The Fake Wife's Spectacular Genius Comeback

th Chloe's fingertips. She stared at a photo of a smiling ba

mming just beneath her skin. For five years, this had been the goal. Th

oe H

eart giving a hopeful little leap. She smoothed dow

t's

oard across the counter without looking up. "Just need you to

leather sofa. Her eyes scanned the form, a standard

lle V

up and return it when her gaze snagge

was Julia

h it, his

as familiar to her as her own reflection. She'd seen it on their wedding

s, drowning out the soft classical music playing from hidden spe

ature... it

her face pale. She snatched the clipboard from Chloe's numb fi

dry. She watched th

s the contact?" Chloe asked, her voice sou

e it's just a common name." She scurried back behind th

oud as a scream

ts, digging her nails into her palms. The physical pain

ements stiff. "I need

, sterile bathroom, she locked the door and leaned against it, her fo

e opened the app that tracked their cars. A little blue dot pu

Sterling Industri

vate, members-only club he sometimes

ot of ice in her stomach. She cancelled the appointment wi

glass doors swinging shut behind her, a

ared out the window, the city's vibrant life nothing but a smear of

e, unmarked black door. She paid the driver and got out

black suit blocked the ent

here. "I'm meeting Mr. Sterling. In the Vanguard Suite." She gave him the VIP acces

but he tapped the code into a keypad.

rpet muffled her footsteps. At the far end, a door was slightly ajar, a sliv

nst the cool, flocked wallpaper. She he

him. Julian. He was lounging on a leather couch, his arm draped

was visibl

t felt like it stopped completely

ised his glass. "So, Julian, how much longer are you going to keep up the c

dismissive sound that made the

sed the pregnant wom

at fake marriage certificate is all it takes to keep her happy. She's content playing house,

physical blows. Fake.

to steady herself against the wall. Her heel scrape

re rasp, but in the sudden lull

oom, the lau

Julian's voice

up, turning his he

and. Barefoot, she turned and ran, her feet silent on the thick carpet. She didn't look

o the cold, concrete stairwell. The door clicked

y floor. The sobs came then, violent, racking shudders t

eless. But as the minutes passed, the gut-wr

in. She pushed herself up, her back scraping against the rough

o longer filled with grief. They were

d the camera on herself. She took a picture of her t

last time she would eve