Semua Bab Black Ties and White Lies: A Billionaire Fake Engagement: Bab 121 - Bab 130

WINNIEI’m busy fussing with the back of a diamond earring when Archer walks into the master closet.“My god, my wife looks breathtaking this evening,” he muses, placing his hands on either side of the counter in the middle of the closet.I laugh, leaning into his kiss as he trails his lips along the back of my neck.“You say that every evening.”“I mean it every evening,” he quips. His hands find my waist as he clings to the smooth fabric of my champagne-colored evening dress. It was one I’d fallen in love with while wedding dress shopping before our wedding.It was perfect, except it hadn’t felt bridal. It didn’t stop me from loving it. The moment Archer told me we were attending a fancy event tonight where I needed a nice dress, I went to buy it.I let out a content sigh as he pushes the hair from my back to continue his trail of kisses. It feels so good I melt against his body. Since our meeting with my brother Monday evening, it seems all we’ve done is work to create a plan to st

WINNIEThe entire room feels electrified as we wait for the performance to begin. It’s like everyone has taken a deep breath in but not let it out yet. The lights have gone all the way down, the only source coming from the lights aimed at the stage.A shiver runs down my spine as Archer presses his lips to the bare skin of my shoulder.“We should probably take a seat,” I whisper.“Why? The view from here is spectacular.” He continues to kiss along my skin, making me break out in goose bumps.“Because you sit at the opera. They’ll take the stage any moment, and I want to enjoy it.”His breath is hot against my skin with his laugh. “Are you telling me you aren’t enjoying this?” His tongue peeks out, wetting the skin he presses his lips to. “Or this?” he continues, nipping at the hollow of my throat.The curtain rises right as the orchestra begins to play a beautiful, dark melody. My pulse spikes with anticipation of the show beginning—but also because of the trail Archer’s lips are leav

WINNIE“I’m nervous,” I admit, staring at my shoes as the elevator doors close.Archer grabs my hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze. “Everything is going to go according to plan,” he assures me.“There’s too much riding on this for it not to,” Tyson comments from the other side of the elevator.My eyes shoot up to glare at him. “That doesn’t help at all.”He lifts his shoulder in a shrug. “Winnie, we’ve spent countless hours planning this. We’ve had everyone confirm multiple times that they’ll support us. Archer’s right—everything will go exactly as we have planned it to.”I let out a loud breath, trying to gather myself. I’d barely slept last night, thinking of what was going to happen today. I’m just ready for all of it to be over. No matter what happens, I won’t have to live with the pit of anxiety that’s lived in my stomach since the moment Archer told me of his father’s plan.“Do you think Dad will forgive us?” I ask Tyson, my fingers tightening around Archer’s hand as the ele

Winnie gasps. “Dad,” she croaks, her eyes wide as she stares at her father in horror.My fingers flex into fists as I imagine what it’d be like to send my fist right into her father’s ugly face. Would she hate me for it? I take a deep breath, getting my temper under control before I completely lose it on this man for betraying his daughter.“How would it look if it came out that the new CEO has a wife with a sex tape? And that he married her just to hide it?” Spencer raises his eyebrows, expecting someone to answer him. When no one does, he continues to dig his own grave. “Imagine how much the stock would plummet if the media got ahold of this? You can’t trust him to lead with those skeletons in his closet.”“Dad!” Tyson yells, looking at his father like he doesn’t even know who he is. I don’t blame him. I knew Spencer wasn’t the greatest guy, but I wasn’t expecting him to out his daughter like this. It’s completely unacceptable.I’m in the midst of taking a deep breath before I compl

My lips part at his answer. I shift, nowhere near expecting the answer he gave me. “I could say the same thing. Watching you get a unanimous vote on both sides, seeing how much they trusted you to do big things with the merger. You’re a force to be reckoned with, Archer Moore.”Archer shakes his head, bringing our joined hands to his lips. My eyelids flutter shut as he presses a kiss against my thumb. “I don’t want to talk about me right now. I want to talk about you. God.” He lets out a long breath, looking out at the window for a moment before looking back to me. “It’s you that’s the force to be reckoned with, baby. The way you stood up for yourself to your dad, the way you were brutally and bravely honest with everyone in that room. Or even how you came up with some of the best ideas I’ve heard for the merger and what to do. I’m just so fucking lucky to exist at the same time as you. To know you. To get to love you. To be yours.” The last part is said so low I almost don’t hear it.