knew she couldn't afford to fall back asleep. She got up, her body still heavy from the tension of the night before. Her mind swirled with thoug

ped out, wrapping a towel around her body and heading to the bedroom. Standing in front of the mirror, she brushed her hair mechanically, her mind a thousand miles away. Memories of their firs

d my head high. I won't be the weak girl who cries because she can't

ck shirt and deep blue jeans. She needed to look strong, even if she d

n't hide much-his chest was visible, and the robe hung low, barely covering his legs. Erica gulped. She hated that despite every

, not hers. It would never be "theirs," and she had accepted that. Whatever belonged to

her heart to skip a beat. She turned to face him

, his eyes piercing as he stop

most natural thing in the world. She reached for the door again, but this tim

rday. If you don't want to hurt anyone in our families, they think we're happily married. And no matter how I feel abo

She just nodded, murmuring, "Okay," as she began eating the breakfast in front of her.

ke Arnold was ever going to notice how much she was suffering. For all he cared, she

shing the last of her coffee. She set the cup down on the table, and when she heard him coming bac

ked at the now-clean table. "Was the housekeeper just here?

rse, you couldn't hear it," Erica replied with a touc

from the sofa and st

oning her further, he just grunted. "Let's head dow

red Ferrari parked in the driveway. The sleek sports car glimmered in the soft morning light. "Looks like Mr. Perfect has a thin

t are you staring at? Just get in! It's still cold out, even thoug

d. Arnold started the car, and the engine roared to life, filling the silence between them. The drive was long, but neither o

and cut the engine, the sound of it dying away in the stillness of the morning. Erica felt a knot in her

e door, and as they did, Arnold grabbed her wrist, his grip firm but not painful. He fla

t doing this for him. She was doing this for her family, for the lives they had built in the shadows of their

was breaking. She didn't know how much