The Price of Marriage

Ivy’s POV

His request for Sterling Winery. Responsible... Choice to be married. The words hung in the air between us. My body grew rigid. Thankfully, my parents were too preoccupied with whatever they were whispering to themselves. In that moment, I was glad for their obsession.

“Thank you, father,” Asher answered. His voice lacked all the excitement it had before.

Maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me; it was clear as day. He had made it obvious in his words and actions that our marriage was just a joke. It meant nothing. Yet, there was some delusional part of me that kept holding on, hoping for something more. He didn’t make it any easier when he walked in and kissed me with so much passion, like we were actually lovers. It didn’t help that, in barely an hour, he had managed to convince my parents that we had somehow found love, which was absurd. I hadn’t spoken to him in weeks.

I stole a glance at him, and when I did, he was looking right back at me with an apologetic ex