Married To The Fake Crippled Billionaire

the right side, Jean-Pierre.

ilk of her custom Vera Wang gown, float

itation against her skin. It was a sample gown, something pulled from the back

lame. They adjusted the fall of her veil, dusted shimmering powder onto her collarbone

of peonies and

ara's stom

seful on the marble floor. She didn't look at Amara. Her eyes

ace," Judith said. Her voice w

seemed to freeze. "What

waiting downstairs. You will

as a precis

y turning to look at Amara. Her eyes were like chips

rt

in Amara's chest. Her Carter. The man who had promised her a

all made sense now. The rushed wedding plans. The secrecy. The wa

, the words tasting like ash. "Th

corrected her sharply. "An

fect face arranged into an expression of wound

, her voice carrying through the now-silent

stood

ungrateful. I want you to apologize to me. Right here. In fro

glances. One of them stepped back,

hed at her sides. "

ars and never once saying thank you." She tilted her head, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "Get on your kne

rned to ice. Every pai

Amar

d into the sile

ered, then hardened

it didn't waver. "I won't apologize for

Her hands gripped the armrests of her chair,

blade. She turned to Amara, her expression dark with f

t," Ama

each other. Then Judith's hand shot out, grabbing Amara's a

's, "and you will marry Atticus Pennington. That is not a request. Th

Amara towar

stylist without looking at him, "the bri

he sound cracked through the air. A prenuptial agreement.

gn

request. It

tared at the signature line, her own

Beaumonts have done for us? They took us in when we had nothing. They fed

paid. And underneath it, another thought flashed through Amara's mind-Judith's eyes, always calcu

tched. The cheap lace of the dress felt like it

se. "You are an ungrateful stray we picked

the room. A pale, hollow-eyed girl in a borrowed dress. Was

e felt thin,

ill make one phone call. Richard Beaumont will ensure you never work in

t landed with the finality

Completely and

he door. "Five minutes, Mis

la's father. The man

her dress, her expression smoothing back into the e

nd was shaking, but the signatu

dress dragging behind her. She walked out of the su

. She leaned against the wall, pressing her forehead against the cold,

low. "I'll protect you, Amara. Always. F

of warmth, now felt like a

f the wall and walked

n. A bridesmaid in a lavender dress stumbled out, so

d. She watch

phone. "In front of everyone. Said his family's tr

thing. No pit

t funds and transactions. Love was a

always choose the money, the power, the path of least

he would not break. She would build a wall around her

t and cold concrete. A row of black town cars and limousines waited in the dim lig

her. "Mrs.

fresh tremor of

beyond lack of sleep. It was the weariness of a sou

er was cool and smooth. The interior was dar

of the garage, she closed her eyes. The gentle hum of the engine and a faint,

t jolt

as no lon

s pitch black, save for a sliver of moonlight. Where wer

p, pierced through t

door handle. It di

fted, the muted sound of voices she didn't recognize, a faint trace of sandalwood and something medicinal, the s

r eyes adjusting to the gloom.

t. She ran her hand over it. The thread c

. A massive, k

across the room. Her gaze fell upon the wall opposite the bed. Carved i

lions flanki

ngton fam