Page 104 of Playboy Billionaire's Fake Marriage

His bedroom was off-limits because of her.

And now he won’t let you out of it.

He had a painting of both of them over his bed.

Which Ryan suddenly donated to some health charity on your return from New York.

Still, I can’t get rid of my doubts and fear.

His wife is not dead to him. She’s the reason he’s gone to these lengths to avoid a real relationship. And the reason he’ll kick me out once the six months are up. In four weeks.

Once he parks the car, I don’t wait for him to help me out, but instead, I throw my door open and bolt up into the penthouse.

My heart feels too battered to hear the voice of reason in my head. All I know is that I’m in love with Ryan Fairchild. And he’s in love with someone else.

Needing space tonight, I avoid his suite—-the space we’ve been sharing for the past month and go to my own bedroom.

I’m in my closet, struggling to reach my zipper when he walks in.

“Let me.” He drags the zipper down with a tenderness that sends a shiver down my spine, then he drops a soft kiss on my back.

I step away from him, pushing down the dress and letting it pool at my feet. I step out, hang the dress, then quickly change into my nightshirt. The silence weighs heavy, his presence both a source of comfort and anguish.

“I can only ask you so many times.” He whispers, “Are you going to tell me what the hell the matter is, baby?”

I want to scream at him not to call me that. “I told you, Ryan, I’m fine.”

“You’ve been like a wall of ice all evening.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, was my performance not up to par tonight?”

“Baby—-”

“It’s Stella.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Look, we should talk about our divorce.”

“What divorce?” Ryan spits.

“What do you mean ‘what divorce’? We’re a month away from the end of our six-month contract, aren’t we?”

He stares at me for a beat, then states “If you think for a moment I’m letting you go, you’re crazier than me for setting this up in the first place.”

His words hit me like a ton of bricks, and hope blooms in me, but I hide it with a sigh. “Ryan, you’ve made CEO, you’ve won, okay? You now have the life you wanted. I should also get back to my own life in New York.”

He shakes his head, clearly at a loss. “Stella, what the hell is this about?”

“Ryan, it’s been a long day; I’m tired…” I try to sidestep him, but he stops me, his hands firmly encircling my arms.

“Oh hell no.” His tone is soft, but the command is unmistakable. “You will tell me what’s gotten into you right fucking now.”

“Fine! I’m sick of having to act like this relationship, this marriage is real. I can’t do it anymore.”

He starts to laugh.

“Care to share what’s so funny about what I said?”

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