Page 49 of The Fake Family Deal

Her smile. Lila’s smile.

I hate that I miss the baby as well. I hate that Lila has opened up my eyes to a world worth more than a career. I can’t believe I’ve let myself lose the best family I could ever have wanted — and for what?

Money.

It’s all so stupid.

One of my assistants walks past the office and glances in, looking like she’s about to knock and ask for something. I glare harder at the screen, using all my willpower to subliminally encourage her to go away.

Fortunately, she gets the message and backs off, continuing on down the corridor without even stopping. Good.

I don’t want anyone to bother me today. I want to be left alone to my misery.

CHAPTER 24

MARINA

Iwrap the scarf tightly around my head, pushing my sunglasses high up my nose. The other day, I went out and bought a new stroller because people were starting to recognize mine as familiar, then look at me and put the pieces together and come up to us because they wanted a look at Lila.

I’ve bought an entirely new wardrobe too, making sure not to wear any of the clothes I ever wore on the show. I hate being recognized. I hate that people think they’re entitled to any of my time just because they saw me on TV.

Every time someone says my name in the same breath as Ellis’s, I feel sick.

I feel like screaming at them all,yes, he is the asshole you think he is! It’s all an act, a scheme to trick you into believing he was good so he could sell you stuff. He used me! You can’t believe a word of it!

But they do, and I have to make up some lie to placate them. It’s exhausting.

Still, I refuse to stop doing my daily activities just because Ellis is making it hard. I refuse to let him have that much power over me.

Even if it means I had to get a haircut and a new wardrobe.

So, here I am, taking Lila for her daily walk, keeping her life as constant as possible. We’re walking, then I’ll take her to the daycare, then I’ll get her in the afternoon and we’ll play and eat and go to bed, and everything will be okay.

I wonder if she knows enough to miss Ellis at all.

It’s not like I strictly need to take her to daycare anymore, but it’s nice for someone else to take her for a while, to give me a little bit of time to myself. Plus, she really needs to socialize. I don’t want her to be shy as an adult.

I try to take her to the daycare two or three times a week. I want to be consistent with her, so we go to the same place at the same time, and I collect her exactly when it’s time to.

This week, though, I’ve not been feeling well, so I’ve taken her a few more times than usual. I don’t like making her stay longer, even if all the staff and other parents are really nice, but my stomach’s been absolutely churning and I can’t stop feeling like I’m about to throw up.

It’s a gorgeous day, and Lila beams up at me, the summer sun warming us both. It’s going to be a wrench to say goodbye to her, like it is every day. But we can’t walk forever, so eventually I load her back into the car and head for the daycare.

“Hello, Lila,” says Susan as she greets us. “Aren’tyoubeing cute today?”

Lila babbles up at her, and I grin. “She’s just fine.”

I hand her over, pausing to lean in and kiss her on the forehead before I go. She waves goodbye to me at the door, and I have to swallow my pang of guilt for leaving her.

I had been hoping that whatever the issue with my stomach is would resolve itself, but no amount of ignoring it or herbal tea or medication is stopping this horrible sickness. That’s partly why I dropped Lila off at the daycare today, because I have an appointment with my doctor. Fortunately, having just come into a lot of money, my health insurance is now really, really good.

Another thing to begrudgingly thank Ellis for.

My stomach turns as I drive over, and I’m pretty sure I look awful when I show up. As I step inside, I realize this is the fanciest doctor’s office I’ve ever set foot in.

I have no idea what my new physician is going to be like. She has good reviews, though, so I’m hopeful that Dr. Chenka will be one of those kind, supportive doctors instead of one of those ones who doesn’t listen to you and thinks all your problems are made up. Fortunately, based on how queasy I am, I don’t think anyone could deny that there’s something wrong with me.

I wait, clutching my stomach and breathing slowly, trying to hold myself together. This had better be an easily resolved problem. I can’t take much more of this.

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