Chapter 1
On the day we got our marriage license, the clerk slid the application form across the desk to us.
"Are both of you here of your own free will to register your marriage?" the clerk asked.
Henry Rivers held my hand, his voice gentle.
"I am," he said.
The next second, a line of text suddenly appeared above his head.
[Henry' lie count: 1]
I thought I was just too tired and seeing things.
Then he turned to look at me and said, "Emma Sinclair, you've always been the one I love."
[Henry' lie count: 2]
The pen in my hand clattered to the floor with a sharp sound.
Henry frowned and reached out to steady me.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Before I could say anything, his phone suddenly lit up.
A message popped up on the screen.
Sophie: [Mr. Rivers, Mia has a fever and won't stop crying for her dad.]
Mia is Sophie Hart's daughter.
And Sophie is Henry's secretary.
I stared at the message and asked him, "Why does Mia call you 'Dad'?"
Henry stiffened for a moment, then quickly explained, "Kids say random things, you know."
[Henry' lie count: 3]
"Sophie is just my secretary," Henry said.
[Henry' lie count: 4]
"There's nothing between us," Henry added.
[Henry' lie count: 5]
Standing in the marriage registration hall, that line kept echoing in my mind—[Henry' lie count]—and my fingertips went cold.
The clerk noticed I still hadn't signed and gently prompted me, "Miss Sinclair?"
Henry picked up the pen from the floor and handed it to me.
"Emma, go ahead and sign," he said.
This time, there was no lie count. He genuinely wanted me to sign.
I didn't take the pen.
He frowned, his voice dropping to a low, quiet whisper.
"Don't make a scene here," he said.
This time, there was no lie count either.
So he really thought I was just making a fuss.
His phone buzzed again. Sophie had sent a photo.
In the hospital's IV room, a little girl lay in bed, her face flushed with fever, clutching the rabbit plushie Henry had given her.
Below the photo, there was a message.
Sophie: [She keeps calling you 'Dad.' I just can't get her to settle down.]
Henry shot to his feet as soon as he saw the photo.
"Emma, Mia's fever is really bad. I have to go to her right now," he said.
I looked at him.
"But today's the day we're getting our marriage license," I said.
He tapped his phone, his voice gentler now.
"I know, I'll just go check on her real quick and come right back," he said.
[Henry' lie count: 6]
My fingers froze. He was lying to me again.
Henry didn't even notice I was acting strange. He just grabbed his ID and papers and stuffed them into a folder.
"Wait for me here," he said.
Suddenly, I asked, "If it were me with a fever today, would you be in such a rush to leave?"
He didn't even hesitate. "Of course."
[Henry' lie count: 7]
Suddenly, I just didn't have it in me to argue anymore.
He turned and walked out, and I followed him out.
Seriously, what kind of secretary could make him ditch me on our wedding day?
The hospital wasn't far from city hall, and Henry drove like he was in a race.
As soon as we got to the pediatric IV room, Mia jumped off the bed and ran over, crying.
"Daddy!" she cried out.
She threw herself into Henry's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck like she'd done it a hundred times before.
Henry bent down to catch her, like it was second nature.
It was so natural, I felt like a stranger just standing there.
Sophie sat by the bed.
She had a man's cashmere blanket draped over her lap.
I recognized it—it was the one Henry always kept in his car.
Last month, I asked him where it went, and he said he'd left it at the office.
Sophie had her hair in a loose bun, no makeup on, and she looked really worn out and delicate.
When she saw me, she froze for a second, then quickly stood up.
"Emma, please don't get the wrong idea," she said.
[Sophie's lie count: 1]
I stared at the line above her head. So I could see when she was lying, too.
Sophie's eyes were a little red.
"Mia's just delirious from the fever, that's why she's calling out like that," she said.
[Sophie's lie count: 2]
Henry held Mia in his arms, murmuring softly to comfort her. "Don't be scared, Mia. Daddy's right here."
No lie count appeared this time.
Mia buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing softly.
"Don't go, Daddy," she whimpered.
Henry patted her back gently. "I'm not going anywhere, Mia."
Still no lie count.
My throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton. I couldn't get a word out.
Sophie glanced at me and spoke softly. "Emma, Mia grew up without a father. Mr. Rivers has always been kind to her, so that's why she relies on him so much.
"Don't hold it against her. She's just a kid and doesn't know any better."
Henry looked up at me, too.
"Emma, Mia's still little. Don't be so sensitive," he said.
No lie count this time.
So he really thought I was being too sensitive.
I glanced down and saw the patient's emergency contact form on the bedside table.
Emergency Contact: Henry.