Pretending gets Dangerous
478 Words
The ride home from court was silent.
Lily had fallen asleep in the back seat, her small head resting on a plush unicorn pillow Emma had brought along. Alexander kept his eyes on the road, jaw tight, hands gripping the wheel harder than necessary.
Emma stared out the window, her thoughts racing.
Julia’s words echoed in her mind.
“Back where you belong—behind a counter.”
She knew this was pretend. A role. But somehow, those words stung. And it wasn’t just about pride—it was the way Julia looked at her. Like she was nothing. Like she didn’t deserve to be part of Lily’s life.
But she was. At least for now.
Back at the house, Alexander carried Lily upstairs to bed without a word. Emma waited in the kitchen, unsure of what came next.
He returned minutes later, rolling his sleeves up, a storm in his eyes.
“She had no right to be there,” he muttered.
Emma nodded. “She’s dangerous.”
“She doesn’t want Lily. She wants control. Power. Money.” He paused. “I made the mistake of trusting her once.”
Emma leaned against the counter. “You’re not still in love with her, are you?”
Alexander blinked. “No.”
She didn’t know why she asked. Or why it mattered so much that he said it quickly.
“You did good today,” he said after a pause. “The way you handled Lily… Julia. I didn’t expect that.”
Emma shrugged. “It’s not hard to protect a child from someone like her.”
Silence stretched between them. Not awkward—just full. Heavy.
“Why did you say yes?” he asked suddenly.
Emma tilted her head. “To what?”
“This whole thing. Marrying a stranger. Moving into my house. Pretending to be someone you’re not.”
Her throat tightened. She could’ve said “for the money.” That’s what he believed anyway. It would’ve been easier.
But instead, she said, “Because she doesn’t deserve Lily. And you looked like you were drowning.”
Alexander stared at her.
“I’m not a savior,” she added quickly. “I just… couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”
The air between them shifted.
Something unspoken passed through the silence.
Alexander took a step closer. “You’re not what I expected.”
Emma held her breath. “Neither are you.”
He looked like he wanted to say more—but then Lily’s sleepy voice floated down the stairs.
“Emma?”
They both froze.
Emma stepped away, brushing past him gently. “I’ve got it.”
She headed upstairs, heart pounding—not from the child’s voice, but from the almost… moment they’d just shared.
This was supposed to be fake.
But pretending was starting to feel too real.
Too dangerous.
- Writer
