Page 19 of His Fake Wife

“I’d say we did more than make out, sweetheart.”

The heat started from my neck and spread into my face. Curse my ability to blush so readily. He got me there. I had no comeback so I hissed, “Don’t call me that,” and brushed past him. As if I hadn’t suffered enough humiliation for one night, my heel caught in my dress and I pitched forward.

Ironically, I just had to be saved by the last person I wanted to touch me at that moment. The heat of Adam’s fingers around my arms felt like a brand and everything I’d let him do to me came rushing back. He had the nerve to ask, “Are you okay?”

Fuming, I stomped. “No, I’m not. I can’t even make a dignified exit.” To ensure I didn’t trip again, I gathered my dress and marched off, on the verge of tears.

“Beth, wait.”

“You were right. We have nothing to talk about.”

There was no way I’d turn around and let him see me on the brink of a breakdown. The last thing I heard was his muttered curse before I rounded the corner and locked myself in my bedroom.

“I’m not going to cry. I’m not going to cry.”

The chant helped to keep my tears at bay as I kicked off my shoes, threw my gold clutch on the bed, and hurled myself down beside it. Face buried in my pillow to muffle my scream, I tried convincing myself that I wasn’t hurt by Adam’s rejection. I failed. I was devastated. Who would have thought that one day I’d actually want to sleep with that cad?

Before I could think anymore about my night, my phone vibrated in my purse. I could already guess who it was. My sister was the only one who’d called me to chat. As a bonafide nerd since pre-school, I didn’t have many friends.

“Ugh, I’m a nerd and a virgin,” I groaned. It was safe to assume that Adam thought I was pathetic. More importantly, why did I even care what he thought?

“Hey, Mel.”

“Hey! I guess you’re home from that charity event.”

I wondered how she managed to always be so chipper no matter what was going on.

“Uh-huh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. What makes you think something is wrong?”

“Your greeting wreaked of doom and gloom. Are you okay?”

“I’m the older one. I should be asking you that.”

Mel laughed and I scowled. She was a typical teenager?carefree about most things and the total opposite of me when I was her age, but she’s always been annoyingly intuitive.

“How’s life as a Thorne?” My groan made her pause. “Oh. So that’s what’s wrong?”

“It’s none of your concern. How’s Aspen?”

Mel was on vacation with her best friend and her family. After that, she was off to college, and thankfully, she’d be boarding. Not that I was trying to get rid of my sister, I just didn’t want her around witnessing firsthand, my life as a bride of convenience.

“Fine. I’d much rather be with you. I feel like I shouldn’t be on some getaway having fun right now. I mean, Dad just died and?”

“Mel, stop right there. I want you to be a kid for as long as you need to be. I did plenty of traveling when I was your age. I want the same for you.”

“Yeah, but that was when our father was a multimillionaire. Now, we’re broke.”

“Is that why you called? Out of guilt? You should be enjoying yourself.”

“How am I supposed to feel when my sister had to marry someone so we wouldn’t starve?” she whispered. “Of course, I’m guilty. I should be home with you. I don’t have to go to school right away, you know. I could take a year off and get a job. I might have grown up rich but I’m not some spoiled brat.”

Rolling onto my back, I massaged the bridge of my nose. How long had she been beating her up about everything? We hadn’t gotten to really talk over the last few weeks. I felt even more awful than I thought I could.

“I don’t want you to worry about anything. Technically, we’re still rich. It’s just that we have to depend on someone else for a little while. We’ll have dad’s company back soon. I’ll make things right again.”

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