The Accidental Husband

tracing the cool glass. The city lights blurred into a distant, beau

d. His voice was firm, the voice of a man who ran the Hayes

large mahogany desk, his expression unreadable. His mother, Eleanor, sat on a

uilt, a sharp disloyalty to Olivia, the woman he loved, the woman he had been with for seven years. But this w

stood up and walked over to him, her hands taking his. "You've made the right choi

a rare hint of approval in his tone. "This merger

to his family's expectations, but this felt different, more permanent. He kept telling himself it wasn't a real marriage, just a partnership. He could k

already moving on to logistics. "We'll handle the arrangements. T

nned to propose to Olivia soon, to solidify their relationsh

"Just be ready. I'll have the contract lawyer

dn't want to play. He didn't care about the wedding details, the flowers, the venue. To him, it

had kept his identity as the heir to the Hayes Group a secret from her, wanting her to love him fo

xcept for the glow of the TV. Olivia was curled up on th

. She quickly put her phone down, screen-side down, an

miliar scent of her perfume usually calmed him, but tonight

red, kissing his cheek. "I

ir love, in the future they had planned together. It was this belief that made him thin

on the nightstand. It lit up the dark room for a brief moment. Liam,

Alex

Liv. Can't stop thinki

ildhood friend, the one she always talked about with a strange mix of f

t an unstoppable force compelled him. Her phone wasn't password-protect

with "I love yous" and "I wish we could be togethers." They talked about a

with his parents, agreeing to marry another woman

s parents. So boring.

wait for my birthday. I

wait. I love yo

ambition," about their "boring life." She described him as a stepping stone, a safe choice until Alex was ready for her. A memory suddenly surfaced. A few mont

saw it all now. The little signs, the strange comments, the way she lit up when Alex's name was mentioned. It all clicke

ven years they had spent together, the future he had imagined, it wa

felt about the arranged marriage vanished, replaced by a bitter, chilling

found it. He looked at Olivia's sleeping face, once a so

he wasn't going to be her safety net anymore. He was done. This relationship was over. An