Vow of Convenience

Ch. 3

LEVI DEL CAMPA

Never in my wildest dreams did I think Nina would let me go for money. I always knew she was materialistic, but I refused to believe she’d go this far. I had faith in her, so when I watched her shake hands with Zesa, it felt like my chest was caving in. Worse, Zesa tried to comfort me—rubbing it in my face that the woman I loved would rather have millions in her account than stay with me.

“You can’t sit here like this.” Zesa’s hands landed on my shoulders, her voice measured. We were still in the restaurant, and Nina had already gone back to work. “People are staring. It looks like I said something terrible to you.”

If there was one thing I couldn’t stand about Zesa, it was her selfishness. Everything was always about her. How people perceived her, what image she presented.

I shoved her hand off. “I want to be alone.”

“And wallow in misery? Absolutely not.” She slid into the seat next to me. “Look at me.”

Instead of obliging, I turned further away. My eyes were probably red, and she was the last person I wanted to see me like this. Standing, I adjusted my tie and walked out of the restaurant. Part of me desperately hoped Nina would run after me, say it was all a joke—that she didn’t mean what she did. But I got into my car, and she never came.

Zesa, however, did.

She opened the door and settled into the passenger seat, placing her purse on her lap. “Want to go somewhere to eat? After what just happened, I’m starving.” She rubbed her stomach. “If you listen closely, you’ll hear my stomach crying for buttermilk pie.”

I leaned back against the seat. “You’re the last person I want to look at right now.”

Her brows pulled together. “What’s that supposed to mean? It’s not like I suggested coming here—it was your idea. You brought me here.”

“Still.” I exhaled sharply, trying to contain the irritation building inside me. “I don’t want to see you.”

“And why not?” She shifted in her seat, facing me fully now. “I’m your wife, Levi. Remember?” She lifted her hand, flaunting the diamond ring on her finger. “You put this ring on me in front of the whole church. You married me.”

“Then let’s get a divorce.”

Her breath caught. “What?”

“I want a divorce, Zesa. I don’t care if I have to pay you back every penny you invested. I can’t keep pretending to be in love with someone I barely feel anything for, just for the cameras.”

She stared at me in silence, her expression unreadable.

“I’ll get the papers drawn up next week. Sign them.”

She still said nothing.

“Say something,” I urged, the tension in the air suffocating.

Her eyes narrowed, her voice cold. “Eighty-five billion dollars, Levi. I want it by the end of the day. Then, I’ll sign the papers and disappear from your life forever.”

My heart slammed in my chest. Eighty-five billion. By the end of the day. I glanced at my watch—less than twelve hours to gather that kind of money.

“That’s impossible,” I said, hoping she’d reconsider.

“So was the time we’ve spent together,” she shot back, stepping out of the car, her hips swaying as she walked away.

I slumped against the seat, rubbing my face with my hands. It wasn’t that I didn’t have the money, but with a new project underway, paying her now could ruin everything. I’d risk bankruptcy. Maybe I could convince her otherwise—offer her the money in a few months. But knowing Zesa, she wouldn’t go for it.

I scrambled out of the car, running after her despite knowing it was futile. “Zesa!”

She turned, an eyebrow raised. “What now? Realized you can’t afford that expense with your new product launch?”

God, she was always two steps ahead.

“Yes,” I admitted. There was no use in hiding it. “How about I pay you in three months?”

She considered for a moment, then a smile curved her lips. “I have a better deal in mind. One that will benefit both of us.”

_

As I drove home, Zesa sat beside me, her deal swirling in my mind. Had I made a mistake accepting it? When we pulled into the driveway, she turned to me with a small smile.

“Feeling better now?” she asked, her voice softer than usual.

“What do you mean?”

“More at ease, knowing you don’t have to worry about Nina anymore. And because I’m helping you out again, even though you’ve been screwing things up.”

I wasn’t at ease. It felt like I’d signed a pact with the devil in exchange for my freedom. But instead of admitting that, I lied. “A little.”

She cupped my face, her gaze tender. “I’m glad. Come on, let’s go inside.”

I followed her in, sinking onto the couch while she disappeared into the kitchen. When she returned with a glass of water, I accepted it wordlessly. She sat next to me, resting her head on my shoulder. Her hair smelled like strawberries. My eyes drifted to her chest before snapping back to the television.

“This is the first time I’ve sat this close to you without being pushed away,” she murmured, smiling. “Money really does rule the world.”

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from snapping at her. Instead, I focused on the glass in my hand. I hated this, hated her smugness, her control over me. But I had too much to lose. If I dared to fight her, it wasn’t just bankruptcy on the line—my mother would kill me for ruining everything.

“I finally feel like a real wife, Levi,” she whispered, squeezing my hand. “It feels good.”

My grip tightened around the glass. I wanted to scream at her to leave me alone, but I forced myself to breathe slowly, calmly. I had to play my part, for now. I kissed the top of her head, hating every second of it.

She sucked in a breath, her eyes widening in surprise. “Levi…”

Our hands were still interlocked, her touch annoyingly gentle. “What? I shouldn’t have done that?”

She shook her head. “I’m just… surprised. You’re already getting into this, barely an hour after we struck a deal.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. If only the banks had agreed to my loan request, I wouldn’t be in this mess, playing the role of a loving husband. But they didn’t trust my company’s recent performance. Meanwhile, Zesa’s influence was enough to make any investor follow her lead.

She let go of my hand and stood. “I’ll go change and make us something to eat.”

I watched her ascend the stairs, silently cursing the situation. Three months of this hell, and then I’d be free. Three months of pretending. Just the thought made me ache for the day I’d never have to see her again.

Four days in, and I was already losing my mind. Every night, Zesa would curl up against me, her head on my chest, clinging as if I might vanish. Tonight was no different. I lay there, my arm draped around her, fighting the urge to shove her off.

“This feels nice,” she whispered, nuzzling closer. “Why didn’t we do this before?”

Because I don’t love you.

As my fingers absently trailed along her back, I thought of Nina. Even after everything, I wished it was her lying next to me, not Zesa. She began to breathe slower, her body relaxing into mine.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” she said, breaking the quiet.

I stilled my hand. “What is it?”

“Alejandro Ortega invited me to a party. I’m supposed to bring a plus one.”

Alejandro was the president of the biggest bank in the country. Zesa had done business with him, and as her husband, I was expected to attend.

“I’ll go with you.”

She lifted her head, her eyes shining with joy. “Really?”

I nodded. “When is it?”

“In two days.”

“I’ll clear my schedule.”

Her face softened, and she laid her head back on my chest. “Thank you.”

This was starting to feel too real—like I was actually married to her. We ate breakfast together, she’d call me during the day, and now this… domestic routine. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to kiss me soon. God, no. Just the thought sent a shudder down my spine.

Don’t get me wrong—I knew she was a woman, but I hated how she forced herself into my life, demanded my love. If only I hadn’t been kind to her after her parents died. That’s when this mess started. She’d confessed her feelings when we were teenagers, and I’d rejected her. But she clung to me, and over time, my disdain grew. My mother forcing me into this marriage only made it worse. Now, here I was, lying next to her, pretending everything was okay.

As much as I hated to admit it, Zesa was right. Money does control the world.