A Perfect Lie: His Doll Wife

e entire way. He just gripped the steering wheel, his jaw tight. He

g yacht. The party was already in full swing, music

nstructed, his voice low and urgent. "Pretend to be her

and walked away before I could even respond,

a glittering silver dress, my hair styled exactly like Gia' s

Over

you feeling aft

to use. It felt like a mask. I mumbled some polite, non-commi

ping it would numb the dread coiling in my stomach. I fel

the bar. He was handsome

se a friend," he said, his

" I said, t

t be like that, Gia. I know you' re havi

d my waist. I flinche

ands off me,

y sound. "Playing har

ed to spin. Was this the plan? For me

e champagne, the stress, it wa

ut my limbs felt heavy, unc

it," he murmured, his breath hot on my neck. He started to

have a memorable night," he whispered in my ear.

ust harassment. This was an attack. Arranged

und was a strangled gasp. My head was f

e you, sweetheart. Carter made sure of that

ough the fog. I was not goi

He yelped in surprise, his grip loos

eel, putting all my weight into it.

heavy, decorative ice bucket-and swung it with all my might.

to the deck,

I ran, pushing past shocked party guests, ignoring the

didn' t stop running. I ran until my lungs burned and my legs gave

I was shaking uncontrollably. I f

rything w

ain. The first thing I saw was

was there because he was worried. I thoug

he

do?" he snarled, his

confused. "I...

sed to let it happen! The plan was for you to be found, distraught and humiliated. It would have generated

dn't breathe. He wasn't angry that I had been

" I whispered, the horror of it washing ov

ned it! Now the guy is in the hospital with a concussion, and

ed it was a setup, that Gia was behind it. I

to me! Gia would never do something

ing on her version of events, on the story she had fed him. He accused me

omething inside me broke. The last, tiny ember of hop

, my heart a dead weight in

ld them you were confused and hysterical. That you attacked an innoce

n' t

a?" he repeated, his

over. The divorce papers were signed.

single, r

hythmic beep of the heart monitor, each sound a reminder that

nd brave. Carter was by her side, his arm wrapped protectively around her. The headline

hospital phone

he charges," I t

f Carter and Gia. I tore them into tiny little pieces, letting them flutter to the floor like snow

n sound that echoed in the sterile