Chapter Twelve: Girl, Play By The Rules!

Lily knew that she had to do something. When she accepted to impersonate Ashley Grander, she had no idea that Ashley had so many secrets lying with her; secrets that Lily wondered if her parents knew about or not.

Hedge had threatened to send the explicit videos to Christopher if she did not call off her honeymoon to go and see him. This was a tricky situation, and Lily knew that she would have to deal tactically with it.

“Lily, you can do this. You have been faced with difficult challenges, and you have overcome them,” Lily gave herself the pep talk. “You have got this. You know you are doing this for Joe.”

Lily swallowed hard, rolled her shoulders and stepped out of the bathroom. 

Then she froze.

Christopher Bridger stood, backing her, and shirtless. She had never seen him in anything other than his pair of suits. Even since they arrived in Miami for their honeymoon, he had been fully and formerly dressed…well, except at nights. Christopher’s back was wide and very muscular, down to his broad shoulders and taut muscles. Lily had not seen many naked men, but she knew that the sight before her was something else. Christopher’s skin and body looked like something that was described in a romantic novel.

Lily was still ogling when Christopher turned, revealing his well chiseled body, glistening and well toned. Lily’s breath caught in her throat, and she could not tear her eyes away from him.

“What?” Christopher asked gruffly.

It was the sound of his harsh voice that brought Lily back to reality.

“Sorry,” Lily said without thinking. She had completely lost herself in the beauty of Christopher’s body.

Christopher cocked a brow at Lily, confused. “Sorry?”

That did not sound at all like Ashley Grander, and from the look Christopher was giving her, it showed that he was becoming suspicious of her again.

Lily dramatically held her head and groaned in agony, grateful that she had at least taken a few drama classes in college.

“I have a headache,” Lily said. Then she dragged herself to the bed and sat at the edge, rubbing the side of her head with her thumb.

Christopher looked at Lily, trying to decipher if this was one of her theatrics.

“Miami brings out the worst in my health condition. Only two days and I’m already sick as hell,” Lily said. She could not exactly tell if she was killing the role or setting herself up to be caught; she never met Ashley, so she barely knew how she acted or sounded. Lily only worked with what Don Grander and Emily Torres.

“I want to return to Mexico,” Lily said, resisting the urge to raise her head and look at Christopher; she did not understand why he wasn’t saying a word.

“The honeymoon has been paid for a week, Ashley,” Christopher said. His tone was that of anger and impatience.

“But I don’t feel well,” Lily whined. 

In truth, she felt horribly sick to her stomach for living such a lie, and stringing a man like Christopher along. It was now obvious to Lily that Christopher was not interested in Ashley, because since they were pronounced man and wife, Christopher had not made any attempt whatsoever to touch her. Not like Lily wanted it, because aside from the fact that she was a virgin, Christopher would know that she wasn’t the real Ashley Grander.

Lily could not risk that.

“Since when? You freaking love this lifestyle, so what is wrong with you?!” Christopher could no longer hide his impatience, irritation, and anger.

“And I already said I want to head back to Mexico right away. For shit’s sake, I do have a choice, don’t I?” Lily fought back. It was a shock to her how she was falling in line with Ashley’s character easily now.

It also broke her heart, because she knew that that was nothing like who she was.

“I want to leave now!” Lily insisted, intentionally raising her voice. 

According to Christopher’s rules, he hated scandals with passion, and he would do anything to save face all the time. 

“Fine!” Christopher barked hoarsely. Then he picked up his phone and began to make a call. 

“You are such a spoilt brat,” he grumbled angrily, but Lily heard him clear enough. Then he turned to her with a glare, “Start parking!”

“I have told you to stop yelling at me, because I’m not one of those lowlifes who work for you and kiss your ass,” Lily said stubbornly.

“Of course, you’re not. You have not even worked a day in your life, so how would you tell?” Christopher hissed as he turned around to speak with the other person at the other end of the phone.

“Wow, Ashley Grander has got to be one hell of a lucky girl,” Lily said to herself.

All Lily’s life, especially after the ugly passing of her parents, she had had to work like a slave just to see herself through college and look after Joe as well. Lily had had to take on a responsibility that most girls her age never dared to take. Lily had scrubbed restrooms and dorms, she had dog-walked for a few residential people, worked as a housekeeper in some homes, and even a nanny just so that she could keep things going for her and Joe. Then when she had graduated from college and gotten a job at the wine shop, Joe had announced to her that he wanted to join the baseball team. Knowing that their fees cost an arm and a leg, Lily had been working on her back to ensure that he did not miss any training.

“Ashley had no idea how lucky she was,” Lily said to herself.

Then Christopher turned to her, still angry and disgusted at Lily and said, “Start parking! Our plane leaves in an hour time,” he said.

Lily got up, ready to start packing a box she did not even unpack in the first place when Christopher added, “Get ready to feed the media and paparazzi once we land.”

Lily froze in shock.