All Chapters of The Billionaire Bride of Convenience : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

"Cath, do you think this will work?" Jemma's voice was a sharp, poisonous dagger that cut through the air.When I turned around, I saw her standing at the living room doorway with her arms folded and her eyes flaming with hardly contained rage. After folding one of Mia's sweaters on the couch, Cath stood up straight and calmly and resolutely faced Jemma's look.Cath's voice was firm but had a sharp edge that I had never heard before. "Jemma, whatever you're here to say, I suggest you think carefully before saying it," she said.Jemma retorted, "Oh, I've given this a lot of thought," and moved deeper into the space. "Cath, you're the issue here. Mike can't see well because of you. Additionally, you must depart before destroying anything.I moved forward, putting myself in the middle of the two women. That's sufficient, Jemma. Please share your thoughts with me if you have any.She paid no attention to me; she was totally focused on Cath. "Have you succeeded in gaining access to his lif

"She put yogurt in her hair once more, Mike."I crossed my arms and leaned against the living room doorway, my patience ebbing. Mia, who was now seated in the center of the floor, had an unrepentant smile on her face as though her impromptu hairstyle were the newest in high fashion. She smiled up at us as if she had just found a solution to world hunger, and her golden curls were streaked with blueberry yogurt.Mike looked up from his screen while he was sitting on the couch, his laptop placed on his knees. His forehead creased, then relaxed as he absorbed the view."Once more?" He raised an eyebrow in question. "Why is this child consuming yogurt?"I choked back a smile and said, "She says it makes her hair shiny." "She claimed to have seen a YouTube video of it."Before I could say another word, Mike's lips quirked and he laughed, a deep, uninhibited sound that surprised me.It wasn't the courteous giggle he used in public or the polished laugh I'd heard at meals. This was something

"Cath, is this too much? Be honest with me.As Mia stood in the center of her living room, slowly spinning in her glittering gold dress, her words drifted over the sound of clinking glasses and laughter. She swirled, her curls bouncing, her face flushed with excitement."You look fantastic," I responded with a smile. "But you could start a small fire if you spin any faster."Mia gave me a smile and protruded her tongue. "Noted. But really, I appreciate your assistance in getting everything together. Without you, I could not have completed it.I dismissed her with a wave. "This is your day. You are deserving of all the glamour and attention this evening.With music throbbing throughout the space and a group of Mia's friends chatting beneath the gentle glow of the fairy lights she insisted on hanging up, the party was already well underway. The scene was colorful, exuberant, and slightly chaotic—exactly like Mia.Mike was chatting with a bunch of strangers while he stood by the bar. Eve

"You don't see what you're doing, do you?" Alex's voice was like a dagger slicing through the atmosphere.With an air of pretended innocence, Jemma turned to face him, her lips forming a well-practiced grin. Her eyes fluttered uneasily, but she answered effortlessly, "I don't know what you're talking about."I hovered close to the kitchen doorway, out of sight yet audible. This abrupt tension between them was enough to keep me fixed in place because Alex seldom ever raised his voice."Jemma, you're always interfering," Alex went on, his annoyance exploding. Sowing doubtful seeds and agitating the situation. You pretend to be helpful, but all you've done is exacerbate the situation.Jemma crossed her arms defensively as her smile wavered. "Alex, I'm attempting to keep you safe. from her. from this entire catastrophe.Even from a distance, her comments hurt. She didn't need to mention my name since I knew exactly who she was referring to."Keep me safe?" Alex chuckled bitterly. "What, J

"You’re running out of excuses, Mike," I replied, sounding more acerbic than I meant to. Like an indictment, the words reverberated in the gallery's silence.He was standing opposite from me with his shoulders stiff and his hands stuffed deep in his jacket pockets. It was more difficult to detect the look in his eyes because of the games the shadows performed on his face.He answered in a calm but frustrated tone, "I'm not making excuses." "I’m trying to protect you."I moved in closer, reducing the distance between us. "What will you protect me from? From reality? Because you're failing badly if that's what you're doing. Whether you like it or not, Mike, I'm already involved in this."He stared at me as if I were a conundrum he couldn't figure out for a moment without saying anything. Between us, the atmosphere was electrifying, full with unspoken words and feelings that neither of us dared to express.At last he murmured, "You don’t understand, Cath," in a softer, almost begging voi