Page 127 of Merry Fake Bride

“Let them think I was having an affair. Let them think I sleep around to secure deals. Let them think that. I don’t care.”

“How can you not care? Don’t you see what this will do to me and my reputation? I look like I can’t even control my own son! And the company, don’t you see? Every deal since you took over will be called into question, and I bet some bitches will crawl out of the woodwork looking for their five minutes of fame to accuse your father of the same thing!”

“I don’t care.”

“You should care!” For an older woman, her voice reaches painful pitches as she yells. “And you, you bitch! You’re married yet you’re engaged to my son! What kind of sick, twisted ploy is this, huh? Taking advantage of my son for your moment in the spotlight? Did you plan this, you whore? You’re not content with destroying that deal so you want to destroy my son’s life with your lies too? Do you know he can go to prison for fucking you while the company was dealing with you?”

She dislodges herself from Martin’s grasp and flies at me with both hands outstretched.

The rage twisting her face is unlike anything I’ve seen before, and Axel flashes into my mind.

“Yes, I lied!” I yell as I stumble back away from her, and the cup slips from my grasp. “I lied, but only about Axel, okay? I never planned any of this. I never wanted to fall in love with Kairo, but it happened! I never meant for any of this to blow up. I was just hiding, okay? I was hiding and scared from Axel because heabusedme. I let him believe I ran away to Europe and I thought I would be safe! I never meant for any of this. I don’t want to destroy a company or Kairo’s life! I just wanted to be safe, but this is what he does, this is what Axel does! He takes the truth and he twists it?—”

Just as Clarice reaches me, Kairo scoops her up and drags her away.

“Enough, Mom,” he barks. “Enough!”

Clarice is like a wildcat and I watch, horrified, as Kairo drags her away while she curses my name and my very existence.

Only Martin and I remain and our eyes meet.

“Is she telling the truth?” I whisper. “Is Kairo in trouble because of me?”

Martin’s lips press together and my gut twists as he slowly, painfully, nods.

32

KAIRO

Calming Mom down takes longer than I would like, but eventually, she’s back in her car with her meds on her tongue and her security team promising to take her home.

I don’t have enough mental space to process everything that’s happening.

She’s scared, I understand that.

My father’s legacy is in tatters, the company is slipping away and about to be embroiled in multiple lawsuits about conduct because of me, and socially, I’m being painted as a man who fucks his way into business ownership all while having an affair with a married woman.

It’s a lot for one night.

Back up at the penthouse, Martin greets me first and his eyes lock onto my inflamed cheek. “You good?”

I nod, but he catches my arm as I pass him. “What?”

“One call,” he says softly. “One call and everything she’s ever done to you will go on record.”

I free myself and continue walking into the lounge, ignoring him.

I know he means well, but my mother is only violent when she’s off her medication.

And wouldn’t that be the cherry on the controversial cake?

My mother ending up arrested for assault.

Fuck.

Devon stands near the windows, and she spins to face me as I enter, her eyes wide and her lower lip chewed to the point of bruising.

I wanted the truth from her gently, not forced out in a panicked rush because of my insane mother.