His Secret Wife, His Public Shame

The Bernard Logan in front of me was a stranger. The expensive watch on his wrist, the cold calculation in

mall. I was just a therapist from a mo

probably cost more than my entire apartment

t mine. A fluffy, pink pillow with the initials 'E.B.' embr

dull, throbbing pain. I picked up the pillow and placed

smelled faintly of sawdust and coffee. He'd saved for a year to replace

uffocating. I stared out the window at the city lights blu

usive restaurant in the city. The kind

I'd pressed my face against the glass like a child, admiring

und my shoulders. "When my big project pays off, I'll

t the dream had tur

sea of silk and jewels. Bernard, however, fit right

entire city. Bernard ordered for both of us in flue

and retreated before he finally spoke. His vo

you figu

in my hand. "Today," I whispered. "At the

unreadable. "I see." He pushed a

uggestion. It

and dangerous. "Evelin and I are getting married. Our families have b

tched. "A co

tinue to be my wife. In secret, of course. You can keep the apartment. I'll provid

mistress?" I asked, the words tasting like poison. "Your sec

ddison. This isn't about love or desire. I feel nothing for you. My body feels nothi

bout the two years I'd loved him, c

m grateful. So, I will pay off that debt. Name your price

squeezing my heart. But my training kicked in. I kept

ate?" I asked, my voice shaking s

f paper? It's meaningless. I signed it when I had no memory

" I pleaded, the name slippin

y have felt something for you. But I am not Ben. Our

"I won't hurt Evelin. She's been waiting for m

hat did I

swallowed them down. I would not cr

y voice cold. "I'

hat I was owed. He owed me for the two years of my life I'd given him, f

er his face. "Good. My law

r taste in my mouth. "You brought me h

s eyes. A ghost of the man I knew. "I remembered

e a stupid l

is pho

e, sweet and giggly. "Bernard,

s vanished, replaced by instant

led with a tender anxiety he had never sh

the conversation, but his fa

I'm on my way," h

grabbing my arm. "Co

e? What

," he said, pulling me out of the res

business dinner" because his fiancée had a b

castle on a hill. He didn't slow down, just pulled me

said, his voice tight. "Th

He was using me. I was not his wife, not even a m

in a gigantic bed. The moment she saw Bernard, she scrambled out

awful dream!" she wailed.

held her face in his hands and kissed her

est. There, over his heart, was a tattoo. A delicate, intricate desi

um of devotion. "I got this for you, my love. A

oo, and the last bit

a rose for me, because he said my love had allowed him to bloom again. He

ays been f

uldn't breathe in that

g?" Bernard's voice was sharp,

turning around. "She seems fine n

want this back,

lding something up.

of him. I thought I had sold it a year and a half ago to a pawn shop to cover the last

t. He'd had

yes like chips of ice. "Or