Bianca

I climbed the stairs and walked down the hallway in search of Liam when I heard it, the moans of hungry kisses shattering the silence that enveloped the wide corridor.

I thought it was just some staff drooling around when I caught sight of them.

Liam and Kira tangled in each other's arms.

My stomach dropped as I watched my husband dutifully exploring the confines of Kira's blouse.

"Liam," I called out, my voice shaky.

Shockingly, they didn't seem startled at my sudden presence. I watched in pain as my husband held Kira tightly.

"Liam what's going on?" I asked, the words barely above a whisper.

"And what does it look like to you?" Kira responded, a wide grin plastered on her face.

"Well if you must know, Bianca, Kira is my woman, and has always been before this entire charade," Liam said, breaking his silence and shooting the words at me.

Did he just refer to our union as a charade?

I stood there, too dumbfounded to utter a single word.

"I never asked for this,  Liam," I muttered, "I never wanted to be here in the first place," I added, my hands clutching my purse, and nervously fighting hard to hold back my tears.

"Oh cut the drama!" Liam snapped at me. "I know you planned this all out with your parents, you're only after my family's fortune, but mark my words, this arrangement is going to be nothing but a complete disaster," he added, his eyes wide with fury.

"Babe," Kira called out, still clinging tightly to him. "Could we get out of here now?" she asked, with a warm smile.

I watched in agony as they both held hands tight and walked past me.

My heart dropped in pain, and I allowed the tears to flow freely. I reflected on how I got here, married to a billionaire who didn't want me.

I had a degree, a good job, and my life was going well before my parents forced me into this mess.

"My parents!" I yelled instinctively, stopping my tears abruptly.

"They're the ones who pushed me into this mess, they'll have to settle whatever scores they have with Fredrick and set me free," I muttered amidst sobs.

I clutched my purse so tightly against my soft silk gown that I could feel the diamond stones poking into my skin. I got downstairs, amidst the unnoticed crowd and I made my move toward the exit.

I hurriedly got out of the premises and hastily flagged a taxi down.

"It's now or never Bianca," I affirmed to myself, as I slipped in.

I arrived at my parents' house and hurriedly walked towards the entrance. I found the front door wide open, which was quite unusual. As I made my way upstairs towards their bedroom, I heard my parents arguing, my mum's voice preceding.

"So what if she isn't truly ours, so what Gary? Bianca is our child no matter what, we can't keep hurting that little girl just because we aren't her biological parents!" I heard my mum say and I froze, and stumbled like the words had knocked me out.

I couldn't believe my ears.

My purse dropped out of my hands loudly screeching against the tiled floor, startling my parents.

"Who's there?" Mum called out dashing out of the room. "Oh.. My.. My.. God, baby you startled me, what's..Wrong why are you here at this time of the day?" she stammered instinctively.

I could hear my heart beating rapidly as I searched my mother's face for answers.

"Bianca," Dad called out, sluggishly trailing behind Mum.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Mum asked, feigning total ignorance. "Did something happen with the Smiths?"

"I heard you say I'm not your child, is that true?" I asked, my voice shaky.

Mum chuckled nervously, guilt written all over her face. "Honey, what do you mean? Of course you're ours, and.."

"Enough!" I yelled, cutting her off. "I'll ask again, am I really your child?" I asked, staring into my parents' faces.

The only family I ever knew.

My parents could hardly meet my eyes and their silence gave me my answers.

"Oh, my God!" I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. "I get it now Dad. This is exactly why you sold me off to the Smiths without second thoughts." I sighed and shook my head in disbelief.

Dad broke the heavy silence.

"It isn't what you think Bianca, we did it for your own good my.."

"No. You did it to satisfy your greed," I managed to say between sobs.

"Baby, I'm so so sorry, I should have told you a long time ago," Mom said, "regardless of the situation dearest we still love you very much and regard you as ours" she added.

"Love." I laughed dryly, "You both never loved me, you only saw me as a pawn in your endless games," I said, looking straight into Dad's eyes.

