Love and Turmoil in a Marriage of Convenience

the fourth time, I finally exploded. Without any re

her cleavage on full display. Clutching her cheek,

t me a look. "Catelyn, we agreed that we wouldn't i

my temples, trying to ease the head

f being cold and indifferent, using every opportunit

ousand dollars he made into my account, I would hav

..

were in diapers. We grew up as close frie

er in sensitive areas, never once seeing

milies secretly arrange

ven if Cade were the last man o

uld've known better than to

an, seemed to take my r

everyone that he'd

ruining my life. And he enjoyed it, wh

unch sexist, favored

Fowler family, was treated like a gh

old man dictate my lif

the engagement, my mother fell ill, and

-proclaimed savior, bringing a

to play the knight who saves the prin

anything but a princess. If I were you, I would be grateful for this proposal. Marryin

e, a trait he shared

always been a shadow over me, and

e felt no different from being a widow.

eemed to tone it down for a few days. He stopped

he started, hesitating. "

y glancing up. "Just s

hanged the subject. "The scarf

d dollars and it will b

otification. "Twenty tho

unable to su

e had one redeeming qu

en I spent his

my mother for hours if she sho

ruly int

nit with a smile. "Make it look n

h a knitting needle.

handmade gifts w

he president of the student union

e, calling the sc

f for me, he only agreed after I pro

was a designer one from a luxury brand. Cade claimed

without a trace. Cade said the class presid

I couldn't help but tease him. "Oh, since wh

you so petty? A twenty-thousand-dollar scarf

ittally, focusin

od mood, spending more time a

e, we'd shared a bed on

't a monk,

wouldn't be gentle, preferring to resor

ed, while I was tot

deal with it by yourself? There are plenty of items you can buy

g rougher. "Catelyn, are you sure? Would you be happy if I chea

tarted bringing different wo

I chose to ignore it, refusing

g "smart". In his opinion, I was a good

to say such things-words so heart

the benefit from Cade, who had a great deal of money

a real master of

n, and the idea that he'd suddenly change fo

t affected, he could do whate

n't love him, and

s, but he, on the other hand, seemed to have an

the student union, joined the company where I worked. On hi

ered to treat me to

staurant, and the atm

l, and any youthful feelings I'd

d Cisco was as cheerful a

ssion changed, as if he

his gaze

the pink scarf I'd knitted for him, appro

as I had a bad fe

in. "Honey, why didn't you tell me you were going out for dinner?

sco, feigning ignoran

gh school classmate. We three were in the same class. You migh

ney, the scarf you knitted for me is so warm and comfortable," he said, drawing attent

I could shake it, Cade intercepted

m Catelyn's husband, Cade," he said, h

hand away, but he h

hearth and home, am I not?"

lf? Save your cliché and let go of me. How am

id, picking up a piece of fo

able, forced a smile. "W

e. She's very clingy. If she doesn't see

. "Oh really? I do

peechless a

ard. By the time we left the restaurant

ple words, we

nd the corner, the sno

de, who was gl

od there, silent. After half a minute, I pulled out my phone to call

tossing my phone onto the passenger sea

istory or something?

eem quite happy having dinner with your crush. Do you know

you deliberately trying to embarrass me?" I shot back, my

restaurant. Cade sneered. "Why does it bother me? You're my wife.

a meal with a colleague hurt your feelings? Well,

ffened, and he loo

d something that caught me off guard. "If I say

est. But before I could process his words,

e appeared, her expression allurin

nside as if she wanted to climb into the car. "Cade, Cade, is that you

you were Rose or L

ot. "Oh, your sweetheart Rose is calling for you, Cade. Aren't yo

nort, his jaw tighten

iend Emma Hudson climbed into

hattered nonstop about everything from

ing their questions with ease, and soon the t

mering. My phone was dead, and

her celebrities," Emma gushed. "No wonder

as helped me a lot. If it weren't for him, I might

ou have the talent yours

seat. "I heard Catelyn also participated i

I thought bitterly. I was el

ompetition aimed at for

being a singer, so I'd

ble, but it wasn't prof

ed in the show

d sat backstage, sobbing, whi

the taking part that counts. My baby sings th

s his alarm and rington

ed, "Do you w

se, I do. You are my idol. Seeing you the

e," I shot back. "Trust me, m

ars, and she looked lik

e could melt an

ke your anger out on others. Rose was

, but instead of defending her, he a

ckly jumped in. "No! Her eyes got

, her voice trembling. "Ca

ut to snap, the c

are amusing," he said. "Sitting in my wife's car and criticizing h

surp

home, often criticizing m

ren't exactly kind,

ous but didn't d

you misunderstood. We were just kidding. P

ich was reaching toward me.

quickly pulled her hand back,

" he said

and I watched in the rearview mirror as they stood

pressions were o

pression serious. "So, Ca

talking abou

e things work with m

barrassed me, did you think about making things work? When you were sleeping with Rose, did you

slept with them! You are the