He threw money on the bed after our one-night stand.
I threw it back in his face at his own inauguration.
By sundown, we were engaged. By the week's end — married.
Franklin Flemington needed a wife to secure his empire. I needed a miracle to save my family. For two years, we played our parts flawlessly — the golden couple the whole city envied.
Behind closed doors, I was invisible to him.
When the two years were up, I handed him divorce papers without blinking.
He stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "I've given you everything a husband should. What more do you want from me, Octavia?"
I smiled, signed my name, and walked out.
I thought that was the end. I thought I'd finally won.
I forgot one thing — Franklin Flemington has never lost anything in his life. And he has no intention of starting with me.
Game on.

In the brief window before the wedding, the performance became our reality. Octavia and I were seen everywhere. We played the part of the devoted couple at fancy restaurants, cinemas, and even at a Lakers game at Madison Square Garden, where our "kiss" on the jumbotron sent the internet into a frenzy. Social media dubbed us "Franktavia." It was a masterpiece of deception.


The night before the wedding, I walked toward the guest wing. I knocked, and Octavia answered almost immediately, looking startled.


"I want to give you something. It's more like a wedding gift."


She stepped out into the hallway, crossing her arms defensively. She didn't invite me in, and I didn't expect her to. We weren't that kind of couple.


"Clarence mentioned you're allergic to cats and dogs," she said, her voice low. "Nola, my cat is in there. I don't want you having an allergic reaction the night before the ceremony."


Chapter 16 - ~ 16