Page 40 of His Fake Wife

“That’s what you’re apologizing for? What about humiliating me in front of the world?”

“What?”

I strolled to him on wobbly legs and held up my phone with the incriminating picture and headline up to his face. What I really wanted to do was throw it at his head. “I guess one vagina will never be enough for you. Or maybe mine just isn’t good enough, you dick.”

Adam blinked twice and then his eyes widened. “Fuck!”

“Oh, I’m sure you did all night.” I had to fight down another wave of nausea.

“What? No! I didn’t...Beth, it isn’t what it looks like.”

It never was with his type. I blamed myself for thinking he’d actually changed. “I don’t know, it’s a clear enough picture. Since you’re going to make a fool out of me, I refuse to be one, for two whole years.”

“Beth, let me explain.”

“There’s going to be a change of terms. One year of this farce of a marriage with everything else you promised. That means, I only have to endure seven more months. Lucky me!” I stepped around him, valiantly fighting back my tears.

Oh my God. I’m going to be a single mother, was my first thought as I stormed off. There was no way I was going to tell him I was pregnant now.

“Beth, wait! Nothing happened, I swear.”

“Keep your lies, Adam. I don’t care what happened.”

I did care. I wasn’t just upset because he humiliated me. I was hurt because he’d been with another woman. He was supposed to be mine...for another year at least. I locked myself in my room where it was safe to bawl my eyes out and I didn’t plan on ever coming back out.

Chapter 17

Adam

“What’s taking you so long?” I barked into the phone.

“Hold on to your panties, sunshine. These things take time.” My friend, Eric, heaved another sigh and muttered, “So impatient.”

I was beyond impatient because I was itching to prove my innocence to Beth. “Sorry,” I said and commenced pacing.

Eric has been my best friend since college. Bailing each other out of the shit we got into used to be our thing. Apparently, not much had changed because he was helping me get out of the mess I was currently in.

The past week has been the worst of my life. It wasn’t because my name was being dragged all over the media, that was nothing new. It wasn’t because my father lectured me every day about being an idiot either. I couldn’t care less that my asshole of a brother had the ammunition to gloat. I was used to that too. It was because I’d caused Beth public embarrassment and she hated me again. I could live with everything else and not give a shit, except that.

If I was unsure of my feelings for her before, there was no doubt that I loved her now. If only she’d talk to me. She’d been holed up in her room since those pictures hit the media. I almost kicked down the door a few times to make sure she hadn’t starved to death in there but giving her space was probably for the best.

Fortunately, Eric had what I needed to make everything right. The tech genius was ensuring that the video of what really happened that night was legit. It was a good thing someone at the club had been recording the entire scene that the tabloid managed to twist into a whole other story. I didn’t want to risk anyone even suggesting I was the one to put it together to clear my name.

“It’s done. The video is authentic. No one can argue that it’s been edited. I don’t make mistakes.”

“You had to take the chance to gloat.”

“Yup,” he chuckled.

“I can remember a few mistakes you’ve made,” I challenged. “Like that time you slept with the girl I was seeing.”

“Aw come on man, that was years ago. I didn’t know you were seeing her.” The defensive, guilty note in his voice was why I still teased him with it sometimes. I found it funny.

It was the first time I’d laughed in a week.

“I’m yanking your chain, man.” To be honest, I couldn’t even remember that woman’s name. I’ve never had strong enough feelings for any woman until now to be hurt by something like that.

“Asshole,” he grumbled and I chuckled.

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