Chapter 2

"Janet, I was in a meeting. What's going on?" Richard asked.

"Are you at the office? I need to talk to you. I need to come over now."

He hesitated. "Now? That's not really a good time. I have a business dinner tonight. If it isn't urgent, we can talk when I get home—"

"It can't wait."

I cut him off so sharply that even he seemed surprised. I was usually the one who tried to be understanding, and I rarely spoke to him like that.

Richard frowned. "Are you still upset about the permanent residency thing? I've told you, you're my legal spouse. Under Alverran law, it's only a matter of time before you get permanent residency.

"Besides, you don't even have to work. What do you need it for? Janet, I'll take care of you."

He'd said those words more times than I could count. Now, they just sounded bitterly ironic.

He kept promising to take care of me, but I wasn't even his legal wife. Whatever he considered me, on paper I was no different from the other woman, someone who had to stay hidden.

I didn't bring any of that up over the phone.

"I'll be there in 30 minutes," I said, then hung up.

There were still some things I wanted to hear Richard say to my face.

I didn't know much about finance, so I almost never went to Richard's company. He was always busy, and since I couldn't help with his work anyway, I figured showing up unannounced would only get in his way.

I went there so rarely that the receptionist had to take some time confirming who I was before finally showing me to Richard's office.

When I got there, everyone inside was still chatting. From their accents, I could tell we shared the same cultural background.

They started teasing Richard with slick, smarmy jokes.

"Mr. Leigh, when are you and Mia finally going to have the wedding? I've had your wedding gift ready for ages."

"Seriously, you two have been married for five years. You'd think you'd have a baby by now. Why are you still keeping the whole thing under wraps?"

Mia protested halfheartedly. "Oh, stop. Richard only married me on paper to help me get permanent residency. If Janet heard you talking like that, she'd get the wrong idea."

The others clearly weren't ready to let it go. They took Mia's words as an excuse to start tearing into me.

"So what if Janet gets the wrong idea? Without Richard paying her way, she could be deported tomorrow. It's not like she can actually help him with his career the way you can. All she does is cook and clean. She's basically a maid."

One of them chuckled and kept going. "Richard, if you ask me, why not just make the fake marriage real and be with Mia? As for the maid you've got at home, give her some money and send her back home."

I stopped just as I was about to push the door open. Everyone inside fell quiet, waiting to hear what Richard would say.

He stayed quiet for a moment, as if he were actually considering it. Then he let out a dismissive laugh.

"Alright, that's enough. Mia gets embarrassed easily. As for the one at home, she's been making a fuss lately. I'll try to smooth things over with her. If that doesn't work, we'll see."

I knew exactly what he meant by "we'll see."

A few people inside chuckled knowingly.

I wasn't going to stand there like a fool any longer. While they were still laughing, I pushed open the office door.