The Secret Contract Marriage

yea

thouse w

No vows.

and a tired clerk beh

the bride,"

he d

like it was a formality. A business a

felt-like I didn't belo

or champagne. Just a takeout bag on the passenger

t, I cook

red wh

acing a plate on the counter

ungry," he

mething in y

om the boardroom war he'd fought that

fr

fe," I said,

're a name on a con

alke

t, with the door locked and the w

e that I was al

sen

nd of my phone vi

thout looki

our son's oxygen levels dropped during the night. We've stabilized him, but

eart poundi

ut we can't del

the money,

call

w tight and trying to st

ve enough to cover the treatments. To move

exander f

about John be

arrangement

hey called me bac

he room feels dif

Like he's buildin

pping through paperwork. "Charity event. B

d. "

ar the whi

"The sa

," he says, e

hy

eeds to believe the m

e. "An

ks up.

u beli

walks toward me. I couldn't u

he takes my left hand and to

ook it off,"

s not

at day. At the courthouse. Yo

di

denly vulnerable. "Th

s drowning. Because I loved you to

true," he

n't

his voice a whisper now. "You

ke my

ine the day

to

re still

my cheek. Not a

ll b

m not yours.

hing is burning behin

r n

packed a small

un. Not

to br

e drawer to get my pass

of that

from the

on the back

e you pr

gers g

now-he's ge

finds out

won't su