I Learned French to Surprise Him. Instead, I Learned He Was Lying.

After we finished trying on wedding dresses, Liam Ashton's best friend asked him something in French.

"The marriage certificate is fake, and the little thing you're keeping in the Hamptons is pregnant. Aren't you afraid Lena will find out?"

Liam answered in French, "My little girl has a temper. She refuses to be a mistress and keeps making a scene, so I had no choice but to get legally married to her first. As for Lena, I'll use a fake certificate to keep her happy. I'll drag it out for as long as I can."

My mind went blank. I stared at him in disbelief.

Liam's best friend let out a mocking laugh. "So what does that make Lena now? Your mistress on the side?"

Liam gave me a tender smile, his French words floating casually through the air.

"She already got to wear the wedding dress. I'll even throw her a wedding. It's not like she's losing out. And I'll make sure she never finds out."

I stood among the racks of wedding dresses, my fingernails digging so hard into my palms that they left bloody marks.

Liam thoughtfully gathered up my train and switched to English, his voice soft and gentle. "Lena, what's wrong? Your eyes look a little red."

I swallowed my tears and shook my head. "Nothing. The dress is just really heavy. I've been standing for too long, so I'm a little tired."

He ran his fingers through my hair, just as gently as he always had.

He didn't know.

I'd secretly spent two years learning French for him, just so I could answer the priest's vows in French on our wedding day and surprise him.

I wouldn't need to anymore.

Whoever wants this wedding dress can have it. I don't want it.