A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I remembered how it all started. Entering a fake relationship with his ex-best friend should have been simple enough. But nothing could have prepared me for the overwhelming butterflies and eventual feelings that wormed in whenever I thought of Rafael.

Rafael was leaning against the balcony railing, watching me with a thoughtful expression. His dark eyes held a mixture of love and concern, and I knew he was thinking about the baby just as I now was.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

I smiled and shook my head. "Just thinking about how far we've come. If someone had told me a year ago that I'd be here, with you, and pregnant, I would've laughed in their face."

He moved closer, wrapping his arms around me from behind, resting his hands gently on my belly. "Life's funny like that," he murmured against my ear. "Sometimes the most unexpected things turn out to be the best."

I leaned back against him, feeling the steady beat of his heart. "Do you remember the first time we met?"

He chuckled. "How could I forget? You were furious, and somehow I convinced you to join me in my suite."

"Furious is putting it mildly," I replied with a grin. "I was ready to tear him apart."

"And then I proposed that crazy plan," Rafael said, his voice filled with amusement. "Fake dating me to get back at him."

She chuckled. "I thought you were out of your mind."

He laughed. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Oh, it worked," I agreed, my expression softening. "Now look at us."

Rafael's eyes twinkled mischievously as he reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I always knew we’d make a great team, even if it did start as a scheme for revenge."

I leaned into his touch, a smile playing on her lips. "Who would've thought that fake dating you would turn into something real?"

"We make a pretty convincing couple, don't you think?" he replied, his gaze holding mine.

As the sun began to set in the distance, casting a warm glow over us, I couldn't help but feel grateful for Rafael's crazy plan that had brought us together. With a contented sigh, I leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, knowing that our story was only just beginning.