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I swallow. “Maybe we were getting a little ahead of ourselves.” I don’t want to hurt her, but I’d rather take the time to really think about this now rather than down the road. What if we’re not actually as compatible as we thought? “This is all moving too fast. I think I just need some space.”

I walk past her into the room and grab my pillow from her bed.

She tugs at my sleeve, a tear running down her cheek. “Madden, you’re looking too far ahead. We don’t have to know these things yet. Please, talk to me.”

Gently, I pull my arm away. “We will. I just need some time to think, okay?”

I walk slowly toward the guest room. The look of hurt on her face as I turn away constricts my chest, and I have to remind myself to breathe.

Chapter 23

Madden

Early the next morning, I wake up to my iPhone ringing loudly next to my bed. I blink a few times, feeling slightly disoriented that I’m in the guest room alone instead of by Odette’s side.

Then I remember last night.

Groaning, I grab my phone off the nightstand and bring it to my ear. Before I can even mumble a greeting, David yells through the receiver, “Have you seen Highman’s new commercial?”

I wince. “What? No. I just woke up.” I glance at the clock on my nightstand and see that it’s barely past seven.

David sighs in annoyance. “Look it up on YouTube right now.”

“Okay, okay. Grabbing my computer now.” I rub my eyes as I roll out of bed and walk to my desk. Opening my MacBook, I type YouTube into the search box and bring up the link to Highman's commercial.

The four-minute clip shows a montage of photos and videos, all from my dating rampage last year. I furrow my brow. Had someone been following me?

The narrator’s voice speculates that I was looking for a wife to make myself look like a better candidate, then sticks the landing by flashing over screenshots of the documents Odette and I signed at Bennington and Associates. The commercial ends and the screen goes gray, pulling up a list of recommended videos.

I sit in stunned silence. “This is bad.”

“Bad is an understatement unless you’re trying to become the next Bachelor,” David growls. “How did they get copies of those documents?”

“I don’t know.” I run my hand through my hair. “I need to get a hold of Richard Bennington.”

“We need to figure out how to spin this.”

“How to spin this? David, they have the legal documents. They know what I did.”

“Yes, but you and Odette are married. We can prove that your wedding was real. And you’ve been seen in public together for months now. We can find a way to salvage this.”

I hear someone banging at my apartment’s front door and take a deep breath. “I need to go. I’ll call you back later.”

We hang up and I throw some clothes on. By the time I reach the front door, Odette has beaten me there, already awake and dressed for the day. I should’ve anticipated that she’d be awake. She’s an early riser.

Odette looks at me uncomfortably as Paul storms through the door. “You’ve seen it?” He says, unsuccessfully disguising his anger.

I rub my temples. “David just called. What are we going to do?”

Odette looks between Paul and I in confusion. “Wait, what’s going on?”

Turning on the TV, I open up the YouTube app and play the commercial for her. Her mouth gapes open in shock. “How did they get our private documents?” And then her shock turns into annoyance. “And how come every woman you went out with was blonde?”

I glare at her. “That is clearly beside the point. This is a disaster.” I throw my hands up and pace back and forth across the living room.

“Okay, let’s take a deep breath. Who might’ve had access to your marriage contract?” Paul asks.

I think for a moment, but the answer hits me within seconds. “Christopher Highman. It had to be him. He works for Bennington and I’m running against his father.”