The Billionaire's Perfect, Plastic Wife

ter console, inches from my own. The city lights blurred past the window, a smear of color in the

that time of year again. The board retreat is at the lake house. You know how

etreat" and I would be told to stay home. I used to think it was Douglas' s way of punishing Knox, of reminding him of his "duty" to me b

and compliant. "I understand. You

eved. He reached over and placed his hand on my knee, his thumb strokin

small, involuntary mo

sked, his eyes n

and over his, a gesture that had once been comforting, but now felt like touching

gernails into the palm of my other hand, the sharp pain a welcome anchor in th

se, a gilded cage overlooking t

aid, pulling away before he could ki

ening his tie. "I'll wa

crumbling. I took deep, shuddering breaths. Then, I walked to the bathroom, turned

ce entered his study without an invitation. I trusted h

ll held his warmth. The screen of his la

reen l

ath st

family portrait. Not

In front of them, a little boy with br

a

ect family. A

led so hard t

e. The password

. He was s

n he pretended to be. He was sen

n a date.

s bir

puter u

labeled "Family." My hand

ter year. Knox teaching Jase how to ride a bike. Gemma and Knox kissing under a Christmas tree, Jase as

le. He was holding Jase, his face alight with a grandfatherly lo

for our living room. He had looked at me with cold, dismissive eyes. "We don't dwell on the past, Ad

sed echoed in my mind

. A bandage on a wound they never inten

desk beside me. A text

lways has been. Enjoy you

mm

he wanted me to know.

od there, a drink in his hand,

ght you were t

y throat. I quickly sl

up," I improvised, my voice shaking

y tomorrow," he said, his voice casual, but his gaze was sharp. "Probably before y

going to the office. He was

d, my voice a hollow echo of

ay. With his real family. And I was just t