Choosing who to trust

I could feel the blood running off my face. My fingertips turned cold, and the palm sides of my hands became damp from sweat. I looked Lan Jing in the eyes, silently praying that he wouldn't notice how nervous his question made me, but I could already tell from the brief curve on his lips that I had failed. I felt as if he had caught me in a lie, although I didn't say a word. Telling the truth about the contract would have obvious consequences: it would mark my relationship with Aren as a strictly business deal, and it would degrade my chances of proving that I could be a better partner for Aren than Lanfen. But did I really have another choice?

"What's the matter, hanzi? Can't you answer a simple question?" Lan Jing chuckled. "Perhaps you are worried that revealing the truth would cost you money? I bet that Aren either promised you big money for this marriage or settled huge penalties for exposing the true nature of your relationship... or both."

I closed my eyes and clenched my fis