Chapter 6

~ LENA ~

The world came to a standstill.

For a second, I was no longer Kimberly Hayes. No longer wrapped in silk and lies. I was just Lena Martinez again—stripped bare by those eyes, exposed, and confronted by danger.

“What?” I whispered, barely hearing the sound of my own voice.

Nathan didn’t respond. He didn’t move. He just stood in front of me, towering above me like a man carved from stone. His eyes had an intensity in them that made my skin pickle.

It wasn’t anger on his face, I realized. It was scrutiny. He looked like a man re-examining something he thought he knew by heart but suddenly didn’t.

“Who are you?” he asked again, tilting his head slightly. His gaze didn’t leave my face.

“I—” My throat grew tight. I forced myself to swallow, to remain calm. “W-what do you mean, Nate?”

Suddenly, and to my surprise, the tension eased. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his shoulders relaxed. That seriousness fading away from his eyes, replaced by something lighter. Amusement.

“The Kim I know hates cooking. You’d rather go hungry than step your foot into the kitchen. We both know that.”

I laughed, a small shaky sound, while my mind searched for a lie to melt away his suspicion.

Kimberly hated cooking. On the contrary, I loved it. Physically we were identical, but beyond that there was very little we had in common.

“Well…people changed,” I said quietly.

“Really?” He didn’t look convinced. As though he didn’t believe a woman like Kimberly could ever change.

“Yes. I…” I was shocked at how easily the lie came to me. “I’ve been doing something lowkey for a while now. It’s…kind of a secret.”

That immediately got his interest.

“I’ve been taking cooking classes,” I continued, watching his surprised face. “With the wedding coming up… I just thought…” I shrugged lightly. “I want to be the perfect wife for you.”

Silence followed.

Nathan stared at me. A glint of something I couldn’t read crossed his face. His expression softened completely. Before I could say anything else, he pulled me into his arms.

The kiss was different this time. It was slow and full of something frighteningly sincere.

“I love you,” he whispered.

I paused, speechless. I knew I was supposed to say the words back. Kimberly would have said them back without hesitation. But guilt and fear wrapped around my throat, making it hard to breathe.

“I love you too.”

I managed to say the words, and he smiled at me, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.

“Come,” I said quickly, pulling him towards the couch where I’d dropped his jacket. I needed to put some distance between us before my composure cracked. “Sit down. Rest while I quickly put something together.”

He didn’t argue. He looked tired as he slumped into the chair, stretching his long legs out.

Leaning back, he watched me hurry towards the kitchen with that same puzzled and amused look on his face.

The kitchen had always been my refuge, my safe space. And right now it was the only part of the house I could conveniently hide away from Nathan without raising any more suspicions in his mind.

How was I going to do it? I wondered, sagging against the counter the minute I was alone. How was I going to survive six months of this? Six months of being close to Nathan all the time. Having his arms around my body, his lips on mine, his touch…

After the wedding, there would be no more hiding. No more distance to retreat into when things felt too real.

The kiss replayed in my mind without permission. I remembered the passion, the urgency. The way my body had responded, melting into him. I had forgotten everything in that moment, including who I really was. That terrified me.

How was I supposed to remain sane?

I pressed my palms into the cool marble of the counter, closing my eyes briefly as I fought the panic rising inside me.

Then Sofia’s face came to me.

Earlier on, I’d spoken to my mother. She’d happily told me of how Sofia was getting better day by day. The doctors were pleased at her rate of recovery.

Sofia had sounded much better on the phone. Her voice was stronger than it had been in weeks. My little sister was finally going to be okay.

The thought brought tears to my eyes, and gratitude. It eased the panic a bit. While this wasn’t going to be easy, it was definitely worth the sacrifice.

Six months wasn’t a lifetime. I consoled myself with that thought. Six months could pass like six days if I focused, if I held on tightly to the reason why I was here.

You can do this, Lena.

I drew in a deep breath, reached for the apron hanging on a hook and tied it around my waist. Then I crossed to the refrigerator and opened it.

Julian’s voice echoed in my head, listing facts the way he’d done earlier. Nathan’s likes, his favorite meals…

Steak.

The refrigerator was fully stocked. I brought out a cut of ribeye, fresh herbs, butter, garlic… Carefully, I washed, chopped and seasoned. I enjoyed cooking. I always had. It came as naturally to me as breathing.

The rhythmic sound of the knife against the chopping board calmed me. For a while, everything was normal and peaceful until I felt that unmistakable prickle at the back of my neck. You know that feeling that made you aware you were being watched?

I froze, then whipped around.

Nathan was standing by the doorway, staring at me.