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