Page 146 of Modern Romance October 2025 5-8

‘I... I’m not sure,’ she said with a false hesitation that had nothing to do with any last-minute doubts and everything to do with needing him to agree to her stipulation.

‘You’re not...sure?’ he repeated, as if half in shock.

Even the drones seemed to wobble in the air in surprise.

‘I just...this is all happening so quickly,’ she lied.

This, at least, was true. It was actually a lot quicker than she’d expected. And no, she didn’t really think for a single second that Enzo Rossetti, the Playboy of Amalfi, had actually fallen head over heels in love with Rin. Not in the space ofdays. No, this was just another example of the affectations of a bored playboy with too much money and time on his hands. She was quite happy to use that to her advantage! However...

‘I just don’t want to think that this is happening because of what I said the other day about having traditional values.’

‘You are worried that I am only proposing so that I can sleep with you, perhaps?’

Well, yes. She needed to make it clear that she wouldn’t. She was ‘managing expectations’ as much as she was making herself evenmoretempting to a man who clearly loved to chase.

‘I want this to be special. For this tomeansomething. For it not to be just another short-term fling for you,’ she said coyly.

‘Oh, I assure you,cara,that what you and I have is utterly unique. I have never had anything like this before,’ he said with a glint in his eye.

‘I don’t want you to think that if we become engaged, that...’

‘That you’ll have sex with me.’

Oh, she wished he’d stop saying it like that. It made it sound sotransactional. And then she felt guilty. Because thiswasa transaction. But despite her silly reaction to a few kissesandthe fact that Enzo Rossettiwasthe most handsome man she’d ever encountered, shewasusing him to get what she wanted. Which was exactly why she couldn’t sleep with him, even after they were married.

‘So, if that’s what you’re after—’

He threw his head back and laughed.

‘It’s really not,’ he said in a tone that she wasn’t quite sure how to interpret as he finally got to his feet.

Why he was taking this so easily?

‘Amore mio, I’ll be clear. I will not try to seduce you before our wedding. In fact, I promise to protect your wishes, even if you beg me to change my mind!’

His arrogant confidence grated on her nerves.

‘More so, I promise that I will not expect or evenallowyou to give me any kind of pleasure until we are married.’

Oh the arrogance!

Enzo was more than a little frustrated, and no less bemused. He might have expected her to do something like this, but still. He had proposed. And she was supposed to want this after all. Surely it should have been an easy ‘yes’.

‘As for the prenup...’ he dangled, curious to see how she would convince him that it wasn’t needed.

‘Oh, of course. As soon as your lawyers have drawn it up I’ll happily sign it,’ Rin insisted.

What?She would ‘happily’ sign a prenup?What game was she playing?

Surely her plan hinged on being able to marry him and divorce him for some unforgivable trespass so that she could skip off into the sunset with half of his—admittedly incredibly impressive—wealth.

‘You have no qualms about...joining our assets?’ he poked, hoping to find the loophole she would presumably seek to exploit.

She shook her head. ‘Only that, in the event of a split, we keep what we came into the marriage with.’

He frowned. This was not going as he thought it would. Of course, he’d not intended to bother with a prenup because there wouldn’t, in fact, be a marriage. His plan was to leave her at the altar, to expose her as a gold-digger, and use her as a deterrent to anyone in future attempting to fleece him in such a way. He considered those who would abuse the finer, softer feelings for financial purposes the highest of criminals. And as such, they deserved swift and harsh judgement.

But this seemed to suggest that shewasn’tafter his money?