Page 35 of Playboy Billionaire's Fake Marriage

“The one missing a wife.”

Don’s wife left him four years ago. Word in the Fairchild grapevine is that he killed his wife to avoid losing his shares through divorce. It’s not true, but as that narrative is more sensational, the gossip-mongers prefer to run with it.

I’m one of the four people in the world who know where she is right now.

“What did he want?” Xavier presses.

“To know if I’m getting CEO or he is.”

“Wait a minute. Aren’t you next in line? You’ve been the de facto CEO for the past four years!”

“There’s just a small detail in the fine print.” I say to the ceiling. “Legal constraints I can’t get around.”

“Which are?”

“It all boils down to the fact that I need a wife.”

“Get the fuck out of here! What does that have to do with running Ocean Gate?”

I run my fingers through my hair, tightening my grip “I’m almost thirty-one. It’s been ten years. You know how the shares work.”

“Root of all the Fairchild excitement, yes, but I didn’t think it was applicable to you since you have already—”

I wave him off impatiently. “It does, Xavi, it fucking applies.”

“I see. That’s a tough one man.” Xavier muses.

It occurs to me that Xavier might be able to help me out of this tricky situation. I sit up and lean forward to get his attention.

“Anyway, I managed to find a way around the restrictive company policy. The loophole involves a 6-month arranged marriage which needs to happen in the next three weeks. And it needs to look real.”

Xavier’s eyes widen in shock. He knows how much the idea of marriage puts me off.

“Hell. Ryan, you realize your entire family will be watching? You’ll be under a microscope.”

I nod. “I know.”

He looks almost worried for me. “You’ll also need someone who will not fall for the very shiny outer shell. No offense.”

“None taken, dumbass. I am very much aware of that. Which is why Stella would be perfect.”

Xavier looks at me like I’ve gone mad. “Excuse me?”

“Yeah, Stella. She’s single and not looking to settle. She’s very passionate about her work. And the money I’m offering will do wonders for her business.”

Xavier is already shaking his head. “Bro, bro. You’re talking about my wife’s best friend here.”

“Stella has a mind of her own; she can do whatever she wants.”

“Are you crazy? That woman is like a sister to me. Remember how you almost killed me when you found your sister in bed with me?”

My stomach lurches at the memory again. In our senior year of high school, I’d come home to find fourteen-year-old Gina in my bed, wrapped around Xavier. That was enough to break our friendship for years. It didn’t matter that Gina confessed that Xavier had been fast asleep when she stupidly decided to slip in next to him.

“Come on Xavi, it’s not even the same thing. Besides, Stella and I, we have a special connection.”

“A special connection?” Xavier scoffs. “I suggest you take your special fuckery far away from that woman, Ry. She’s not your plaything. She seems super tough on the outside, but she’s really not. Brooke is even way tougher than her.”

“I bet.” Of course, since Xavier’s balls are firmly ensconced in Brooke’s fist, he’s bound to think of her as tough.

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