Page 157 of Dark Endures

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Mindy shouts.

“Huh?” I grab for my towel before it falls off.

Real or Fake

Mindy

“Mindy, you need to tell me all about him right now.” Mom stands next to me as the seamstress pins me into this dress.

And here comes the third degree. “What do you want to know?”

“How much is he worth?”

“Mom.”

“This is an important question. I need to know that he’ll be able to take care of you.”

Or you after your next divorce. “Mom, I can take care of myself.”

“With those silly little jobs of yours? Hardly. Now, how much is he worth?”

“I don’t know, at least a couple of million.” I shrug.

“Don’t move.” The seamstress pokes a pin into me.

I don’t make a sound.

“Can you make her waist a little smaller?”

“Mom.” My ribs are barely tolerating the corset as it is.

“You’re right. Take it in a full inch, and make sure to show some of her back.”

That won’t work. I can’t apply enough concealer to cover my whole back. You need a lie. A good lie. “Maddox doesn’t like it when I show too much skin. He gets jealous.”

Mom frowns. “Fine. Make sure she’s covered. You don’t want to make a man like that upset. Are you sleeping with him? What a silly question. Of course you are. No man would come to a family wedding otherwise.”

“Mom.”

“Don’t act like such a prude. You two didn’t act all lovey-dovey though. Was he upset about having to come here, because I can tell you—”

No. No. No. “Maddox and I are just fine. We don’t need any sex tips or tricks from you.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want your relationship to suffer. You should have a ring on your finger in the next few weeks. If you two start losing ground, I’ll have to step in. When we’re done here, we’ll meet with the wedding coordinator. She’s a lovely woman who doesn’t know how to say the word no. Percival wants me to have everything I desire.”

You mean, he wants you to have a wedding just as showy as this house. “That’s because he loves you.”

“He really does. Oh, that reminds me, you need to work on the prenup as soon as he pops the question. Make sure he provides a decent divorce settlement, including a bonus if he cheats.”

“Mom.”

“You know these things rarely last. They always cheat.”

Maddox would never cheat. He’s too honorable of a man to do that to a woman he said vows too.

“Don’t fool yourself into thinking you're any different. Men never last, but money does. You always ask for jewelry whenever he wants to give you a present. The bigger the better, but gold is always easy to sell. Remember that.”

“I haven’t forgotten.” If Maddox and I were really dating, I don’t think I’d ever let him buy me jewelry.

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