Chapter 15: A meal with Theodore.
Bella arrived at the restaurant. The grand double doors whooshed open, revealing the richly hued interior. As she entered, she saw Skyler in a crisp black suit walking over to her.
He gave a curt nod. "Mrs. Reid," he greeted, gesturing for her to follow. "Sir is waiting for you. Please... in this way."
"Can you stop calling me Mrs. Reid?" Bella urged. "Just Bella is fine."
Skyler’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Most of the women in upper-class society coveted the title of Theodore’s wife. It was a badge of honor for them. This woman, it seemed, hadn’t grasped its weight.
’Maybe she is not aware that Mr. Reid is one of the top ten richest men in the nation,’ he mused.
"May I ask why the hesitation to be addressed as Mrs. Reid?" he ventured, curiosity gnawing at him. "It seems you don’t quite understand what it entails."
"Contract wife," she corrected him, a pointed edge to her voice, "not a real one."
"You are legally married to him," he reminded her. "The marriage registration wasn’t fake."
"Yes, true... But it’s only for a year," she countered. "After that, we will part ways. Maybe he finds someone he actually fancies. But me? Finding someone to marry after being Theodore Reid’s ex-wife will not be easy. This truth should remain a secret. You know what I mean."
She hopefully looked at him, expecting him to understand her point.
Skyler was taken aback. He couldn’t dismiss her trepidation. Indeed, once the news spread, people wouldn’t stop spreading various kinds of rumors. Those rumors may not affect Theodore, but Bella may suffer.
For the first time, he felt pity for her.