Page 39 of His Fake Wife

“You know how I like to keep up with pop culture?”

I rolled my eyes and walked to the coffee machine. It was a good thing my doctor said it was okay to have a cup of coffee a day. I really needed it. “Yeah, I know about your love for trash tabloids.”

“Uh-huh. You know how the Thornes are pretty much celebrities?”

“Spit it out.”

She sighed. “If you don’t know what’s going on, I should leave it to Adam.”

“Melissa,” I growled, getting more worried by the second. “If you don’t tell me?”

“It’s better if I show you. I’m hanging up.”

Seconds after the call ended, a message came in. There was a link that my finger hovered over. Fighting off a weird feeling of foreboding, I took a look at what my sister was having hysterics over.

As I studied the screen, a wave of nausea washed over me and it wasn’t from morning sickness. I stared at the picture of Adam with some blonde perched on his lap with her hands all over him. The headline made me want to disappear from existence.

“Newlywed Billionaire Already Bored With Wife”.

A strangled moan passed my lips and I put the phone down. I’d never been so embarrassed in my life. I’d grown up watching the Thornes’ name being mentioned in several media outlets. They were basically American royalty. Adam had always been a tabloid favorite, always getting into something. I used to find his escapades amusing. Now that I was involved, I wanted to flee the country and go into hiding forever.

My phone rang again.

“Are you still okay?” Melissa asked as soon as I accepted the call.

I let out a breath, trying to ignore the feeling of my heart practically shattering to pieces. I had no one to blame for my hurt feelings. I knew better than to fall in love with a rich playboy yet, I did...and to get pregnant on top of it was downright insane.

“I’m fine. I knew Adam before our marriage...arrangement. I’m not surprised.”

“Beth, are you sure you don’t want me to come home? I can catch a flight and be there in?”

“No way. Not that I wouldn’t love to see you, but” I swallowed and forced out the lie, “this is no big deal. You’ll be here in a bit for Thanksgiving anyway.”

“Okay. You’ll call me if you need me, right?”

I had no idea where my laugh came from, maybe I’d started running on autopilot.

“How many times do I have to remind you that I’m the older one? You call me if you need me.”

She snorted. “Yes ma’am. I’ll check up on you anyway. Later.”

There were tears burning the back of my eyeballs, begging to be released. I didn’t know how to handle negative press. I was a Thorne by name only...and temporarily. The only solution I had was to never show my face in public again. Maybe the stupid tabloid was right. Adam was bored with me. Why else would he go out and seek other female attention?

I plopped down on the nearest chair and rode the waves of my emotional turmoil. There was no telling how long I sat there staring into space when I heard the distinct sound of the elevator arriving. As much as I wanted to run to my room and have a good cry, I stayed.

Seconds later, Adam rounded the corner. He carried his jacket in one hand, the top buttons of his shirt were undone, his hair stuck out in all directions and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked like the walking dead and I wanted to finish him off right then.

He stopped when he saw me.

“Morning.”

I couldn’t believe he had the audacity to greet me with that annoyingly sexy drawl and a smile.

“You can’t be serious,” I hissed.

His smile dissolved.

“Somebody is in a bad mood. Look, about yesterday. I was in a sour mood. I should never have taken it out on you. I’m sorry.”

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