The Billionaire Contact Wife

Chapter 14: "The Return"

Ethan was quiet the whole drive home.

Luna tried not to stare. But something was wrong. His hands on the steering wheel were too tight. His jaw kept clenching.

"Who called you?" Luna finally asked.

Ethan didn't answer at first. Then he sighed. "No one important."

Luna knew he was lying. But she didn't push.

When they got to the mansion, the lights were all on. It was only 3 PM.

The front doors opened before Ethan could even reach them.

Standing in the foyer was a woman.

Tall. Blonde. Wearing a red dress that probably cost more than Luna's hospital bills.

And she was smiling right at Ethan.

"Ethan," the woman said. Her voice was soft, but it filled the whole room. "You're home early."

Ethan stopped walking. His whole body went stiff.

"Claire," he said. One word. Cold.

Luna felt her stomach drop.

Claire.

The name she had seen in Ethan's old files. His ex-fiancee.

"What are you doing here?" Ethan asked.

"I live here, remember?" Claire laughed. "Or did you forget already? Dad said I could stay while my apartment gets renovated."

Madam Victoria appeared behind Claire. "She's family, Ethan. Be nice."

Family.

Luna felt like she had been punched.

Ethan turned to Luna. His expression was unreadable. "This is Luna. My wife."

Claire's eyes flicked to Luna. She looked her up and down. Slowly.

"Oh," Claire said. "The assistant." She smiled, but it wasn't kind. "Congratulations. I didn't know you moved so fast."

Luna forced herself to smile back. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Claire said. Then she walked right past Luna and hugged Ethan.

It was a tight hug. Familiar.

Ethan didn't hug her back. But he didn't push her away either.

"I'm tired," Ethan said, pulling back. "We're going to our room."

Our room.

He said it for Claire's benefit. Luna knew that. But it still made her chest hurt.

Upstairs, in their hallway, Ethan finally stopped.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?" Luna asked. Her voice was small.

"For her showing up like that. And for..." He ran a hand through his hair. "For all of this."

Luna nodded. "It's okay. It's part of the contract, right? Pretending."

Ethan looked at her. Really looked. "Is that all this is to you? Pretending?"

The question caught Luna off guard.

"I... I don't know," she whispered.

Ethan was quiet for a long time. Then he said, "Go rest. You have work tomorrow."

He walked into his room and closed the door.

Luna stood in the hallway. Alone.

Downstairs, she could hear Claire's laugh.

And for the first time since this started, Luna wondered if she was going to lose.

Not the contract.

But Ethan.