Chapter 133
Sarah’s POV
We drove to the dress shop in Sophia’s car while she talked about how her brother has never been so different since Ryan’s mum left, it has changed him… he seems happier.
If only she knew.
I didn’t know what to say; most times, I just nodded.
Sophia reached over and squeezed my hand. “Welcome to the family officially. Even if my brother is terrible at communicating p>
I laughed.
It felt fake to my own ears, but she didn’t seem to notice.
We soon got to the shop, and the dress shop was beautiful. All white and soft lighting and racks of gorgeous gowns.
“Sophia picked out several options for you,” Elena said. “Based on your measurements. We’ll try them all and see what feels right p>
I nodded and let her help me into the first dress.
It was beautiful.
White lace.
Long sleeves.
I looked at myself in the mirror and didn’t recognize the woman staring back.
“Beautiful,” Elena breathed. “Absolutely beautiful p>
I smiled.
Fake. Fake. Fake.
Sophia appeared in the mirror behind me.
“Oh, Sarah,” she said softly. “You look stunning p>
“Thank you p>
“Do you like it p>
I looked at myself again at the woman in the beautiful dress who was about to marry her ex-fiancé’s brother.
It reminded me of the night before my wedding to Damon.
My heart squeezed.
We tried on six dresses, each one more beautiful than the last, each one felt more wrong than the one before.
Finally, I settled on one.
Simple.
Elegant and not too fancy or plain. Something that felt like maybe I could survive wearing it.
Sophia hugged me when I came out in it.
“This is the one,” she said. “I can tell p>
I nodded and smiled and tried not to think about the contract in my drawer at home.
“Okay,” I said to Elena. “We’ll take this one p>
Two weeks.
The wedding is in two weeks.
And I have no idea what I’m doing.
I walked into the house, and just in time, Marcus came out from the kitchen still dressed in his suit, meaning he must have just gotten back from work.
I was aggravated. Why would he not give me a heads up about the wedding and the stupid bridal fitting?
I turned to look at him, his face turning serious as he noticed me.
A
“We need to talk p>
My heart dropped a little, but I nodded. “Okay p>
He got out, and I followed him into the house. We stood in the foyer, the big empty space echoing around us.
“I need to make something clear,” he said.
I waited.
“What happened today. Defending you against my mother. That doesn’t change anything p>
I blinked. “What do you mean p>
He looked at me with those cold eyes. “I mean, you shouldn’t get the wrong idea. You’re still Ryan’s nanny. Nothing more p>
The words hit me like ice water.
“I don’t understand,” I said slowly. “At the shop you said p>
“I know what I said.” He cut me off. “I said what needed to be said in front of my mother. Don’t read into it p>
My chest tightened. “You kissed me p>
“It was a peck on the cheek p>
“You held my hand p>
“To get you out of there p>
“You told me I was beautiful p>
His jaw tightened. “You looked nice in the dress. That doesn’t mean anything p>
I stared at him. This couldn’t be real. This couldn’t be the same man who looked at me like I was everything just hours ago.
“Marcus p>
“Sarah.” His voice was hard. “Don’t forget the contract. You’re here because of a piece of paper. Because I needed a nanny and you needed a job. That’s it p>
“That’s it p>
“That’s it p>
I felt anger building in my chest. Hot and fast.
“So what was today?” I demanded. “What was all of that? You showing up like a knight in shining armor? Are you pushing Natalie away? You telling your mother I’m everything p>
“I told my mother what she needed to hear p>
“And me? What did I need to hear? That I’m nothing? That I’m just the help p>
“I didn’t say that p>
“You didn’t have to.” My voice was rising now. “You just did. You just told me that everything I thought was happening between us was fake. That you were just playing a role p>
“I was protecting you p>
“From what? From thinking I matter? From thinking someone actually sees me p>
He stepped closer. “From thinking this is something it’s not p>
“And what is it?” I stepped closer too. “What is this, Marcus? Because I’m confused. One minute you’re looking at me like I’m the only person in the world. The next minute you’re treating me like an employee who needs to know her place p>
“My behavior doesn’t change the facts p>
“The facts?” I laughed bitterly. “The facts are that you brought me here under a contract. The facts are that you’ve been cold, distant, and horrible since day one. The facts are that you had some woman in your bed yesterday while I was bleeding on the floor p>
His eyes flashed. “That’s different p>
“How? How is that different p>
“I didn’t feel anything for her p>