Noah wasn't the jealous type. At least, that's what he'd always told himself. Jealousy was messy. Inefficient. A waste of emotional bandwidth. But ever since Lucas Tan reappeared in Zara's life like a charming storm in vintage sneakers, Noah had refreshed the guy's LinkedIn profile four times. Yes, he was that far gone.
"Background in design, founder of Loop Lab, backed by two VCs," he muttered, scanning the screen. "Of course he's well-funded. Of course his company looks 'artsy but scalable.'"
He stared at Lucas's smug profile photo for a full five seconds. Then, annoyed with himself, he opened a secure chat.
> 🐺 [Encrypted Chat – Jake]
Noah: I need a file on Lucas Tan. Fast. Quietly.
A moment passed.
> Jake: Uh… the Zara guy?
Noah: Don't call him that.
Jake: Copy. What am I looking for?
Noah: Investors. Legal history. Anything odd.
Another beat.
> Jake: Is this about business or personal?
Noah:
Yes.
The next day, Zara showed up to their scheduled brand photoshoot looking radiant, composed—and just a little smug.
"I invited you," she said, sipping cold brew through a metal straw. "Didn't think you'd actually come."
Noah adjusted his sleeves. "I came to supervise."
She raised an eyebrow. "You mean spy."
He didn't deny it.
Across the set, Lucas Tan was laughing with the creative director, sleeves rolled, grin warm—the kind of guy who said bro unironically and still somehow made it sound wise.
When he spotted Zara, he walked over like he hadn't just been the subject of Noah's background check and internal growling for the last 48 hours.
"Zara," Lucas grinned, arms open. "Glad you came."
Zara smiled. "You're lucky I like your lighting."
Lucas turned to Noah. "Hey. Mr. Lancaster, right? I've heard good things."
Noah extended a hand. "I haven't."
Lucas paused—but laughed like it didn't phase him. "Fair."
They shook hands. Noah made sure his grip was exactly 12% firmer.
Zara watched the handshake like it was pay-per-view entertainment.
"Aw, my two favorite men pretending to be civil. I should've brought popcorn."
The shoot began.
Zara moved like she belonged in front of the camera—soft smiles, sharp angles, unapologetic confidence. She didn't just pose; she told stories with every glance. Lucas directed from a distance, careful, respectful, occasionally dropping a "perfect" or "that's the shot."
Noah stood off-camera, arms crossed, watching like it was a hostage negotiation.
At one point, Zara posed with bubble tea in hand, eyes narrowed just enough to look like a meme waiting to happen.
"Is this the 'I just spilled tea on capitalism' look?" she quipped to the crew.
Lucas laughed. "It's perfect. You're perfect."
Noah didn't growl. But his jaw did something suspiciously close.
The session ended with polite applause and a crew that clearly adored her.
Zara walked over, cheeks flushed, eyes gleaming. "So? Verdict?"
Noah met her gaze coolly. "You're very… marketable."
She grinned. "That's the sexiest thing anyone's ever said to me."
Lucas appeared beside them, holding a tablet. "Zara, we might want a few follow-up shots. Maybe one with Noah?"
Zara blinked. "For the brand?"
"No. Just for fun," Lucas replied, breezy as a spring brunch invite.
Noah's smile had all the warmth of an iceberg. "I don't do fun."
Zara rolled her eyes. "He means yes. He's just allergic to enthusiasm."
Later, as they waited for the car outside, Zara nudged him with her elbow.
"Admit it. You hate him."
"I barely know him," Noah replied evenly.
"Exactly. You don't know him, but you already hate him. That's pure vibes."
He didn't respond, but his phone buzzed.
A message from Jake.
> Lucas Tan – clean file, except one sealed partnership clause. Trying to unlock it now.
His jaw ticked.
Zara noticed. "Everything okay?"
Noah exhaled. "Just… be careful."
She blinked. "Of Lucas?"
He hesitated. "Of how things feel… when people from the past start acting like your future."
Zara stared at him.
Her voice, when it came, was quiet. "Is this you talking as my fake boyfriend?"
He looked at her then—really looked. Not with the media-trained smile, not with the guarded CEO façade.
Just him.
"No," he said. "This is me talking as Noah."
Zara held his gaze and for once, she didn't have a witty comeback.
She just felt her heart do something it wasn't supposed to do in fake relationships:
Skip.