Page 94 of Perfectly Wedded

“I’m not worried about the delay,” I say, quietly. “I think we need to talk about what happened earlier. What you heard in the interview.”

She looks at me, before her eyes slide to her checklist. “You know I believe you. I’ve already scheduled a meeting with some lawyers next week. They had no right to blindside you during that interview. We might be able to settle this in court.”

I step closer. “I can’t place the full blame on them,” I say, then wait a beat. “They were only questioning me about what was true.”

My sister’s head snaps up. “What do you mean?”

“I wasn’t prepared for their questions. I didn’t know that Vale had turned down the NHL or the insurance problem.” I hesitate. “But their accusations about our elopement... were not entirelyuntrue.”

She looks behind me, her face panicked. “Where’s Vale?” She frowns. “You’re not pulling out, are you?”

“No!” I assure her. “He’s waiting outside. I wanted to talk to you alone. To make something right before I get married today.”

I don’t want this to come out rushed or fumble this moment between us. This isn’t just about confessing a secret—it’s about making our relationship right—something Dad hasn’t done until today. I’m choosing to do the best thing for us, even if it hurts. My sister deserves to know what happened, and if I keep it from her, the guilt will eat me alive. For once, I’m being brave enough to face my fears instead of turning and running.

“When Vale and I eloped in Vegas, it wasn’t because we had admitted our love for each other. That came later.” I fiddle with my fingers.

She narrows her eyes. “What they said... was accurate, then?”

I nod. “When Vale found out that I couldn’t afford my medicine, he wanted me to have insurance to cover it. He offered to marry me so he could put me on his insurance plan. It was complicated and wrong and I’m so sorry.” I dig my palms into my eyes and shake my head. “I made a rash decision, and I should’ve told you, but when I saw how excited you were, I felt like I couldn’t go back.”

“So you’re not in love?” she asks, clearly confused.

I uncover my eyes, finally meeting her gaze. “No, Iamin love with Vale. That’s the part I couldn’t admit back then. When we married the first time, we had feelings for each other—we just didn’t want to tell the other person for fear of ruining our friendship. That was the surprise for us—finding out we were both in love. We’ve had our share of obstacles, but never about how we feel. I’m really sorry, Jaz.”

“So you were in love the whole time?” Her face brightens. “I knew it was true.”

I shake my head, not understanding. “Didn’t I just say that?”

Jaz goes on, “WhenThe Star Reportclaimed you only married for Vale’s insurance, I knew it couldn’t be right. I could see it in your eyes every time you looked at him.”

I blink. “Did you hear me? I apologized for lying to you,” I remind her in case she missed it the first time.

“I know.”

“And you’re okay with it?”

“Sloan, you married your best friend, the guy you fell in love with. If you had to tell yourself you were doing it for the insurance in order to go through with it, how can I blame you? I would’ve done the same.”

My mouth falls open, but I can’t get any words out. This isn’t what I expected from the woman who’s held a very long grudge against our dad. “But what about the fact that Dad lied to us? You said yourself you hate it when people don’t tell you the truth.”

“I did,” she admits. “But there’s a difference between your situation and Dad’s—and the motivation behind it. Dad lied to cover up something heinous. I couldn’t accept that he betrayed our stepmom. But in your case, you did it out of survival.”

“I’m not sure that’s any better,” I say.

“You didn’t betray me by standing up for yourself or choosing your health. I’m proud you were brave enough to put yourself first. If you’d asked me before all this whether you should go through with it, I would’ve said yes,no question. Not just because of the insurance, but because you need Vale. You were meant to be together.”

I arch an eyebrow. “You would?” Ever since we got married, I’ve been trying to convince myself of Jaz’s arguments against this marriage, when all along, she was for us.

She takes my hands in hers. “He’s a good man who loves you. I knew that from the beginning.”

I shake my head, the emotion welling up in my eyes. All this time I was terrified about her reaction, sure that she’d lump me together with my father as someone she couldn’t forgive. But the truth of the matter is never that simple. Real family will always love you, even when your decisions make no sense to them.

For now, I’m learning how to do that for my father, whose decision to leave was unfathomable to me at the time. I might nothave understood why he had to go, or the complications of grief that drove him away, but now I realize he still loved us, in his own way.

I glance out the window and see my father still waiting, leaning against the limo. I rest a hand on my stomach, which is churning from my nerves. I want things to go right for him but I’m not even sure that’s possible. “Jaz, there’s something I need to tell you.”

She glances down at my hand, then back at me. “Wait a minute, are you...pregnant?”

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