Chapter Sixteen

“What I meant was that I would have felt better if I was getting married for real. To a man who loves me.” She said, as she dusted invisible specks of dust off her dress.

Relieved, Steven let out a sigh. The last thing he needed was Marie getting attached to him. The only Marie he wanted in his life was the one who wore awful cardigans, and did her job well.

“I asked because that's what you can expect the press to ask. You do know there will be interviews once we go public?”

“Hold on Steven, you never said anything about going public. You said it was fake!” Marie spat.

“ Fake, Marie. Not hidden. And the fakeness of it stays between us.”

Her recurring terror was beginning to get on his nerves. If she had agreed to do this, why did she keep acting up?

“I would feel better if we had this conversation with you sitting across from me like you always do.”

“Nothing doing, Marie. I'm your husband now, you have to get used to being with me in close proximity.”

“I thought that was in public wh