Chapter 731:

🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙

“Gabriel, let me remind you of something. Yes, we’re married—but only on paper. That doesn’t mean I need your permission every time I want to do something, just like I don’t expect you to ask for mine. I don’t interrogate you every time you go somewhere, or demand to know who you’re spending your time with. Please, just let me do what I want. I didn’t stop being a person the moment I said yes to you.”

“Madi, I was just worried. I was genuinely concerned when I couldn’t find you at home earlier today. I tried calling you so many times, and you never answered.”

“Hmm. Guess I’ve got a real talent for giving the gift of my absence to people who don’t even appreciate my presence.”

I gave him a wry smile, patting his cheek gently, then turned and continued up the stairs. I caught the way his jaw dropped at those last words. I had every bottle of beer I’d drunk that night to thank for the strength and nerve to stand up to him like that. If I’d known alcohol could do that for me, I might just start mixing it into my water every morning. This fake marriage of mine was turning out to be quite the test of courage.

“Madi!” I heard him call after me as I reached my door. “Let’s talk about this tomorrow, when you’re sober.”

“I’m not drunk, Gabriel. But if you want to ‘talk’ again tomorrow, that’s fine.”

“Goodnight, Gab.” I stepped up to him and gave him a small goodnight kiss on the cheek.

I closed the door behind me and let my back sink against it, eyes closed, replaying the night’s events. Sandy had been wrong—so wrong—when she’d told me he’d love the outfit. A bitter smile crossed my face as I kicked off my shoes and tossed my bag onto the couch. He hadn’t even noticed the dress I was wearing.

Damn it. I collapsed face-down onto the bed, utterly dejected. Less than a minute later, my phone buzzed with a text.

“Oh my God,” I grumbled, sitting up to fish my phone out of my bag. It was a message from Greg.

Dі𝘴𝖼o𝘃е𝗋 n𝖾𝗐 ѕt𝗈𝘳𝗂e𝗌 𝗼n 𝗴𝗮𝘭𝗇𝘰𝗏𝖾𝘭s.𝘤𝘰𝗺

Just got home. Goodnight, Madi.

I smiled at the short message and quickly typed back a reply.

Goodnight, Greg.

Then I threw myself back onto the bed.

I was still deep in the realm of dreams when the cursed sound of my alarm clock dragged me back to reality. It was Saturday morning, and that noisy little rectangle on the nightstand was quick to remind me of everything that had happened the night before. I also realized I was still wearing Sandy’s red dress.

Damn it. Couldn’t I have just slept in for four more hours? Seriously—how did I forget to set you last night? I muttered at my alarm clock, slapping the button to silence it before trying to drift back to sleep.

It was 8:30 a.m. when persistent knocking started at my door, along with someone calling my name from the hallway.

For heaven’s sake. Can’t I just sleep a little longer?

“Mrs. Madi! Mrs. Madi!” It was Elsa’s voice, calling insistently.

Her persistence left me no choice but to drag myself up and open the door.

“Hi,” I greeted her with a faint smile, my eyes barely open. Elsa gasped at the sight of me.

.

.

.