Page 53 of Secret Dynasty

Maybe I was in for some tough love, after all.

“I’m just stressed out,” I lied.

“That stress wouldn’t have anything to do with finding out that you’re actually a billionaire and that this fake wedding is real?”

So much for being a cheerleader, but I couldn’t blame her. How she’d managed to avoid the topic this long was a mystery. It was all I could think about, especially with the wedding only hours away.

But I still dodged her question and pretended to inspect my dress. My cheeks warmed as I recalled Holden’s face pressed between my thighs, hidden in the cloud of tulle pushed up to my waist. I hadn’t seen him since that afternoon in the billiards room. I had no idea how I would face him today.

Eliza heaved a sigh when I continued to ignore her. “Okay, I didn’t want to pull this card, but since you didn’t have a hen party, I am forced to ask you what the hell is going on? Are you knocked up?”

“Not you, too!” I groaned, rolling my eyes. I waved a hand over my stomach. “No baby on board.”

“Thank God. You’re way too young for that.”

If she only knew. I couldn’t risk bringing the topic up now, not on my wedding day. I was having a hard enough time processing what was about to happen without worrying about the contract I’d signed. By tomorrow everything would change. I would be Kerrigan Belmond Byrd, newly married, recently blackmailed, and fresh off The Pill. It was a lot to digest and if I got too far ahead of myself, I wasn’t sure I could go through with marrying Spencer.

But Eliza was having none of that. “So if it’s not a shotgun wedding, why are you rushing to the altar?”

“No reason,” I told her.

“Just bored? Is this what billionaires do when they tire of counting their money? Get married to shake things up?” Despite her smirk, I sensed she wasn’t going to drop this.

“Spencer was ready to get married now. He has to take his grandfather’s title soon and he wanted to be married before then. Like I said, not a big deal.”

“But what about you?” she pressed. “Are you ready? Is this what you want?”

I reached for the diamond teardrops I planned to wear for the ceremony and poked one through my ear. “It’s just like Tod said. It’s an arranged marriage. I’m sure that eventually we’ll smooth everything out and be perfectly happy.”

“Wow.” Eliza was staring at me in the mirror, her eyes popping open. “You hate him.”

“I do not hate him Spencer,” I hissed.

“You really hate him,” she repeated. “What did he do? Sleep with another woman?”

“Nothing like that. It’s not that I hate him —”

“Except that you do,” she interjected.

I ignored her and continued, “Honestly, it has nothing to do with him.”

Eliza watched me thoughtfully, and I saw the wheels in her head spinning. “Are you sure I can’t smoke in here?”

I breathed a sigh of relief that she had changed the subject. “No, but we can go out on the mezzanine.”

We had a little while before I needed to be dressed and ready for more photos.

“You look so beautiful,” Eliza said, stopping to admire the bridal portrait that had been placed on display in the foyer.

“Thanks.” I couldn’t bring myself to look at it.

“Hey, seriously.” Eliza grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face the photo.

I cringed when I came face-to-face with the life-size portrait.

“You look so happy,” she murmured.

I did look happy, but only I knew why my cheeks were flushed and my body relaxed and light. I’d done as Holden requested. I’d taken the picture for him, commemorating our final stolen moments before I promised to forsake all others, even him. Had he seen it yet? Did he actually want to?