The moment I saw her through the window of room 202, I knew exactly who she was, and what she was doing with my boyfriend, Jake. “Hayley? What the hell are you doing here? Are you sleeping with my boyfriend?
”
She just laughed. “Relax. Don’t have a meltdown, Bethany. It’s no biggie.
”
Jake didn’t even have the decency to look guilty. “Get lost, you crazy bitch. ”
I was a housekeeper at his uncle’s hotel, and he knew it. He called security and told them I’d attacked a guest.
I was dragged out, humiliated, and threatened with termination. The manager wanted to fire me on the spot. That’s when Connor Johnson appeared. The owner.
The most eligible bachelor in town. He heard the commotion, looked at Jake, and said, “My nephew? He’d never be involved with a prostitute. ” He didn’t believe Jake for a second.
He insisted on finding out what really happened. I was saved. And Jake was furious. But I was still furious too.
Furious at Jake for cheating, and for trying to get me fired. So I made a plan. A reckless, stupid plan. I decided I’d make Connor Johnson fall for me, just so I could get back at Jake.
I’d become his aunt, and he’d be powerless. When I saw Connor up close, he was even more handsome than I’d imagined. Nothing like Jake. He was kind, protective, and ridiculously attractive.
That night, I made my move. “I only want to make you fall for me just to get back at Jake,” I admitted, later, when I couldn’t keep the lie inside. I was ashamed. But then he told me he didn’t have much time left, and all he wished for was to find someone before he went.
I thought he was dying. I felt sorry for him. “All right,” he said. “Let’s get married.
”
I actually married him. For a moment, I was thrilled. I was Jake’s aunt. I couldn’t wait to see his face.
But the second we were alone, Connor made one thing clear. “I married you just to keep my dad happy. From now on, we only meet when absolutely necessary. And our marriage stays a secret.
”
What? I was stunned. He thought I’d married him for some shady reason, so he was keeping me at arm’s length. A few days later, I ran into Jake and Hayley outside my new house.
Hayley sneered, “Bethany, what are you doing? This is a high-end neighborhood. Oh, I get it. You’re here to apply for the housekeeper’s job.
”
So I told her the truth. “Actually, this is my new home now. ”
She laughed in my face. Then she pushed me into the pool.
I was soaking wet and humiliated, and Jake just stood there, enjoying it. He even tried to convince Connor that I was lying about everything. But that backfired. Not only did Connor believe me, he also put me in charge of the hotel.
And Jake walked away empty-handed. Being Connor’s secret wife was exhausting. He kept his distance, and my attempts to win him over failed. Once, I bought him a gift.
He assumed it was a sex toy and threw it across the room. “What kind of person does she think I am? ”
I was mortified. But then, I found out he was waiting for another woman.
“He’s still single waiting for Ms. Adams to return,” someone told me. So that was why he kept our marriage a secret. He already had someone he loved.
I should have been relieved. But I wasn’t. The last thing I wanted was to fall in love with him. But I was.
And the more he pushed me away, the more it hurt. One night, I drank too much and ended up at his place, drunk and desperate. I accused him of cheating. I demanded a divorce.
Then I woke up in his bed, completely clothed, with no memory of how I got there. “You were wasted, jumped all over me, wouldn’t go,” he said, amused. “Then I took care of you for the whole night. ”
“So even after all that, you didn’t make a move?
” I laughed. “You must really suck in bed. ”
That finally got a rise out of him. “Are you that eager to find out?
”
For the first time, I saw a crack in his armor. Then Hayley came by. She and Jake were getting engaged. She handed me an invitation, a smug smile on her face.
“You’re his ex-girlfriend, after all. Of course you’re invited. ”
I accepted. I told Connor I’d go with him as his date.
But he refused. “I don’t care about them. Why should I be there? ”
So I went alone.
At the party, Hayley cornered me and mocked me for showing up single. “Still better than clinging onto a man I tossed aside,” I replied. Jake stepped in. “For the record, Jake left you for me,” Hayley said.
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “That’s funny, considering you were the one crying and begging for me back just last week. ”
Jake panicked.
“She’s making it up. ”
But everyone saw the fear in his eyes. And then Connor showed up anyway. “Keep your filthy hands off her,” he said, pulling me away from Jake.
That’s when everything unraveled. Jake screamed that I’d slept with his uncle to get my job. But Jake’s uncle was Dennis, not Connor. He was so confused.