"Bianca, you mustn't think I'm a part of this please,"

Mum said, between soft sobs. "This was all your father's idea, I would never give you away just because of money my child, you have to believe me," she pleaded.

"Don't you ever refer to your disgusting selves as my parents!" I yelled, sobbing. "I am not and will never be your child."

"That's enough young lady, you don't speak to us in this manner after everything we've done for you," Dad said sharply.

"Enough Gary," Mom snapped at him," pausing her tears. She has every right to be mad, and you damn know that."

Acting as if his words didn't get to me, I went on.

"Who are my real parents?" I asked, my eyes fixed on mum.

"You.. you were dropped at our doorstep one night, and I insisted we adopt you," she said, " I had always loved you from the first day" she whispered.

I could clearly see the guilt on Mom's face, but I was too hurt to acknowledge it.

"Is there any information that could help me find my biological parents?" I asked, and Mom shook her head.

My heart sank, and everything felt unreal like a bad dream.

"Well, I've come here to let you know that I do not wish to be married to Liam any longer," I said, "I would advise you to settle whatever scores you have with his father," I added, locking eyes with Dad.

"You must be joking," Dad let out a sharp and cold laugh.

I could sense his lack of remorse, he didn't even flinch, no guilt or apology in his eyes. My jaw tightened and my heart raced faster in anger.

"I ain't gonna repeat myself," I said firmly, " this whole game is over," I added, and turned to walk away.

"It ain't over young lady," he called after me. "There's plenty you don't know. Remember those Papers you signed?"

I froze.

My heart dropped.

What papers?

I never signed any papers!

Bianca

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, turning to look at Dad, confusion tightening my chest. " I never signed no papers,"

"Remember when I asked for your signature on some family asset? He asked, locking eyes with me, "There was no asset, you signed a binding lifetime marital contract,"

At his words, my heart dropped, and I let out a gasp.

I couldn't believe my ears.

I'd been deceived.

"How could you Gary," Mum shouted, her eyes fixed on him.

"I did what I had to do Martha," he replied "you both ought to be grateful to me, I gave her a better chance at life, for us all,"

"You're unbelievable," Mum muttered, "how could you do this to our daughter?"

"You.. monster," I whispered at last, my voice trembling. "How could you?"

Silent tears slid down my face, and my jaw clenched.

I wasn't going to let some Goddamn papers scare me.

"I don't care about some stupid papers you cooked up, my marriage to Liam is over. I'd advise you to tell them to expect the divorce papers any moment from now." I nodded firmly, my eyes steady and sure.

"You still don't get it," Dad said coldly. "The day you end this marriage, you'll be going to jail. Right now, you don't own any money or assets. Ever wonder why your bank accounts are no longer accessible?"

My eyes widened as the truth finally hit me.

I hadn't been able to access my accounts for a while. I was too caught up in the wedding and my new life to visit the bank to at least inquire.

Besides, Liam and his Dad, Frederick, always provided some cash for me.

"What the hell!" Mum screamed. "Gary you're evil."

Then softer, she added, sobbing, "Baby, I'm so sorry." She reached out for my hand.

I pulled away, turning my back on them, and walked out.

I sobbed loudly, until I got outside.

As I wandered down the street, my mind raced, trying to figure out what to do next.

An idea hit me.

I decided to call my best friend, Danni. I could stay with her for the time being, at least until the dust settles.

Feeling a bit more at ease with the thought, I dialed her number. She picked up right away, and I narrated everything that had happened.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through all that, girl, Geez, your parents are the worst," Danni said over the phone.

"Girl, could I come stay with you for the time being, till things settle for a bit?" I asked.

"Oh, Bianca, I really wish you could, girl, but you know I live with Mike now and his kid," she replied.

"Oh that's right," I sighed.

I felt foolish for not remembering that.

"Bianca, I suggest you go back to the smiths," Danni said, pulling me from my thoughts.

"What? How can you say that, Danni?" I snapped, gripping my phone tightly against my ear.

"Yes, yes I know it sounds crazy and all, but you've got no choice, you could run away and these guys are gonna chase you to the ends of the earth if they have to. Think about it, girl." She said,

At Dannie's words, my eyes widened with realization. She was right there was no turning back now.

