“But that would mean I’d have cheated.”
“Well, we all have to make sacrifices, don’t we, darling,” Ethan says.
Jenna opens her mouth again, then closes it—like she’s just been outmatched.
I feel my stomach drop. “So, we’re all agreeing on falsifying records?”
“Correcting a clerical error,” Ethan says smoothly. “Happens all the time.”
Jenna’s legal mask slips completely, revealing raw panic. “That’s—we can’t just?—”
“I can,” Ethan says. “But we have to do this right. You need to get legally married, right now. Today. It needs to be real on paper to work. My friend will change the date. That’s it. Just a number.”
“You’re talking about doubling down on fraud,” Jenna says.
“I’m talking about protecting your career and Colton’s custody case. You started this Jenna, don’t forget it.” Ethan moves closer to her. “Unless you’d prefer disbarment and criminal charges? Because that’s what happens when lawyers commit perjury I fear.”
She pales.
She looks like she might be sick. And it’s all my fault.
Ethan nods. “Good. That’s what I thought. So, here’s how this works. You two go get legally married this afternoon. My contact will marry you both and change the dates. But—” he raises afinger “—and this is crucial—you have to make this look real. Not just legal. Actually real.”
Jenna finds her voice. “What does that mean?”
“It means no contact about the arrangement. Nothing in writing. No texts, no e-mails, nothing discussing that this is anything but a genuine marriage.” Ethan’s tone shifts to dead serious. “No phone calls. No conversations about it, even in private. Assume you’re being recorded at all times.”
“That’s paranoid,” Jenna says.
“That’s your life now. Congratulations.” Ethan shrugs. “Mira’s lawyer will be looking for any evidence this is fraudulent. One slip—one text message, one e-mail—and it’s over.”
I move to the window, looking out at the Manhattan skyline. “Who do we tell?” I ask, turning back to the room.
“Only people who will lie for you without hesitation. Family, close friends—the essentials. And you need to coach them carefully.” Ethan ticks off the points on his fingers. “You’ve been dating secretly for months. You kept it quiet because of the custody case, not wanting to complicate things because she’s your lawyer. You fell hard, fast. Decided to make it official three days ago in a private ceremony.”
“No one will believe that,” Jenna says.
“They will if you sell it.” Ethan looks between us. “Which brings me to the next part. You need to live together. Immediately.”
Jenna’s head snaps up. “What?”
“You really didn’t think this through, did you?” Ethan snaps and rolls his eyes.
“That’s the point of panicking,” Jenna grumbles back.
Ethan pretends to understand and adds, “Whatever. Colton’s place makes the most sense. Livy’s room is already set up here. I’ll arrange for your things to be moved tomorrow. I’ll rent your apartment in the meantime to keep up appearances.” Ethan isin full problem-solving mode now and he’s excellent as always. I know the paycheck will be enormous—he always charges a lot, but I guess there’s nothing we can do about it and he knows it. “I’ll handle the paper trail to make it look like you’ve been slowly moving in for weeks.”
I watch Jenna’s face. We’ve spent exactly one night in the same space—the thought of sharing my space with her formonthsnow, maybe longer...
“What about in public?” I ask, because it’s easier than thinking about Jenna moving her life into mine.
Ethan’s expression hardens. “You’re newlyweds. Act like it. Hold hands when you walk down the street. Kiss goodbye when you leave each other. Use pet names. Take pictures together and let people see them on your phones. The whole performance. Be gross.”
“You can’t be serious,” Jenna says.
“Dead serious. Do you know how many custody cases hinge on proving a marriage fraudulent?” Ethan doesn’t wait for an answer. “This isn’t just about convincing a judge. It’s about everyone—doormen, baristas, neighbors, teammates, opposing counsel. One person who thinks something is off, mentions it to someone else, and it all falls apart.”
I think about hockey, about the performances we put on—the tough guy act after taking a hard hit, the camaraderie with teammates you might personally despise. I can do this. But Jenna...
