She Asked Me to Be Her Fake Fiancé at Her Ex’s Wedding… Then Kissed Me in Front of Everyone
Chapter 6
We took Samuel to a private hospital.
He survived.
But he refused to talk until the police arrived.
Olivia sat beside me in the waiting room.
She was silent.
Finally, she said:
“Daniel loved me.”
“Yes.”
“He never stopped.”
“I don’t know.”
She looked at me.
“You do.”
I didn’t answer.
Because I did know.
I had watched Daniel look at her at the wedding.
He hadn’t looked angry.
He had looked afraid.
“Do you love him?” I asked.
She stared.
“I loved him.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
She looked away.
“I don’t know.”
That answer hurt more than it should have.
I stood.
“I’ll get coffee.”
She grabbed my wrist.
“Don’t.”
I looked at her.
“I don’t want you to leave.”
My heart stopped.
“You don’t?”
“No.”
She released my wrist.
“Sorry.”
“For what?”
“For making this complicated.”
I smiled faintly.
“It’s always been complicated.”
She looked at me.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing.”
I walked away.
When I returned, Samuel was ready to speak.
Gabriel Stone had discovered the trust.
He believed the ring contained information needed to access the assets.
He had spent years trying to find it.
But the ring contained no code.
It was a symbol.
A symbol used by Thomas and my father to identify people they trusted.
The inscription mattered.
Always choose the person who stays.
It was a warning about betrayal.
Samuel told us something else.
“Thomas knew Gabriel would come for his daughter.”
“So he hid Olivia?”
“Yes.”
“Why did he trust Ethan’s father?”
“Because your father promised never to leave her.”
I looked at Olivia.
“Your father trusted mine.”
She nodded.
Samuel continued:
“Daniel discovered the truth before the wedding.”
“What truth?”
“Gabriel planned to use Daniel’s marriage to gain access to the trust.”
Olivia froze.
“He wanted Daniel to marry me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did Daniel leave?”
“To keep Gabriel away from you.”
“What about Madison?”
Samuel looked at her.
“She was part of the plan.”
Olivia’s eyes widened.
“Daniel’s bride?”
“She agreed to fake the relationship.”
“What?”
“The wedding was supposed to convince Gabriel Olivia was no longer connected to the trust.”
I stared.
“So Daniel married someone else to protect Olivia.”
Samuel nodded.
“That’s why he looked terrified tonight.”
Olivia covered her face.
“I treated him like a monster.”
“You didn’t know.”
She lowered her hands.
Then looked at me.
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You said yes.”
“To what?”
“To being my fake fiancé.”
“I thought it was harmless.”
She smiled sadly.
“Nothing about my life is harmless.”
I sat beside her.
“No.”
She leaned her head against my shoulder.
“Why did you agree?”
I looked at her.
“Because you’re my friend.”
“That isn’t the only reason.”
I went quiet.
She lifted her head.
“Ethan.”
I couldn’t lie.
“Because I love you.”
Her eyes widened.
“You…”
I swallowed.
“I’ve loved you for six years.”
She stared.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you loved Daniel.”
“And now?”
I looked at her.
“I don’t know.”
She took my hand.
“We need to figure this out.”
Then her phone rang.
Daniel.
She answered.
His voice was urgent.
“Olivia, don’t trust Samuel.”
Her face changed.
“What?”
“He’s lying.”
Then the line went dead.
