All Chapters of married for show : Chapter 131 - Chapter 140

ELENA​The pool house was silent, save for the hum of the filtration system and the quiet lap of water against tile. Outside, the afternoon sun beat down on the Thorne estate, but inside, the air was thick, heavy, and freezing cold.​I sat on the edge of a rattan sofa, clutching a mug of warm tea between my palms so tightly my knuckles turned white.​Across from me sat Valerie and Ben. Valerie was leaning forward, her hands clasped in her lap, her eyes filled with a mixture of raw concern and frantic, high-strung worry. Ben stood just behind her, leaning against the edge of the dark wood bar, his arms crossed over his chest, his dark green eyes locked onto me with quiet, razor-sharp focus.​"Elena," Valerie spoke softly, her voice breaking the heavy stillness. "You texted us. You said you needed to tell us why... why you two actually switched for those two weeks before the night she died."​I swallowed hard, the tea sloshing slightly in my mug as my hands began to tremble. I set the c

ELENA​The house at the end of the gravel lane looked half-abandoned. Peeling paint clung to the faded grey siding, and the front porch sagged under the weight of overgrown vines.​My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird as Ben parked his black SUV across the street. Beside me in the passenger seat, Valerie stared out the window, her knuckles white where she gripped her phone. Ever since we’d left the house, a weird, suffocating tension had hung between her and Ben—a quiet avoidance, like two people terrified of looking each other in the eye. But right now, we had bigger demons to face.​"Are you ready for this, El?" Ben asked softly, turning his dark green eyes toward the backseat.​I swallowed the dry lump in my throat and nodded, even though every instinct in my body screamed at me to run. "I have to be."​We stepped out into the humid afternoon air, our footsteps heavy on the gravel as we walked up the porch steps. Ben knocked three firm times on the wooden door.​Fo

VALERIE​The hum of the SUV’s engine was the only sound cutting through the thick, suffocating silence inside the car.​Ben kept both hands firmly on the leather steering wheel, his jaw set in a hard line as he navigated the quiet streets of Seattle. Beside him, I leaned back against the passenger seat, staring out the window at the passing trees, my fingers nervously twisting the silver ring on my thumb.​We hadn't spoken a single word since leaving Elena’s house. Ever since I had pushed him away in the kitchen and locked myself in my room, an invisible, electric tension had settled between us—heavy, charged, and utterly terrifying. Every time his arm shifted to adjust the wheel, my skin prickled with the memory of his hands gripping my waist, pulling me against his chest.​I blinked, suddenly realizing the trees outside were thinning, replaced by a winding, narrow road curving upward into the hills.​My brow furrowed. I glanced over at him. "Ben... this isn't the way back to the hou

MAYA​I pulled the white silk robe tight around my waist, double-knotting the sash as I checked my reflection in the full-length mirror. I had just taken a quick shower and changed into fresh clothes, taking a slow, deep breath to calm the faint flutter in my chest.​A heavy knock echoed through the apartment.​I hurried over to the front door, pulling it open to reveal Valerie standing on the welcome mat. Her long hair was down, and she looked noticeably lighter than she had yesterday.​"Hey!" I smiled brightly, stepping aside to pull her into a quick, warm hug. "Come on in."​"Hey," Valerie said, walking inside as the scent of her sweet perfume filled the foyer.​Honestly, Valerie hanging out with Elena so much lately had been a total blessing in disguise. It gave her less time to obsess over where Nathan was—and gave me plenty of private, uninterrupted time to see Nathan without raising a single eyebrow.​We walked into my bedroom, where a few fashion magazines and my iPad were sca

VALERIE​The polished mahogany dining table looked immaculate, set with heavy silverware and glowing candles. But sitting across from the mouth-watering dinner spread felt like sitting in a high-voltage interrogation room.​My parents had insisted on throwing a small "welcome back and happy recovery" dinner for Nathan. Which meant I was forced to sit right beside him—dressed up, smiling, and pretending the furious argument from yesterday morning hadn't happened. We hadn't resolved a single thing. He had slammed out of the house over his locked phone, and now we were putting on a pristine show for our families like the perfect golden couple.​Ben sat directly opposite me.​Every time my eyes drifted across the table to him, a involuntary, electric warmth flooded my chest. He caught my gaze, and a tiny, knowing smirk tugged at the edge of his lips. I bit back a smile, my heart taking a breathless, dangerous leap against my ribs.​I couldn't get the feeling of his hands out of my head. T