Page 15 of The Bad Boy's Fake Wife

Mia gives me a dubious look. “l don’t think you should blame the universe for this, considering you were the one who agreed to it.”

I shoot her a glare and she giggles before leaving me by the bus stop to head home.

Clutching my wedding dress, a startling thought takes root—I wish this wedding were real. The longing is so deep, so unexpected, that it catches me off guard. But wishes don’t change reality, no matter how much I want them to.

Chapter 8

Jonathan

Peoplesayweddingdayjitters make you question if you love your fiancée enough to marry her.

Then there’s me—not even half in love—yet still nervous. Maybe I should call this off, offer Zain enough money to keep my position, and walk away.

“You’re sweating,” Reed mutters, slipping a handkerchief into my palm.

I wipe my forehead, staring straight ahead, as I wait for Emma to walk down the aisle.

“Tell me it’s not too late to bail,” I mutter.

Reed just laughs. “I should remind you that you’re marrying my sister, so I won’t let you break her heart.”

I snort. “I should remind you that none of this is real. Besides, your sister doesn’t even have a heart to begin with.”

He chuckles. “Don’t even go there.”

I let it drop.

My backyard has been completely transformed for the wedding—twinkling fairy lights, soft floral arrangements, and a pristine white aisle runner have made the familiar space beautiful. It’s the kind of scene that should belong to a real couple. The guests, of which there are just a handful, are already seated, and from across the crowd, Zain watches me with thinly veiled disdain.

He’ll be the first to celebrate if this wedding doesn’t happen.

Soft piano music starts playing, and my heartbeat stumbles. This is it. Emma will be walking down the aisle any second now.

My nerves are shot. What if we don’t pull this off? What if someone stands up mid-ceremony and shouts,“This is all fake!” What if the officiant sees through us and calls the whole thing off?

But nothing happens.

Reed squeezes my shoulder before stepping away to escort his sister.

And a few moments later, Emma steps into view.

Her fiery red hair catches the light first, then the dress. Deep green, just as she told me, but somehow more breathtaking than I imagined.

I’ve known Emma for years, and I’ve never looked at her this way. That realization unsettles me. I’m terrified I’ve started something I can’t control.

She approaches, her smile bright enough to rival the string lights above us.

“Your smile looks so natural, it almost fooled me,” she whispers, close enough that only I can hear. My pulse trips. “I hope mine doesn’t look too fake.”

Right. This is a ruse.

But for a second, it didn’t feel like one. My heart forgot the script.

Her joy looks effortless, but I catch the moment her smile wavers. It’s barely noticeable.

“Your smile is perfect. You get extra points for being a very good actress,” I say, and she grins even wider.

The ceremony begins with Reed at my side and Mia at hers. It goes off without a hitch, long enough to fool everyone.

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