Chapter 21
Rebecca didn’t even spare Stephan a glance, simply pulling Morgan along and getting into the car.
Morgan, observing Stephan’s total collapse and fall to the ground through the rearview mirror, struggled to suppress the smile on his face. He still had to play the role of a gentle, obedient fiancé in front of Rebecca, though, so he could only turn his head away to snicker discreetly.
Having had his fill of laughter, he composed himself and turned around, only to be met squarely by a gaze tinged with suspicion.
Rebecca remarked, “You can just laugh openly if you feel like gloating. What’s the point of hiding it?”
Having been caught in the act, Morgan’s smile faltered for an instant before he quickly regained his composure. He immediately threw his arms around Rebecca’s, putting on his usual endearing act. He hoped to steer the conversation away from his momentary slip. “I was just so happy because you said we loved each other, Becks. It’s not because I was gloating.”
Morgan’s rapid shift in demeanor even caught Rebecca off guard. She reached out, lifting his chin to force his gaze to meet hers, and said, “I’m pretty sure I told you I have no patience for smooth talk and lies when we made our initial agreement, Morgan. I’m giving you one last chance, so I suggest you use it wisely.” Though her tone was gentle, Morgan perceived that her current mood was far from pleasant. Therefore, he quickly sobered, wiping the grin off his face, and admitted candidly, “There was indeed a bit of gloating.”
Upon noticing that he had fallen for it, Rebecca’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as she posed her next question. “Did you know who he was?”
Morgan’s fingers tightened ever so slightly. He didn’t respond immediately, mainly because he didn’t know how to answer her. He had always been seen as the well -behaved one, someone who didn’t stir up trouble in front of Rebecca, after all.
He had pretended not to know who her husband was because Rebecca had forbidden him from asking. He had acquiesced to her demand to stay hidden in the villa, ensuring his identity as her sugar baby remained unknown to outsiders.
In this clandestine affair, he had expertly camouflaged his true self, driven solely by the desire to win her over, stay by her side, and await the opportune moment to completely take the place of the man she once loved.
He should have confessed everything, now that his deepest wish had come true. However, he feared that her recent heartbreak was too profound for her to bear the truth of his own deception, dreading that she would leave him once she knew. So, he chose to keep this secret continuously concealed.
It appeared, however, that his secret could no longer be kept under wraps. Her exceptionally piercing gaze left him on tenterhooks, making him feel incredibly anxious.
His mind was a battlefield, with two opposing voices vying for control–one pushing him to fabricate more lies, and the other demanding he cease the charade and confess everything. He was in a terrible bind, torn between the two conflicting urges.
He only snapped out of his daze when his hand was enveloped by another warm, delicate one.
Rebecca’s calm voice, laced with an undeniable undercurrent of strength, then followed, saying, “You’re already my fiancé, Morgan. Isn’t it about time you shared those secrets with me?”
Her single remark instantly silenced all the cacophony of voices plaguing Morgan. He finally found the courage to meet her gaze directly, no longer feigning the deliberate meekness and obedience he had once displayed. His eyes now held only boundless resolve, with a flicker of fleeting hesitation.
He no longer wished to deceive her. He wanted to drop the act and simply be who he was–even if it was just for that moment.
