Chapter 1
Secret Marriage, Public Cake
Five years of keeping our marriage under wraps.
Tonight was our anniversary.
I was sitting in the third row at the company party, wearing a suit I'd saved up three months' salary for, waiting for my CEO wife to finally announce our marriage.
She did step up to the stage.
She picked up the microphone, her eyes brimming with tears, and said, "Ryan Woods is the most important person in my life."
Three seconds later, the five-tiered cake I'd ordered was wheeled onto the stage by a waiter.
On top, it said: [Wifey, happy fifth anniversary. Love, Ben Carter.]
Right now, I wanted to know if I could run straight to the crematorium and get myself roasted.
*****
When Claire Harris stood at the center of the stage, the spotlight made her profile look like it belonged on a magazine cover.
I sat in the audience, my tie perfectly straight, my shoes so shiny they could double as mirrors.
Today was our fifth wedding anniversary.
We'd been married in secret for five years, and after all that time, she finally said yes, tonight, at the company party, she'd tell everyone about us.
I was carrying a pair of custom rings in my pocket, each one engraved with our names on the inside.
In my right pocket was a hotel confirmation slip for a presidential suite, the kind covered in rose petals.
Today, I was here to be the hottest guy on the block.
But the moment Claire stepped up to the mic, her very first words sent my heart straight to the ICU.
She gripped the microphone, her voice trembling with emotion. "Tonight, I want to use this moment to say something I've always wanted to say, but never had the courage to."
I sat up straight in my seat, my palms clenched tight.
Here it comes, my moment to shine.
She took a deep breath. "There have been some malicious rumors about Ryan online lately."
My smile froze on my face.
What?
Her eyes were rimmed with red. "All those so-called late-night hookups with young models? Just twisted clips and made-up stories. As his partner, and as his closest friend. "
She paused.
For a split second, it felt like the whole room held its breath.
Claire's gaze landed on the VIP section in the front row, where tonight's special guest, the top trending star, Ryan, sat.
Her eyes shimmered with emotion. "I can say, without a doubt, Ryan Woods is the most important person in my life."
The whole place erupted in applause.
Ryan stood up, one hand in his pocket, and nodded slightly toward the stage. That little grin of his could make half the entertainment industry fall head over heels.
I sat in the third row, the ring box digging into my palm so hard it hurt.
A coworker beside me leaned over and whispered, "Whoa, are Ms. Harris and Ryan together?"
I felt my mouth twitch.
Another coworker slapped his thigh, grinning. "I knew it. A woman like Ms. Harris could only end up with someone on Ryan's level."
I glanced down at my suit, the one that had cost me a thousand dollars.
Then I looked over at Ryan's custom-made suit, one of only seven in the world.
'Yeah, message received.'
'No way I could ever compete with that.'
Claire was still up there, and the big screen started showing behind-the-scenes photos of her and Ryan, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, charity galas, every shot perfectly framed.
I silently slipped the ring box back into my pocket.
So much for announcing our marriage tonight.
Time to make my exit.
Leave quietly, keep it low-key, and no one will even notice.
As I was getting up, my pants snagged on the leg of the chair next to me.
With a loud clang, I stumbled forward, the chair clattering along with me.
Out of the three hundred people in the room, at least fifty pairs of eyes locked onto me.
I squatted down, pretending to tie my shoelaces, with everyone watching.
I must've cursed myself a thousand times in my head.
Once the crowd's attention finally drifted away, I hunched over and made my way toward the back door.
As soon as I pushed the door open, I nearly ran into a waiter pushing a massive cart.
On top of the cart sat a five-tiered fondant cake, its sweet, creamy aroma filling the air.
The waiter looked at me, clearly anxious. "Sir, could you tell me how to get to the main stage for tonight's company party? This cake was ordered by a guest and needs to be brought out as part of the dinner program."
I glanced at the cake.
Five tiers.
A line of pink buttercream lettering was piped on top.
My mind went blank.
That was the cake I'd ordered.
The words on it read: "Wifey, happy fifth anniversary. Love you always, Ben."
I opened my mouth, wanting to say, "You don't have to bring it out. I'll take it with me now."
But the waiter had already sidestepped me, wheeling the cake straight toward the stage.
He even turned back and shot me a grin. "Promise, it'll be a romantic surprise for you."
I was rooted to the spot.
No, wait.
Dude.
I don't need a surprise anymore.
What I need right now is emergency medical attention.