I said goodbye to Dannie, then flagged a taxi and headed home.

An hour later, the cab pulled up in front of the mansion, and I stepped out slowly. A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I stared at the gates.

I could hear my heels tapping loudly on the clean tiled floor as I walked in nervously clutching my purse against my chest, bracing myself for whatever came next.

I opened the front door and caught the familiar figure of the domestic staff Belinda standing right before me.

"Good evening Mrs Smith" she greeted, reaching out for my bag.

"Good evening Belinda," I replied. "It's okay, I can manage," I added, gently refusing her offer.

"Mr Smith has asked to see you in his study as soon as you arrive," she said softly.

"My husband or his father?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The younger boss, your husband Ma'am," she said, avoiding my gaze.

"Alright, I'll be there, you can go" I said, waving her off.

I sank onto the couch and wondered what Liam could want with me, especially after everything that happened at the party, as I watched Belinda walk away.

"It's now or never," I mumbled to myself as I climbed the stairs to Liam's study.

Liam had never invited me to his study before. That alone made my heart race.

I walked up to the door and knocked twice.

"Come in," I heard his deep masculine voice call out, and my stomach churned.

I pushed the door open and walked in.

"Liam, you must know I didn't mean.." I barely got the words out before he cut me off.

"Save the explanation," he waved a hand dismissively at me. "I need us to talk," he added.

I could hear my heart racing. Deep down I hoped he was finally going to talk about ending our marriage.

"I'm listening," I finally managed to say, voice trembling.

"Word got to me that you paid your parents a protest visit. You all are lucky my Dad knows nothing of it," he said, his voice low and laced with threat.

"That's right Liam, I want nothing to do with you or your family. I want out," I said, nervously.

My heart pounded harder in fear as I met his gaze, refusing to look away.

In truth, if Frederick found out about my visit to my parents or that I attempted to walk away I'd be in serious trouble.

"Bianca, there could be a way for us to balance things and still get what we both want," he said, a hint of hope in his voice. "We could both be happy in this," he added.

"What.. Do you mean?" I stuttered, clutching my purse tighter, knuckles pale.

"I'm offering you a deal," he said softly. "One that keeps us both alive and well,"

"What could that be?," I asked, voice low.

His eyes searched mine fiercely, yet waving with something unspoken.

I could feel the heat in his gaze, but beneath it, there was a sort of hesitation.

Like he wanted to reach for me, and also avoid me at the same time.

Whatever he was feeling, he tried to mask it

Our eyes locked, holding longer than they should have. The silence thickened and the air tightened between us, and I swallowed hard, lost in his gaze.

Then the door banged, snapping us back to reality.

Bianca

"Come in," Liam blinked, his jaw tightening.

Belinda opened the door and walked in.

"Sir, Ma'am, the boss requests your presence." She said, eyes fixed on the ground.

"My wife and I will be downstairs shortly," Liam replied. "You may go,"

Hearing him call me his wife made my eyes lift a little and I felt a bit calmer inside.

Liam cleared his throat.

"As I was saying before the interruption, I think we could both make this work,"

"How exactly?" I asked, voice low.

"I'm proposing a fake marriage," he said

I frowned.

"We had an authentic marriage," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

What the hell did he mean by a fake marriage?

"Yes, yes of course we did," he said, "but neither of us truly wanted this,"

"What exactly is your plan?" I asked.

"A happy marriage for the world, especially my dad. No intimacy, nothing real. We just have to keep up the act," he replied.

My eyes widened as his words sank in.

"And what if I refuse?" I asked.

Liam gave a wide grin. "Look around you lady, do you really have a choice here?"

The truth was, I couldn't say no to his proposal.

Maybe this was my one chance to align with Liam even if just for show. I could be happier this way.

"Well.. Deal or no deal?" He asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Deal," I replied.

We went downstairs for dinner with Fredrick and found him smiling, accompanied by his girlfriend Victoria.

"Good evening Mr Fredrick, Victoria " I greeted.

