CHAPTER ONE

Jolene's POV

"You don't have to keep pretending we're in love," Brian murmured, his smile never slipping as the camera flashes came from every corner of the room.

"I'm only doing my job as your wife," I replied just as softly, smoothing the front of his tie as I forced a practiced smile for the paparazzi as well.

"Just stop it, please." he said, his lips curving wider for the photographers.

“Okay.” I mouthed, the words barely leaving my mouth.

"Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore! Over here!"

"One more picture!"

"Aww... They look so in love." Someone said.

I almost laughed.

If only they knew.

The man smiling so tenderly at me hadn't shared a room with me in three years.

The only time he touches me is when there is an audience. And of course, this was the Whitmore's Group anniversary charity Gala; this was one of those perfect moments for our love act. Yet he still seemed to stiffen whenever my hands curl around him. 

I soon noticed the reason for his distant behaviour when a familiar face in a red dress waved at us. 

Of course, she came. 

Sophia Bennett. 

"Mr. Whitmore..." one of the reporters suddenly called, making Brian turn to her.

The smile on his face almost made me question if this was the same man I had been living with all these years.

"You've been married for three years now. Should we expect a little heir anytime soon?"

The smile on his face didn't waver.

"My wife and I haven't made that decision yet." The answer came too quickly, like he had expected the question. For one second, I almost believed that we had agreed not to have children together. His words were so firm and convincing. 

A chorus of disappointed sighs and gasps echoed from the reporters, business partners... Basically everyone in the hall.

My face felt stiff as I tried to force a smile.

Only I knew the truth.

There had never been a decision to make.

Every time I had gathered the courage to take a step toward him, I always ended up being dismissed. I was never a priority, and he made it fucking obvious.

Sometimes he buried himself in work.

Sometimes he claimed he was exhausted.

Sometimes he simply looked at me with disgust in his eyes like he was trying to understand how we even happened in the first place.

Three years.

Not once had he reached for me as a husband reaches for his wife.

The most painful part of this was that the only day he managed to touch me like he actually wanted me, it was because he had been drugged.

Every day after that, he made it clear. “That night was nothing but a mistake.” 

Those words had been stamped like a seal at the back of my mind 

And there was Margaret, his mother, who never failed to let me know my place. She never failed to remind me that I was only a stand-in for Sophia.

The reporter's question brought me out of my thoughts.

"Mrs. Whitmore, is that true? Are you two waiting for the right time?"

I met the eager faces and the flashing cameras.

I could feel the tears already gathering in my eyes, but I only covered them with a wider smile that even I almost believed.

"We'll share the good news when we're ready."

The cameras flashed again.

They admired what they thought was a happily married couple.

No one noticed that my smile was held together by years of disappointment.

I made my way out of the hall even before the event was over. I was out there in the cool of the night, fighting the tears that had threatened to fall.

Brian came out soon after, but he wasn't alone.

Sophia Bennett's hand curled firmly around his, a proud smile across her face as they walked towards the car.

To the public, they were just childhood besties, but I knew better.

Sophia's red dress was tight against every curve on her body, like it was perfectly tailored for destruction.

I rolled my eyes at them, already making my way towards the red sports car in front of me.

Ferrari Purosangue 2026.

That was Brian's baby. He never let anyone drive it, including the drivers.

I was already heading for the front seat when Sophia caught my hand on the handle.

My eyes moved to her hands on mine, then to her, and finally, to Brian .

"There's nothing wrong with the backseat, Jolene . Don't create a scene here, please."

I simply nodded and made my way to the back.

I was done arguing over things like this. After all, my silence and my complaints still ended in neglect, so why stress it?

We settled in, and the journey home began.

Is she really coming home with us?

We had barely even moved when Sophia leaned closer to Brian .

"Nate baby?"

He turned to her slightly.

"I was worried about what you said earlier at the party..." She dragged.

"I said a lot of things…"

"The one about children… You indirectly said that you don't want to have any children yet." She said with a frown.

"Does that mean you won't take responsibility for our child?" Her hand brushed lightly against her stomach as she said those words.

Brian's hands tightened around the wheel for one brief moment, like he was trying to process what she had just said. 

“Wait!” He said, then there was a brief pause. 

"What do you mean, Sophy?" His eyes finally met hers.

I watched his expression from the rearview mirror, it looked nothing like that expression he used to have whenever I brought up this same topic. 

For a moment, it was as though the air in the car had been sucked out.

I waited for her reply; we both did.

"Are you pregnant?" Brian pressed. 

She pushed her lower lips out while doing the puppy eyes thingy.

"Yes, Nate. I'm carrying your child." Sophia finally admitted, speaking so freely about her baby with my husband like I wasn't seated there, at the back of the car.

"Really, Sophy?" He said, eyes wide. "You can't be serious.”

“I am!” She confirmed. 

“Oh my God, I can't believe it!" He said, a big smile spreading across his face. Something I had never managed to pull out of him in our three years of marriage. 

Brian wrapped his hands around her in a tight hug.

That thick feeling of dread settled in the pit of my stomach as I watched them rejoice like he hadn't just told the reporters indirectly that he didn't want to have a child yet.

Brian finally pulled away as he turned his gaze back to the road.

"This feels so surreal." He said, covering his mouth with one hand as he controlled the wheel with the other hand.

"I was thinking you wouldn't accept the baby..."

"Why won't I?" He said, cutting her mid-sentence. "I only said what I said back there because I don't want the public expecting a child from me and Jolene soon."

That sentence landed heavily, followed by a bit of silence.

My hands instinctively went to my stomach as tears welled up in my eyes. 

"Why are you still even married to her?" Sophia said with disgust as she rolled her eyes at me.

Brian's eyes met mine through the rearview mirror. For the briefest second, something flickered in them. I could almost swear he saw the hurt I was trying so hard to hide.

"I already told you not to bring that up again..."