Page 159 of Be My Wife

“Those eyes of hers don’t know how to lie.”

Our entire marriage was a lie. Mom has no idea what she’s talking about.

“It’s over, Mom. Elizabeth isn’t who I thought she was.”

She bursts out laughing. “What?”

“She couldn’t wait until I got my inheritance so she could extort money from me.”

“She’s not Lana, Brogan. Elizabeth isn’t like that.”

I think of the notarized document hidden in my desk back home. Elizabeth hasn’t mentioned it. Maybe she’s ashamed. Or maybe she’s relieved I intercepted it so she didn’t have to find a creative way to demand the money from me.

Either way, I heard her loud and clear.

“You don’t know her.” I shake my head. “I didn’t know her.”

“I am so disappointed in you.”

“You don’t understand.”

Mom scowls. “I didn’t know I raised such a foolish son.”

There’s a knock on the door.

Lana and Steph enter.

“Let’s talk about this later.”

My mother shakes me off. “You held on to a woman who didn’t deserve you or appreciate your love.” She gestures to Lana. “And you’re letting the one who loves you and wants to be with you go just like that? Without fighting for her?”

Steph’s eyes widen. “What’s going on?”

“Stop,” I growl at Mom.

She offers a bitter smile. “Fine. I will. If you don’t want to listen to me, I can’t force you.”

“Gran?” Steph whimpers. “Are you and Uncle Brogan fighting?”

“It’s nothing, baby.” Mom sighs. “I’m going home.” She gives me a dark look. “Have fun being miserable.”

“Mom…”

But she’s already storming off, her purse hiked to her shoulders and her long skirt fluttering around her pale ankles.

I collapse into a chair and rub my face between my palms. Letting Elizabeth go is hard enough without Mom putting salt into the wound trying to convince me of a love that just isn’t there.

How could it be?

We agreed to a contract marriage. Now it’s over and she’s ten times richer than she was when she started.

Everybody wins.

Except me.

Lana remains in the doorway. “You want to talk about it?”

“Not really.”

---