"Good evening Dad," Liam said, ignoring Victoria. His dislike for her was very clear, and I couldn't help but wonder why.

She seemed pleasant to me.

"Liam, Bianca, I looked all over for you at the party," he said, his voice full of excitement. He stood tall in his sharp suit, smiling wide. "Victoria and I have an announcement,"

Liam and I exchanged curious glances as we stared at them.

"We're engaged," Victoria said with a smile.

"And also expecting," Fredrick declared loudly.

"Uh, Dad, can I have a word? privately," Liam asked, his tone flat and serious.

"Sure," Fredrick replied. He leaned toward Victoria and whispered "I'll be back shortly, babe," and she gave a small nod.

Liam and Fredrick left the room, leaving me alone with Victoria.

I offered a polite smile.

"Congratulations Victoria. Welcome to the family."

"Thank you," she replied with a smile.

The silence that followed grew heavy.

Victoria cleared her throat. "I have to use the restroom, the usual pregnancy thing," she chuckled nervously, rising from her seat. "If you'll excuse me,"

"Of course," I said, with a soft smile.

As Victoria walked away, a folded paper slipped from her purse. I bent down quickly, picked it up, planning to keep it safe until she got back. But curiosity got the better of me, so I opened it.

I froze.

It was an ultrasound photo. But the name printed on it wasn't Victoria's. It wasn't even a woman's name. It was a Google watermark.

My hands trembled as I held the paper, my heart beating rapidly in my chest.

It was one thing to suspect, it was another to have proof.

Victoria wasn't telling the truth. Still I couldn't go straight to Fredrick. But I could tell Liam first, as soon as dinner was over.

I hurried back to my seat just before Victoria returned. Soon after, Liam and Fredrick joined us and we all sat down to dinner.

The meal was oddly quiet and rushed. I noticed Liam's coldness and couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with the pregnancy and engagement.

After dinner, we walked into our bedroom.

Liam began unbuttoning his shirt hastily, and I  stared lustfully at the hard lines of his chest for a minute. I blinked rapidly, swallowing hard.

"Liam, I need to talk to you," I managed to say.

"About?" He asked, not looking up, focused on unbuttoning his shirt.

"It's about Victoria," I muttered, my voice barely steady. "I think she's lying about the pregnancy,"

"Oh, please," Liam scoffed. "What the hell are you talking about?" He slipped his hands into his trouser pockets, jaw tight.

"Here, I found this," I said, giving him the folded paper. "It slipped from her purse earlier shortly before dinner."

He took the paper and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Look at the scans, they're fake. And this report? No doctor signs with initials only." I said, as Liam took a closer look.

He lifted his eyes to look at me.

"Are you trying to cause trouble? You're barely a part of this family and now you're starting rumors." he snapped.

"Liam..I only.." I barely got the words before he cut me off.

"Listen to me," he stepped closer, "you're nothing but a debt repaid, you'll never be a part of this family, don't you ever meddle in our affairs again."

"I only wanted to help," I muttered.

I glanced down, my throat tightening as heat rushed to my face.

"You ain't helping lady, you're trying to cause some trouble here." He said. "Hell yeah, I don't like Victoria either, but stooping to this.." He tossed the paper toward my face.

"Liam, that's enough," I managed to say, my voice shaking but steady. "We both know Victoria is definitely up to something. I can feel it, and whatever it is could ruin everyone living under this roof and that includes me." I breathed hard, staring into his eyes.

Liam said nothing, holding my gaze.

"So you just expect me to walk up to my father and tell him that you think his fiancée is faking a pregnancy just because you found some paper lying somewhere," he managed to say, breaking the brief silence.

"It slipped from her purse, it could mean something," I said, jaw tightening.

"I don't have time for your mindless games," he said, throwing the paper aside.

My breath caught, tight with hurt I couldn't hide.

"I'm trying to protect you, to protect this family," I said.

"I don't need your damn protection, We're the Smiths, what makes you think we could use some protection from you," he snapped, pointing a finger at me.

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say a word, the door pushed open, and Fredrick stood there watching us.

I froze.