Chapter 2

Lucretia choked on her own breath.

"Zachery, I... I was just so happy, I forgot to mute Maurie for a second."

"It's fine. She'd have found out sooner or later anyway."

Zachery patted her shoulder and soothed her in a low voice.

"Maureen, since you already know, I won't keep it from you."

He took Lucretia's left hand and held it up, making no effort to hide the pair of wedding rings.

"Lucy and I are legally married. For whatever time she has left, I'll stand by her as her husband."

"Fine."

My voice didn't move at all.

Zachery paused, something startled crossing his eyes.

"Then I have something to tell you too."

I met his eyes and said it word by word.

"I'm getting married as well."

The air went quiet for two seconds.

"You? Married? Can you even tell which man you're marrying?"

The corner of Zachery's mouth curved, and he looked at me like he had all the time in the world.

"It's fine. He recognizes me, and he won't hand me a multiple-choice test to see if I pass."

When I finished, Zachery couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Stop it. You chased me for ten years. Has there ever been a second man in your life?"

"You can't even recognize other people. How would you get married? Have him spray on cologne so you can tag him?"

Lucretia cut in from the side, her voice small.

"Maurie, I know this hurts you, but you can't just lie..."

Zachery waved a hand, scooped Lucretia up, and carried her toward the bedroom.

"Maureen, I'm Lucretia's husband now. So tonight you sleep in the guest room."

"No, no, I'm dying anyway. I don't want to wreck what you two have. Let me take the couch."

Lucretia struggled to sit up, and Zachery only held her tighter.

"Lucy, you're my real wife now, legally. This home is yours. Since when does the lady of the house sleep on the couch?"

With that, Zachery turned and walked into the bedroom, not sparing me a single glance.

The AC was set to seventy-eight, and still my teeth chattered from the cold, my body swinging between chills and fever.

My legs gave out and I dropped onto the couch.

Slowly I looked around. Every single thing in this room I had bought and set in place myself, one piece at a time.

And in the end, in this bridal home, there was no place for me.

I got up unsteadily and dug through the cabinet for fever medicine.

From the master bedroom came Zachery's low, gentle murmuring.

The bitter taste of the pill burst across my tongue.

He had never once spoken to me in a voice that tender.

After I showered, I lay down and wrapped myself up tight in the blanket.

Just sleep. In a few more days, I'll never come back here again.

...

The sky was only just turning gray when I opened my eyes.

My head was still heavy and dull, but I couldn't fall back asleep.

I got up and walked to the living room, only to find the bathroom door left ajar, a woman's figure faintly visible through the gap.

"Rex Lambert, I've got a follow-up appointment in a few days. Remember to make the medical records look even more real, and swap the meds for vitamins. Zachery can't read any of it anyway. Whatever he's told, he believes."

Lucretia kept her voice very low, but I still heard every word.

"Once Zachery pays off my family's debts, there'll be plenty in it for you."

Her voice went into my ears like needles. My hand shook, out of my control, and I shoved the bathroom door open.

When Lucretia saw me come in, the panic in her eyes vanished in an instant.

She hung up and calmly patted foundation onto her face, a shade paler than her real skin.

"Why... why would you lie to us?"

I fought to keep my voice from shaking.

"Because... I'm broke."

Lucretia set down the powder puff and studied the bloodless face in the mirror, satisfied.

"But even I didn't expect it. You chased Zachery for ten years, and one casual phone call from me, and he'll clear my debts, and he'll drop you to marry me. Guess he never loved you all that much."

A heavy taste of rust spread through my mouth.

"You, stop lying to him. I'll pay off your debts, all right?"

Lucretia froze, as if she'd heard the biggest joke in the world.

"You? Maureen, have you forgotten? Back before my family went under, we were worth dozens of times what your family is."

She stood, looking down at me from above.

"Even if I'm living worse than a dog, I don't need your pity!"

Zachery's voice came from outside the door.

"Lucy, are you in there? How are you feeling? Still hurting?"

Lucretia's pupils shrank in an instant.

She swept every bit of makeup off the counter onto the floor and collapsed there, screaming.

"I'm sorry, Maurie, but I really only have a few days left. Once I've had my one wish, a wedding with Zachery, I'll go find some far-off place to die and never bother you two again!"

The bathroom door slammed open with a bang.

Zachery shoved me aside and pulled the sobbing Lucretia into his arms.

"Maureen, isn't Lucretia your best friend? How could you be this cruel——"

His voice cut off.