Chapter 26

Blake dressed within seconds and crept out of the guestroom. He rushed to his bedroom, and into the en suite bathroom. He paused in front of the mirror and just stared at his face. He still could not believe he’d made love to Liya again. She made him weak. Every time he promised himself he wouldn’t touch her again, something inside him steered him in that very direction. She was his weakness, he admitted to himself.

Blake was furious with himself. He’d always prided himself on his strength. Yet, somehow Liya had turned him into a lust-craving lunatic. Liya’s physical response had also stunned him. He splashed cold water on his face. Whatever he preferred to call it, his need to consummate his engagement over and over again with Liya wasn’t going to die down any time soon. A part of him wanted her. Now. And always.

What would he do now? Sophia loved Liya, Liya already knew their engagement was a farce. Sophia prayed every night for Liya to live with them forever. He wished he could have Liya in his bed ever night. He couldn’t go on like this.

Blake shook his head. There was only one solution. He’d already proposed to Liya. He’d made love—no had sex again. The chemistry between them was amazing. Liya adored Sophia. He inhaled sharply as an idea formed fully in his head. Dare he? Whoever said marriage had to be about love? Heck he’d proposed to Liya for the sake of Sophia. Blake knew first hand marriages were not made in Heaven and there was no such thing as happily-ever-after. In his opinion cotton-candy dreams of love only existed in fairy tales and on celluloid. In real life, marriages were made on Earth. Marriage was what you wanted it to be. And Blake wanted a marriage of convenience. Yes, Liya was certainly convenient.

That’s it then, he was going ahead with this marriage. Liya wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He’d marry her. His stomach flipped over when he realized his reflection was smiling back at him. Did this mean the thought of marrying Liya made him happy?

Memories of his lonely upbringing flashed in his head. He’d often longed for the security of his mom and dad while being shuffled from one orphanage to another. He’d vowed to spare Sophia the agony of longing for a mother’s love. Liya had stepped into that role perfectly. Why interfere with something that had already fallen into place?

***

Sophia insisted Liya accompany her to the patio. Mrs. David had already served an amazing spread of home-cooked dishes. Liya’s stomach rumbled in response. Her hunger surprised her. She usually didn’t have much of an appetite this early so what had changed? Blake strolled onto the patio as if in answer to the question Liya had just posed to the universe. Liya’s face burned. Last night’s intense lovemaking had definitely drained her. She suddenly felt very awkward sitting across the table from Blake. It was like he could read her every thought.

“Good morning, Liya.” His tone was neutral so she couldn’t really tell what he was thinking.

“Good morning, Blake,” she managed to say.

“Dad,” Sophia said, sparing Liya from having to make conversation with Blake.

“Yes, Angel?”

“Did you see the newspaper? We’re in the paper—all three of us. Mrs. David read the article to me. Dad, it said you and Liya are getting married soon.” Sophia’s face lit up. “Dad, I can’t wait. Liya, can I be your flower girl. Please.”

Liya stared at Blake, dumbstruck. How should she answer Sophia’s question? Sophia had no idea this wedding was never going to happen. Had Blake taken into account the hope Sophia would build before he even came up with his ingenious “engagement of convenience” plan? The longer this charade went on, the more it would hurt Sophia when she discovered the truth. Lying to a child was cruel. Liya knew the consequences of being raised with a lie. She’d spent the first few years of her childhood believing Jasmine was her Mom until Jasmine told Liya the truth. The truth had shattered Liya in her impressionable tween years.

She had to stop this lie before it spiraled out of control. Blake couldn’t continue to build Sophia’s hopes when he’d openly admitted this was just an engagement of convenient. He’d offered to pay her twice for her part in the act.

“Blake?” Liya half whispered a minute after Sophia left to watch her favorite morning cartoon.

“Yes?” She noticed he avoided looking into her eyes. This wasn’t going to be easy.

“We cannot continue lying to Sophia. We have to tell her the truth,” she insisted.

“What truth?” he asked.

So he was going to play games now? Liya took a few deep breaths and forced herself to remain calm.

“We’re not getting married, Blake, but Sophia believes we are. We cannot let her continue to get her hopes up for a wedding that’s never going to happen. I want you to tell Sophia the truth.”

Blake gasped. “I will do no such thing.”

“What we’re doing is wrong, Blake,” Liya insisted. She almost told him what lies can do to a child’s hopes and dreams because she’d experienced them herself.

“This isn’t the right time. The court hearing hasn’t even happened yet. What if Sophia blurts something out to her mother about our little arrangement?”

“Tell me honestly, Blake. How long are you planning on pretending I am your fiancée?”

She recalled the whirlpools of emotion she’d felt when she’d first learned the truth about her own birth. Her black mood had lasted weeks. It’d seemed like everyone around Liya had known the truth but her.

“Forever, if that’s what it takes to keep my family together.”

Her appetite vanished. “Excuse me.” She couldn’t ignore the nausea welling in the pit of her stomach.

***

Liya’s warning echoed in Blake’s mind. Something about her heartfelt plea had touched him. Had she been lied to as a child? His investigators hadn’t been able to come up with much on her. She was the oldest of three children. Liya’s upbringing had been pretty strict. Other than that, little was known about her. Liya, herself, hadn’t posted any personal information on social media or anywhere else on the internet.

He made a mental note to conduct a deeper investigation on his bride-to-be. Apart from that, he was rather pleased with himself for making up his mind. His mind was made up. This wedding was going to happen. He couldn’t bear the thought of Liya not being around. He was silly to have told her he’d let their fake engagement go on forever. He sighed. He didn’t know what overcame him sometimes.

“Mr. Stone, Mr. Smith is here to see you,” Mrs. David’s voice drifted into his muddled mind.

“Let him in.”

Andrew was all smiles.

“Good news?” Blake raised his eyebrows.

“Phenomenal news.”

Blake poured Andrew a drink. “I’m waiting.”

“Your interview really created a stir. Everybody’s buying the story of your engagement. Especially Alicia’s lawyer — my sources say he’s backing off. This could mean that Alicia doesn’t have a lawyer.”

Alicia’s bad luck was his good luck. “Wow. That’s great.”

“It’s more than great. Things are working in our favor. By the way, I hope you haven’t forgotten about the Children’s Charity Fund Dinner and Dance tonight.”

“That’s happening tonight?”

“Yes. It’s the perfect event for you and your lovely fiancée to work your way onto the front page of tomorrow’s newspapers.”

“And if I skip it?”

Andrew shrugged. “You’ll be quitting while you’re on top. What if Alicia comes up with something to upstage you?”

He couldn’t give Alicia a chance to enhance her image. “What time’s the dinner?”

“Seven. You can arrive fashionably late. Create a stir. Maybe buy Liya a few new pieces of jewelry as part of your engagement presents. Make it something really romantic and symbolic of great love stories.”

“Like what?” Blake asked.

Andrew shrugged. “I’m your attorney, not a love guru,” he replied.

An emotion he’d never felt before roared to life inside Blake. Of course, he knew exactly what to gift his fiancée. He’d read about an auction on an antique necklace and earing set owned by an iconic Hollywood actress who was a firm believer of fairytale romances. “I know exactly what to get Liya.”

Ever she had come into his life, his emotions had evolved. He’d experienced emotions he’d never expected to feel. Ever. And he cared about her. It hurt him when her eyes filled with tears, and it stung whenever she brought up the fake engagement. He’d been so wrong to trick her into it. But now all he wanted to right all the wrongs he’d subjected Liya to.

“Yeah,” he murmured. His mind raced. “I have something really important to announce tonight. My fiancée will be the center of attention.”