___________________________..."Who said I am putting up a show?" He smiles an innocent smile, one that makes me too confused."Huh?"What is this shit planning now? Language, Rory! Seriously, this guy is programmed to bring out the worst in me. I think that should be a sign enough for me to run for the hills but here I am, being an idiot and repeating the mistakes of my life again and again. "I am genuinely trying to give our relationship a chance, wifey." He pouts.I narrow my eyes at him. "What next? Cars have started to run on water? Penguins are migrating to Mexico?"Rowan gives his smile one more time – shake out of it Rory, he is doing that on purpose. "Why don't you believe me?""I would believe scammers over you," I state without skipping a beat."Ouch, you hurt my feelings." He clutches his chest dramatically.The old me would have found all of this ultra cute but after what happened today, there was nothing he could do to get me to feel any of what I used to feel for h
_____________________________..."You bitch!" I can't help but snort like a pig when I hear her voice. She is so angry that I wonder if she herself would expose Rowan. If she does, then it has nothing to do with me. I am keeping my end of the deal which includes not getting a divorce and clearing his name – he never said anything about not dragging Ophelia in the dirt so that is exactly what I am doing.A few backdated complaints on her name, a fake restriction order and a statement from a psychiatrist proving that she is unstable and obsessed with my oh-so-amazing husband, and another statement from the paparazzi saying that she had leaked the pictures herself and they were all morphed – it is pretty simple to turn tables."I only did what Rowan wanted me to do." I sip on my coffee, talking leisurely."That son of a bitch!" She shrieks again."I wouldn't scream so much if I were you, Ophelia. People already think you are crazy and if you start acting like one then-""I will get y
____________________________..."I mean, not that I really second your decision but I do know you, and I do know that whatever you do, you do it for a solid reason." Zoe Wilkins, one of my closest friends, says. "And I know for a fact that this solid reason cannot be because you want a chance with the crush of your life."I give her a flat look. Does she really need to bring that up right now?"What?" She shrugs. "Now, don't tell me you were simply delusional and never really had feelings for him." She throws her hands up in the air as she speaks. She is a drama queen, just one step below Bianca."You have no idea how much I wish these were all my delusions and my life was how it used to be." I rub my eyes to chase away the sleep that my body so badly craved. There is a merger going on with an Italy-based company and I am in charge of it because I am fluent in the language, and also because I am an amazing negotiator."You know Bee is angry with you because she cares for you, righ
___________________________..."You!"Zoe and I give each other a knowing look before turning to the man who has just stormed into my office."Well well well, if it isn't the oh-so-busy brother-in-law of mine," Zoe comments."This is your sister?" He stops in his tracks for a moment. "You have another sister?"I roll my eyes."I am like a sister, dear Mr. Keller. Now if you will excuse me-" She is on her feet immediately. "- I will leave you two alone." She winks at him before grabbing her bright orange bag, which is in contrast with her otherwise fully black outfit and purplish black lipstick."See ya, Ro.""See you later, Zo." I wave at her and then look back at my husband, tilting my head and raising a brow as I do. I am going to play dumb for as long as I can with this."Yes, my dear husband?" I smile."So this was your idea huh?" He asks as he sits down on the seat Zoe had just unoccupied."Well, most of the ideas of this company are put forth by me, so I don't know exactly wh
________________________________...I sniffed as I dabbed my eyes with a cotton pad – it was allergy season and it was taking a toll on me. It had been a week since our first counselling and the two of us had gone back to minding our own businesses though we had declared war. This is what happens when you have a fucking company to run – you don't have time to play around.I always wondered how business men and women in books and movies managed to find all that time. Even if you are the boss, you need to plan your vacation at least a month earlier and clear the schedule for around that time.Suddenly I was hit with a wave of nausea.I think I am going to puke."Clear your schedule from twelve to two." Rowan appeared out of nowhere, almost giving me a heart attack.I narrowed my eyes at him – who does he think he is to order me around?"I am coming to the office only to log in some data today. I don't plan to stay for anything." I said, sniffing again. Can't this man see that I am si
_____________________________...I am a very accommodating person. And though a little evil in the heart, I am also a nice person. But when two of the most annoying people I know are sitting on either side of me, especially when I am sick and have to breathe through my mouth, I feel like throwing the amazing mushroom soup that Mom had made for me in their faces. Is that normal?"Why are you looking at us like you want to murder us?" Rowan asked innocently. This man has been nothing but nice to Eric, and I am pretty sure my dumb friend must be falling for the façade and wondering if he was wrong about my husband after all."Because she does want to murder us." Eric chuckled and looked at Rowan. "Because she thinks I am a fool and would fall for this charade you are playing, but let me tell you bruh, save it for someone else."I raised a brow, surprised and impressed – my friend isn't that dumb after all. He looked over at me and winked and I glanced over at Rowan to see that he had
_________________________________...2 years ago....I opened my eyes and closed it immediately when a headache hit me so fast, as if someone had punched me in the face.I felt nauseous and achy.Man, I got completely wasted.I really needed to stop doing this to myself. I kept away from clubbing and drinking for months and then one fine day, I will get drunk like there is no tomorrow, and I would get so wasted... so f%#cking wasted that it will be difficult for me to say what day or time it was.Why do I keep doing this to myself?I am so f%#king dumb!I became aware of my surroundings. I was naked and my back was against a broad naked chest.I blinked. I didn't have much memory of last night.I didn't remember who I had gone home with.I opened my eyes.Okay, apparently, it wasn't a home. It was a hotel room.Oh god, Rory. What is wrong with you?I tried to turn around so I can take a look at my one night stand but his grip on me tightened and he grumbled something in his sleep.
______________________________...|| ROWAN KELLER' POV ||."Honestly bro, you are beyond my understanding." Ashton Ames, my best friend, said as he took a sip of his coffee.I rolled my eyes as I paced around my office room.That idiot had figured it out so easily. And now, she was going to be even more guarded around me.That was not going to work well for me.I needed her to trust me. Trust me enough that she will happily hand over all of her shares in the company to me.I had approached Dr. Merin Ashdale first with money. But she wasn't swayed by it. That's when I thought of appealing to her sad, lonely existence. And it had worked. Sleeping with the doctor and making her say only good things about me, so that Aurora thinks that though she could not see it, I have been doing very well as a husband and putting an amazing amount of effort into our stupid marriage.The plan seemed so flawless.Yet, the doctor and I didn't last one session with her. She knew immediately.Was she a