Page 25 of Merry Fake Bride

Appealing to her own feelings is often the only way to get through to her, but given how her frown deepens, I don’t think it’s working this time.

“Women are different. Gold-diggingcunts, Kairo. You know this. They won’t care about you. They only care about your money.”

“Mom, you’ve had too much to drink.”

“Don’t tell me what I have or have not done!” She spins to face me, her tear-filled eyes ablaze. “If your father were still here, he would set you right! You wouldn’t act like this if he was still around!”

A lump forms in my throat as I toss the soaked paper towels into the trash and approach her.

“You know as well as I do that if he were still here, I wouldn’t be. Let me take you to bed.”

I reach for her, and she jerks away in the same way Devon did, only my mother acts out of anger, not fear.

When I reach for her again, she accepts my hold and allows me to take the wine from her fingers.

“I must meet her, you understand?Nothingis happening until I’ve met her. It’s the least you can do after breaking my heart!”

“Of course,” I say as my heart sinks.

My good deed is rapidly turning into a storm with poor Devon at the eye.

Keeping my mother away from her until her arm heals is going to be a challenge.

7

DEVON

Two days after the crash, I’m discharged from the hospital.

As I’m packing up my valuables, there’s a soft knock at the door and my heart briefly lifts with the hope it’s Kairo.

He came to visit me while I was getting my cast changed over after an orange juice spillage and I missed him.

Each time footsteps have passed my door or someone has knocked, I’ve hoped and been disappointed every time.

It’s silly, really.

I shouldn’t want anything to do with a man crazy enough to declare me his fiancée just to get past some legal string about insurance.

Being tied down to a man in any capacity after my ex, Axel, feels smothering.

Until I remember Kairo’s face and everything changes.

“Come in,” I call while zipping up my bag.

Larson, my own personal doctor courtesy of Kairo’s insanely expensive medical insurance, walks in with a cheery smile.

“They told me you were checking out today, so I came to see how you were doing.”

“Does the hospital show this much attentiveness to everyone?” My brow lifts as I already know the answer.

“It’s a service I provide to my patients, yes,” Larson replies with a charming smile, surely lubricated by the money he’s making.

It’s also his way of dodging my question because of course he gives this service to his patients.

They’re all paying top dollar.

“How kind.”