Chapter 24

“Please excuse me. I need to pack.” She glared at him. How dare he think he could tell her what to do after his betrayal?

Neither of them heard Sophia approach. “Dad? Liya? Why are you two fighting?” Tears spilled out her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

Liya’s mind flashed back to the past when she’d lost her mother. Jasmine had often threatened her that she would leave her all alone in the world.

“Why are you packing, Liya?” Sophia’s voice jostled her back to the present.

She realized both Blake and Liya were waiting for her response. Her heart shattered. How could Blake have placed her in such a delicate situation?

“Please don’t leave, Liya.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I need to make space for my new clothes so I’m just packing these old ones away.” She glanced at Blake. Relief flooded his face before he smiled. She wished she could slap the smile off his face.

“Angel promise you won’t leave me, Liya?”

“Angel promise.”

“I thought the reporters scared you again, Liya. You shouldn’t worry them. Daddy usually takes care of them. He always tells me to let him do the talking when the reporters are around.”

“Yeah,” Blake assured Liya, “I know exactly how to deal with them.”

Liya ignored Blake and focused on Sophia instead.

“I love you, Liya. I want you to live here forever and ever.” Sophia wound her arms around Liya’s neck. “I pray to the angels every night and I ask them to keep you here no matter what.”

Liya blinked back her tears. Sophia’s words touched the little girl in her who’d prayed for a mother’s love all through her childhood. She did not want to be the one to break Sophia’s heart by telling her it was impossible for her to stay in Blake’s mansion forever. Sophia broke free from the hug first. Liya wiped Sophia’s face with her hands and tucked loose strands of hair behind her ears.

“I’ll get you dressed. I have an interview with one of your dad’s reporter friends.”

“Okay. Let Daddy do the talking.”

“I will,” Liya said, “Now let’s get you changed and ready for piano lessons.”

Liya joined Blake in his study after Sophia’s piano tutor arrived. She listened patiently while Blake filled her in on possible questions the reporter might ask them.

“The safest thing is for you to politely nod and agree with everything I say.”

“And if she questions me directly?”

“I trust you to answer appropriately.” Liya flinched when his eyes didn’t move off her face. So he believed her now. Part of her was glad Blake finally acknowledged she’d put up with this charade for Sophia’s sake.

“Of course, I expect you to play the part of my ecstatic fiancée. Please don’t cringe when I hug or kiss you, for the reporter’s benefit. I will compensate you for your time and efforts as soon as all of this is over.”

“Like hell you will! What do you think I am?” Liya snapped. Did he think she was after his money now?

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“I realize I’ve placed you in quite a predicament and I want to make it worth your while,” she said, “I am sorry for not approaching this subject more sensitively.”

“Whatever,” she mumbled.

“Coming back to the interview,” Blake said, after a few uncomfortable moments passed, “I think it would be best if you just followed my lead. Only answer the questions that you are comfortable answering. I won’t let the reporter force you into answering anything.”

“Thank you,” she said. She was terrified of coming face to face with a journalist. Blake gave her a list of possible questions. She rehearsed her answers, growing more and more confident by the minute.

Lucy Smith arrived at 5 p.m. Lucy’s inquisitive eyes roamed over Liya and Blake. He kept his arm around Liya and whispered in her ears every now and then for Lucy’s benefit.

“Will you pursue your career after your marriage, Liya?”

Liya shivered slightly. “I’m planning on being a stay-at-home mom.” Blake squeezed her arm reassuringly and Liya relaxed. So far, Lucy’s questions had been nosy and Liya was afraid that after Lucy tired of questioning her about her engagement, she would probe into her childhood.

“Does Liya’s choice have anything to do with you, Blake?”

“You’re asking the wrong person. Sophia is quite attached to Liya so I’m guessing Liya’s decision has something to do with Sophia. As soon as Sophia has settled into her new life with us, Liya will definitely return to work. In fact I plan to set Liya up at a private practice right here in Charleston.”

Was this a continuance of his charade? Liya wondered when Blake’s hand closed over hers. Or did Blake mean it? She’d always dreamed of opening her own practice after completing her internship. She hadn’t mentioned anything to Blake so how had known of this desire?

Lucy seemed pleased with Blake’s answer. “You’re quite a supportive fiancé to her, Blake. Liya’s incredibly lucky to have you in her life.”

“I am.” Liya cringed and glanced at Blake. The lying bastard billionaire was lucky she hadn’t told Lucy the truth about their fake engagement. “How does your family feel about your engagement?”

Liya froze. She was aware of Blake’s eyes burning into her. She hadn’t mentioned anything to Jasmine — not that her aunt would care.

“Um...they’re happy for me.”

“Have you met your future mother-in-law, Blake?”

Liya felt Blake’s hand tense. Neither had anticipated such an unexpected question.

“Jasmine is quite a busy businesswoman. We have agreed to have a family gathering before our wedding.”

Liya flinched at the mention of Jasmine’s name. Blake knew Jasmine had raised her? Of course, he’d run a background on her! He probably did background checks on all his employees. How could she have been so naïve as so as to not have known that? Had she honestly believed he’d trust you otherwise?

“How about you, Liya? Have you met your future mother-in-law?”

Liya stared at Blake. She had no idea who his family was. The media hadn’t published any stories about his family — Liya had always assumed Blake wanted it that way.

“Liya will be introduced to my family at our joint gathering before our wedding.” Blake placed his hand over hers for Lucy’s benefit and smiled adoringly at Liya.

Liya sighed softly in relief. She made a mental note to dig into Blake’s past later. She recalled their first “date” — Blake had mentioned he was an only child. He hadn’t mentioned much about his family after that. She was close enough to Blake to sense the sudden ripple of tension that shot through him. Liya searched Blake’s face for any signs of what was bothering him. His eyes and false smile revealed little.

“Any hints on who’s designing the wedding dress?”

Liya stopped herself from biting her bottom lip just in time. Blake didn’t jump to her rescue this time either.

“I’m keeping my dress a secret until the wedding.”

Liya was grateful when Lucy wrapped up her interview. She waited until the reporter was out of sight before she said anything.

“Thank you, Liya.”

She spun around to face the billionaire.

“For what?”

“For playing along.”

Liya’s insides clenched into a tight fist. “I didn’t do it for your benefit.”

“On behalf of my daughter, thank you.”

Despite knowing the truth, Blake’s words still hurt. She refused to let her tears show.

“There’s no need to thank me,” she managed to tell him. Although she didn’t want to admit it, she wished Blake had meant everything he’d said in the interview. The brief time he’d spent whispering little jokes to her to set her at ease in front of Lucy Smith had felt like a dream.

“I’ll make it worth your while.”

If his earlier words had stung her, then the latter tore through the last shred of hope that Blake would somehow forget about his charade and marry her. He’d just pay her for her time and her part in his charade and that would be the end of that.