Page 7 of Fake Wife for Dr. Secret Daddy

“How is this not archaic?” I exclaim, throwing the document down.

My father looks genuinely puzzled. “We removed the need for a male heir,” he says as if that is a standard sentence. “Certainly, Luna is as capable as any man.”

It’s… nice?

I re-read the documents, and, sure enough, the contract that would allow me to accept the position as head of the Gates Foundation—not to mention the apparently large trust that is in my name, rendering Luna and myself absolutely taken care of financially—is tied to my being a married man.

“Dad,” I say, running my hands through my hair. “I’m not even seeing anyone. I’m supposed to take over in three months.”

“You’re very charming,” Dad says dismissively. “I found your mother in six weeks, and we’ve been happy for forty years.”

I don’t even know what to say to that.

Dad stands up, smilingly clapping my shoulder. “I’m going to spend time with my granddaughter. You may take these documents to your lawyer if you’d like.”

Then he leaves, whistling a jaunty tune, and I’m left in the office, wondering how I’m supposed to find a woman to marry me in twelve weeks.

CHAPTER 2

Winnie

Luna lifts a doll in the air, swooshing it through like it’s flying, and my heart breaks.

It’s my first day as Luna’s nanny, and I feel like I am moments away from breaking down. She’s a sweet kid. She’s got this perfect dimpled smile and these great, deep eyes. She looks like her dad. She’s so cute and lovely.

What it also means is that Luna looks like my daughter would have.

It’s like looking into a tiny mirror to an alternate reality. If my pregnancy hadn’t ended in the stillbirth of my daughters, this might have been my Luna.

I can’t forget what it felt like when I was six months pregnant and wondered what the babies would look like.

What kind of trick of fate is it that I’d end up with a fifteen-month-old daughter of Ted’s when that’s the age my girls would have been?

I’ve tried not to meditate on it. But ever since I heard he was coming home with his daughter; I’ve wondered if this is my punishment. If never telling him I was pregnant after our tryst together the night of my twentieth birthday meant that now, I had to pay.

“Miss Winnie!” Luna says, her voice soft and light. She can’t quite say my name, but it’s very close. “Doll!”

I lift a spare doll, swinging it in the air. We play pretend, like we have all morning, and I hope that my smile looks fake to her sweet, young eyes. She doesn’t deserve to feel bad for me.

This is like exposure therapy, I remind myself. This is good. My girls are gone. I need to heal.

And, indeed, there is no cuter or sweeter therapy than Luna Gates. With her little bumblebee dress and sweet bows in her hair, she’s as precious as a child gets.

I want to be okay. I really, really do.

“Okay, baby girl, let’s go get a change,” I say. Luna looks up at me, her small face scrunching up. She shakes her head, and I smile, touching her cheek gently. “Do you need a change?” She nods. Then can I change you?” She nods again, putting down the doll. What an intelligent girl, I think affectionately.

I stand up, holding out my hands. Luna reaches for me, grinning, and I swoop her up. My heart clenches painfully as she nuzzles closer to me.

“You are too cute,” I tell her in a silly voice. She giggles. “Cute, cute, cute.”

I take her to the changing table, and she lays quickly, showing she’s already comfortable. If it wasn’t for Luna, I might be annoyed at how fast money can make things easy, but Luna deserves that sense of normalcy after moving halfway across the country.

Luna blabbers from her seat amongst her toys, reeling me back from my thoughts as I return my focus to her.

“You’re so beautiful,” I say, smiling, as I get up from the chair, I'm in and make my way to her, joining her on the floor.

She smiles at me as I place her between my legs, pulling her up to wrap my arms around her, resting my chin on her tiny shoulder.

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