"But he's married." Hallie could barely breathe as those three words threatened to kill her with the truth. "He s-said he loved me, but he...he..."
And oh God, she could still remember how he had looked at her as he cupped her face.
I'm saying stop trying to fall out of love with me...
She tried to hold on to Yuri, but the memory was too much, and she crumpled down to her knees as she saw him in her mind, and she remembered how he had bent his head while whispering the very same truth that was now destroying her from the inside.
I'm saying stop trying to fall out of love with me...because it's never going to happen.
Yuri and Kalli were both on their knees in the next second, their arms going around Hallie.
"It's never wrong to love, Hallie," her sister-in-law whispered. "Just don't steal him away."
One, two, three seconds passed, and despite everything, brother and sister were unable to help it. A tremulous laugh slipped past Hallie's lips while Yuri could only shake his head, a reluctant smile touching his lips.
Kalli wasn't sure what was so funny, but sometimes the reason didn't really matter. What was important was that her sister-in-law remembered to laugh again, after such a long, long time.
Chapter Three
Monique took a step back and beamed with pride when she saw her beautiful husband's reflection on the full-length mirror. "Don't you think we look good together?"
Andreus knew he should just fucking lie and say yes.
But he couldn't.
Monique's smile wobbled on her lips. "You obviously don't think so."
Fuck.
"I'm sorry." These days, it seemed to be the only thing he could honestly say to her. "But villains like me...we can never look good next to a saint. And that's what everyone will always think when they see us together."
"Oh, Andreus."
A blush tinged her pale cheeks, and the way it accentuated the delicateness of her features made Andreus absently reflect on how most men would probably kill to have Monique as a wife.
"I don't know why people keep saying you're this mercurial ogre I should be scared of. From the moment we met, you've always been such a charmer."
And yet here he was, with his skin crawling at the tinkling sound of her laughter.
You really are a fucking ass, Economou.
For the past ten weeks, just about everything that had to do with Monique made Andreus feel unsettled, and he had no fucking idea why that was.
While she had never attracted him, there had been a time - years even - that he had actually found her company enjoyable. But ever since marrying her, it had instantly become the opposite, and there was just something about her that had Andreus constantly on guard.
Fucking asshole, Economou. That's what you are.
And the truth of this became a thousand times more evident as soon as they arrived at the company's headquarters in San Antonio. Andreus had wanted their driver to take them straight to the building's basement parking, but Monique had insisted for Jim to drop them off by the entrance steps instead.
"We don't have anything to hide," Monique argued gently. "So why should we act otherwise?"
"I just don't want a repeat of last time."
"I don't care. I chose this, Andreus. And I'll always stand by you."
He wanted to tell her that standing by him didn't require her to volunteer for a public flogging, but what was the point? If he didn't know any better, it was as if Monique got some kind of kick from turning herself into a martyred wife, but since that didn't make any sense at all—-
Fuck it.
If this was what made her happy, then that was what they'd do, and everything after that played out exactly the way he had already envisioned.
The crowd of paparazzi waiting outside HQ surged forward as soon as Andreus helped Monique out of the backseat of his limo.
Is your marriage real or is this to hide the fact your husband's gay?
Come on, Mrs. Economou! Tell the truth!
Take pride with who you are!
Come out of the closet! Give us something!
Someone from the crowd hurtled something at them, and it was already too late for security to react in any way. A powder bomb had already exploded, and the whole crowd laughed as rainbow-colored dust burst above Andreus and Monique's heads.
"Happy gender reveal, cocksucker!"
Monique let out a gasp, but Andreus, his features still etched in steel, didn't give her a chance to confront the crowd like she had been prone to in the past.
"Let it go," he said quietly.
She stared at him in dismay. "But—-"
Andreus took hold of her hand and led her inside, and this rare touch had Monique quickly swallowing the rest of her protest. She turned to him as soon as they were inside the elevator, and Andreus, sensing this, turned to face her as well.
"Oh, Andreus." She reached up to brush the streaks of powder from his suit, and Andreus' jaw clenched as he fought against the urge to push her away.
"How can they be so mean? They don't even know what's really going on!"
The distress in her voice was evident, but it was as if he was numb, and he couldn't even make himself feel the smallest ounce of sympathy or gratitude.
God, I'm such a fucking asshole.
He saw Monique take a deep breath when the elevator doors opened, and she glanced up when his grip on her hand tightened.
"You don't have to do this—-"
"Of course I do." She was speaking to him as if he were a child this time, and he could only grit his teeth as he struggled to contain his dislike. "I promised to be your wife, Andreus, for better or for worse, and I meant it."
What the hell was wrong with him?
Andreus knew he should be fucking grateful for her loyalty, but his heart was dead, and even though he knew she would rather hear sweet lies from him—-
"I don't deserve your kindness...and I don't think I ever will."
He could only give her the truth, and what would always be true was how his heart would only beat for Hallie and no one else.
Monique was quick to smile and conceal her frustration and resentment. "You've made it clear from the start where I stand, and I've also told you where I stand. I'm just happy being able to help you, and that has never changed."
Andreus could only nod...since there was nothing else to say. No matter what Monique did, his feelings for her would never change...just like his own feelings for Hallie would never change.
They finally entered the boardroom, and just like that, his dark eyes found her like his soul would always find its other half.
Hallie.
Her dark hair was longer than he remembered. Her face painfully paler and thinner, but it was still the loveliest thing he had ever seen, and God, God, God.
How did one take his gaze away from the light, after having lived all these weeks in absolute darkness?
He remembered his princess reaching up to trace his lips.
Tell me I'm not dreaming any of this?
And at that time, he had answered her with what he thought was the truth.
You're not dreaming this.
But as they both knew now, he had been wrong.
What they had was and could only be a dream.