Page 126 of Bitter Secrets

He didn’t answer immediately, but continued his massage until her breathing deepened. She was beginning to float off when he spoke.

“You wanting to believe there’s good in them is dangerous when you’re willing to sacrifice everything to protect them from their mistakes.” He paused, making her eyelashes flutter as she tried to stay awake. “But I always allow a margin of error and I know you need to believe in them, even if the odds aren’t in their favor.”

“They’re all I have,” she murmured sadly before her hand fell away from him.

“No.”

She didn’t understand his response, but was too weary to carry on the conversation. She succumbed to the feel of his lips brushing over her closed eyelids.

CHAPTER15

“Guys, I’m not having a reception!”

She had to raise her voice to be heard over her friends, who had been ignoring her for ten minutes.

“Why not?” Kira demanded.

“We don’t need a reception.”

“No oneneedsa reception, but this is the second time you haven’t allowed anyone to celebrate your union. It’s unacceptable.”

“Roth isn’t that kind of guy.”

“No man is that kind of guy,” Kira retorted. “You have to tell him you want a party.”

“Idon’twant a party.”

“And this is where I inform you that you have no choice,” Kira said crisply.

“It’s going to be embarrassing if you go through all this trouble of planning a reception at your resort, and we don’t show.”

“This will be fun, Jasmine,” Penelope said over the sound of Kira cursing. “Everyone who loves and supports you all in one place?”

She made a face. She could fit those who loved and supported her in a public bathroom stall. There was no need to rent a yacht or resort.

“The girls and I have compiled a list of venues for you to choose from. You can have the wedding of your dreams.”

She felt a trill of alarm. “Wedding? I thought this was a reception.”

“Some couples like to renew their vows before the reception.”

When she said nothing, Kira made an impatient sound. “I’ll have Igor call Roth.”

“You do that.”

There was no way Roth would agree to this. People believed their story. There was no reason to invest more time and effort into making their relationship seem more authentic.

As Kira and Penelope continued to brainstorm, she lifted her face to the bright morning sun. The call from her friends had been a pleasant surprise, until she found out they wanted to nail down details for the reception she had no intention of having. Apparently, news of her marriage caused their small billionaire daughters’ club to reconnect. Unfortunately, they planned to use her reception as a reunion and expected her to go along with it. Everyone was eager to host her reception in their country and offered up their considerable resources—yachts, resorts, islands, palaces, and towns. If this was a reception for anyone else, she would have been eager to help, but as it was for her fake relationship… No.

“You’re as stubborn as ever,” Kira complained.

“And you’re still sweet and submissive,” she drawled.

Kira snickered. “You don’t want to be disappointed in case your husband says no, right?”

No, but if it would get her friend off her back… “Yes.”

“Igor will take care of Roth, and then we can proceed with our plans.”

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