Page 45 of Dr. Billionaire's Fake Marriage

I nod, but I don't answer. I go into her room. "I just want to see her," I insist in a hushed tone.

“You look beautiful tonight,” she says under her breath, “but you look troubled.”

I swallow, folding the blanket to let her hands out. She takes my cold hand into hers, and I sit by her side. “You were right,” I say. “I think I am in love with Troy Robinson, and he won’t even talk to me because he heard you talk about seducing him.”

Mother rubs my hand as I talk. She doesn't say anything else; she just listens. I watch her drift off. I guess her medication is kicking in.

I return to the car when Mother is sound asleep. "How is she?" Amelia asks. I tell her she is fine. I am smiling. I am sure she wonders why.

“Tomorrow is your wedding, girl! Put a smile on your face.”

The car drives down the street. Looking out the window, I see that Amelia's driver is taking a wrong turn. I tell Amelia about it; she suspects a surprise bachelorette party. "Mother!" Amelia murmurs. "Just act surprised when we get there."

I nod, thinking how Amelia may have to put up a front for the rest of her life. She is right; when the car pulls into a garage, Amelia's driver leads us into an exclusive club, where we see the six fake bridesmaids all in a row.

"Surprise!" they scream in our ears. Now we must endure the noise and flirting from the paid male strippers.

Amelia is quick to get into the act. She poses for the camera and allows a male stripper to dance with her.

She laughs with the rest of the bridesmaids and pretends to be enjoying the moment.

I quietly sit in the corner of the club, hoping to see Troy's call or a text. I give in to Amelia as she pulls me onto the dance floor. We party until the lights go out.

Chapter fifteen

Maid of Honor

Troy

It is the morning of Henry's wedding. I always stay near Henry when he tells me to do so.

I look at him, wondering if he has cold feet. When we walk to the garden, we wait patiently for Amelia and her bridal train to walk in.

Mother is seated in the front row. She doesn't look at me because she is still angry at me for marrying Camile. Henry thinks Mother will come back to her senses after the wedding.

He thinks Mother is stressed after all the wedding preparations, and she'll come around when the whole shebang is over.

I try not to stare when Amelia's bridal train is arrayed on the stage; I try not to look at Camile, but not staring her might be the biggest challenge in my life.

Camile stands just across from me, making it more difficult for me not to stare. Camile stands with the rest of the sorority girl bridesmaids.

They are lined up in front of us. From how different Camile's attire is, I can tell she is the Maid of Honor.

Camile doesn't look at me. She looks into the crowd instead, as if she wants to find someone.

It makes me nervous. I dearly want to see those bright blue eyes.

The whole audience stands up when Amelia walks down the aisle. Amelia’s presence doesn’t take my attention off Camile; however, I look away whenever Camile’s eyes meet mine.

I catch my breath when the minister tells Henry and Amelia to kiss at the conclusion of the ceremony.

At the reception, I sit beside Mother. "You can't avoid me forever," I say. "You have to come to terms with the fact that I am married to Camile now. I am not bound by your rules, anymore."

She turns to glare at me. “You are pathetic,” she says. “I can make her leave. I can pay her off twice whatever you are paying her.”

Mother is threatening to pay Camile off to leave me, and for some reason, I am not afraid of whatever she has planned. A part of me believes Camile won't betray the trust between us. "You go ahead," I utter. "Camile can't be bought."

Mother can see in my eyes that I have come to trust Camile so much that I don't think she would betray the deal between us.

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