The Contract Wife’s Secret

The next morning, I was having breakfast alone in the dining room.

Emily emerged from the master bedroom wearing one of Brandy's oversized white shirts. The hem barely covered anything, and her neck was a roadmap of hickeys from the night before.

I deliberately kept my eyes fixed on my plate.

Seeing my lack of reaction, she seemed displeased at being ignored.

She leaned against the dining table, fiddling with a coffee cup. "Morning, Charlotte," she began, her voice sickly sweet. "So sorry about last night. Brandy just got a little carried away. I hope we weren't too loud, were we?"

She stared at me with those wide, innocent eyes, as if I were the one intruding on her home.

I set down my fork, my gaze raking over her from head to toe. "It was quite loud," I said coolly. "But I'm used to it. He brings all sorts of women home."

Emily's sweet expression soured instantly. Enraged, she suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my wrist. "Who are you calling 'all sorts of women'?"

With a vicious tug, she snapped the delicate bracelet on my wrist, sending its custom beads scattering across the polished floor.

My heart clenched.

It was the first gift Stephen had ever given me.

I hurriedly bent down to pick up the beads, but she deliberately shot her high heel out, kicking one of them so it skittered under the sofa.

"Oops, my foot slipped," she cooed, her eyes glinting with malice.

My composure shattered. I lunged, my nails aimed right for her face.

But my wrist was caught in a firm, powerful grip.

Brandy had emerged from the bedroom at some point. He frowned at me, his tone glacial. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Emily immediately switched to playing the victim. "I was just saying hello to Charlotte, and I accidentally broke her bracelet. She just went crazy and tried to attack me."

"I'm so sorry, Charlotte. I really didn't mean to. I'll pay you back for it, I promise!"

She hid behind Brandy, her voice choked with fake sobs.

Brandy glanced at the scattered beads on the floor, his eyes filled with disdain. His voice was cold. "It's just a bracelet. Buy another one."

"Was it really necessary to get physical?"

"You lack the grace one would expect from the lady of this house. I honestly don't know what my father ever saw in you."

A bitter laugh escaped me.

He was always like this, blaming me without ever bothering to learn the truth.

I wasn't about to waste my breath arguing with him. I gathered the scattered charms, didn't spare either of them another glance, grabbed my bag, and slammed the door on my way out.