine and jotted notes like a director watching a rehearsal.