Ledger’s head snapped toward me, surprise flickering for half a second before he held out his hand without hesitation.
I took it.
As the cameraman asked him to recreate the moment when he’d touched the wall, the footage replayed on a nearby monitor. Over and over, they showed his finish, his reaction, his eyes lifting to the stands.
Each time, his gaze landed on me.
And each time, I felt it like a pull.
Ledger’s arm slipped around my waist, natural and easy, his thumb brushing a slow, reassuring circle against my side. The cameras loved us. I could feel it. The way we fit into the frame like something effortless, like something real.
“Ledger,” the reporter said, “you swam incredibly today. What made the difference?”
He didn’t hesitate.
“My support system.” He glanced down at me. “Having someone in my corner who believes in me, even when I’m in my own head.”
My breath caught.
I smiled for the camera, but inside, something real and fragile unfurled.
I hurried to chime in, not wanting to discount everything he’d done to get here. “And a lot of hard work, discipline, and dedication.”
Ledger chuckled, the sound warm, his arm tightening just a bit like he appreciated the save.
The reporter asked a few more questions, and I let myself stay right there, tucked against him, playing the part that didn’t feel like acting anymore.
I liked being his wife.
The realization of that crashed into me like a tidal wave.
Because I wasn’t really his wife. This was supposed to be brief, strategic, a means to an end. Except standing there, with his arm around me and pride glowing in his eyes, the word didn’t feel fake at all.
Afterward, the adrenaline slowly ebbed, replaced by exhaustion and something softer. We walked back toward the athlete area together, our shoulders brushing, our steps instinctively in sync.
“I’ll be quick.” He angled toward the locker room. “Meet you right here?”
I nodded. “I’ll wait.”
Several minutes later, my phone buzzed.
It was my mom. Just seeing her name had my shoulders tightening.
“Roxie.” Her voice was bright in that way that always meant she wanted something. “I saw the interview. Very impressive.”
“Ledger swam incredibly,” I said evenly.
“Yes, well,” she continued, “it certainly doesn’t hurt your image. Worlds qualification comes with quite a bit of prestige. Sponsorships. Endorsements. I imagine the financial upside is significant.”
My jaw tightened.
“He’s not a stock,” I said sharply.
There was a pause. “I’m just saying it’s nice that things worked out so well. This marriage—it’s finally making sense.”
Something inside me snapped clean in half.
“You didn’t care about Ledger until today,” I said. “Until he became valuable to you.”