Connor had had enough. “Bethany’s my partner, and I won’t stand for any more baseless accusations,” he announced. “Let’s go. ”
He took my hand and led me out of there.
I couldn’t breathe. “You’re my wife,” he said. “I’m not going to let anyone push you around. ”
And then he told me the truth.
He’d married me to make his father happy. And he’d kept it a secret because he suspected I was using him for something shady. So I finally confessed everything. “I approached you because I thought you were Jake’s uncle.
I married you to get back at him. But that’s the only lie I’ve ever told you. I wasn’t using you for your money. I didn’t mean to hurt you.
”
I waited for him to yell. To demand a divorce. But he just said, “Let’s go home now. We’ll talk about it later.
”
Then Juliana showed up. The woman he was supposedly waiting for. She cornered me and told me the truth I already suspected. “Connor married you to fulfill his father’s wishes.
You’re just a tool. ”
She was confident I’d never be his real wife. And I believed her. At the hospital, when we were visiting his father, Juliana played the perfect wife.
She even called him her future husband in front of his dad. Connor’s father was confused, mixing us up. I watched them together and made a decision. I couldn’t do this anymore.
I wanted to leave before he found out about my lie and hated me. I ran. He found me, desperate. “Bethany, what happened?
”
“I’ve already made myself clear, Connor,” I said. “We’re just friends. ”
But he wouldn’t accept that. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go find my wife.
”
Juliana was furious. “Anything Bethany can do, I can do better. She sleeps with you, doesn’t she? I can do that.
”
Connor had had enough. “I don’t have feelings for you. I have fallen for Bethany. ”
I heard everything.
He loved me. But then Juliana said, “Aren’t you curious as to why she vanished? I know where she is. I’ll take you to her tomorrow.
”
I didn’t believe her. But I agreed to meet her anyway. Juliana was waiting for me. “To get back at your ex, you tried to hook up with Jake’s uncle, and you mistook Connor for him,” she said.
“And then you found out he was head of the company, so you slept with him. You’re after him for his money. ”
“It’s not true,” I said. “And I’m leaving him, so you don’t have to worry.
”
But she pushed harder. “Have you ever had feelings for Connor? ”
I thought about how he’d protected me, how he’d been there when I called, how he’d said that he loved me. “No,” I said.
“It’s time to cut off all feelings. ”
Connor was standing right behind me. He’d heard everything. “Did you really get close to me just to get back at Jake?
” His voice was ice. “Yes. But I never meant to hurt you,” I stammered. “You manipulated me,” he said.
“We’re getting a divorce. ”
I didn’t fight it. Juliana was waiting to take my place, and I didn’t think I deserved him anyway. After the divorce, I resigned from the hotel.
Connor’s assistant came with a settlement check for $20 million. “I didn’t marry Connor for his money,” I said. I signed nothing and left everything behind. Weeks later, I woke up to find myself in a cold room.
Jake was standing over me, a cruel smile on his face. “So now you’re scared, huh? You ruined my career. You don’t think you owe me something?
”
“You’re blaming me for what you did? ” I spat. “You’re the one who cheated on me! ”
“Shut up!
” He grabbed me. “Call Connor and ask him to transfer me 50 million dollars. Or you’re dead. ”
I laughed in his face.
“We’re already divorced. He won’t give you anything. ”
Jake pulled out a phone. “Connor, Bethany’s here with me.
Bring me my 50 million dollars, or you can pick up her body tomorrow. ”
I thought it was over. Then Connor’s voice came through. “Bethany, we’re already divorced.
You chose to walk away with nothing. Don’t play games now. ”
I was stunned. He was going to let me die.
But then I heard him. He was coming. He’d traced the call. The next moments were a blur of violence and fear.
Jake lunged with a knife. Connor grabbed me, and I pushed him aside just as the blade sank into my chest. “BETHANY! BETHANY!
” Connor’s screams were the last thing I heard before everything went black. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Connor was asleep beside me, exhausted from waiting. “You took a stab for me?
” he whispered. “Why? I thought you didn’t even care about me. ”
“How could I not care about you?
I love you, Connor. I’m so sorry for lying to you. ”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, pressing his hand to mine. “I love you too.
”
“Do you think we can get married again? ”
He smiled wearily. “We never got divorced. I didn’t sign the papers.
”
I looked at him, and for the first time in a long time, I felt safe.
