Chapter one.

Phone vibrated on the nightstand.

It was a call from the agency.

“Hello?” I answered into the receiver.

“Miss Eleanor, the corpse for your fake date has been arranged. We are ready to commence the next phase,” the man on the other end said.

My fingers tightened around the receiver. “That's good to hear; I will be sending in the payment soon. I want no one to hear of this.”

“Rest assured, ma'am. Your confidentiality is our topmost priority.”

“Thank you,” I replied.

Then the line went dead.

I returned to the bed, clutching my robe tighter around me, but this time I couldn't sleep. The dread of what I was about to do crept up my chest.

I really didn't want things to be this way, but it was during the birthday party I had worked my ass off to organise for Richard that I found out everything.

My thoughts drifted to that very night.

I was seated at the far end of the room while he joked around with his friends.

“Oh come on, man, you know I don't love her. I am only marrying her out of pity. She has been by my side even when I didn't have money,” Richard had said over a glass of wine to his friends.

“Yeah, man, it won't be right to just dump her,” one of his friends who I didn't know said.

“I mean, look at her,” Richard replied.

I caught a glimpse of Richard's hand squeezing Sophie's lap and the sly smile on her lips. The woman he told me not to worry about.

My heart shattered into a million pieces at his words, I struggled to steady my breathing but I acted like I hadn't heard anything; when they looked at me, I flashed a smile.

They all thought I couldn't hear them because I had lost the use of both my ears in a devastating crash some months back.

I had slowly regained the use of them over time. But I never broke the news to anyone.

Mark chuckled. “Yeah, man, Sophie is your one true love. You both are perfect for each other. No one's ever going to replace her.”

Sophie pouted. Placing her hand over Richards arm. He looked to her and smiled.

“After my marriage with Eleanor, I will have Sophie by my side all through.” Richard cupped his hands over his mouth and whispered, “even on my wedding night”.

“Ouuuu. And Eleanor would never suspect a thing due to her poor hearing abilities,” John said.

They all laughed.

“Aww. “Y’all, that's so disrespectful to poor Eleanor,” Sophie purred mockingly.

My grip tightened on my glass till I heard a crack. I stared at them unblinking.

Richard winked at me and walked over to me. A cheerful smile on his face.

He bent over and planted a kiss on my lips.

I resisted the urge to lean back and wipe him from me. It tasted like lies and deceit.

From the corner of my eye, I caught Sophie's disapproving gaze.

“What were you gentlemen talking about?” I had asked in sign language. Masking my pounding chest.

“Oh, nothing. We talked about just how beautiful you are and how I am the luckiest man alive. I mean, look at you; you look extremely beautiful tonight, darling.”

Richard replied, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

Richard had learnt sign language just for me. I had always thought that was the highest sign of love, but that night, it felt like a facade.

“What would I do without you, my amor? Everyone is commending the party,” he added.

The party he had the guts to invite his mistress to. My fingers curled tighter.

I faked a smile and went about the rest of the day like nothing had happened.

I had gone to the restroom to catch a breath and just as i was about to leave, Sophie walked in.

I stepped around her to walk past her, i wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.

“Oh, it's you she muttered.” i froze in my tracks and said nothing. But i didn't turn back.

“I am talking you Eleanor” She gasped placing her hands over her ears. “Oh, i am sorry i forgot you were disabled”

My nails dug into my palm, all i wanted was to slap the smile off her face but i remained calm.

She walked to the sink. I could hear the splash of water.

“Its a pity, you would have heard the lovely things Richard said about me and what he said about…”

I didn't let her finish. I walked out slowly like i didn't hear a thing.

I walked straight to Richard pulling him out from the crowd.

“I want to go home Richard” i muttered.

“So soon, you must be exhausted darling, why don't you run along. The driver would take you. I have some unfinished business to attend” he said.

That night I stared at our pictures together and cried my eyes out, knowing Richard was somewhere curled up with his mistress in bed like I never existed.

The notification sounds from my phone drew me back to reality.

I sighed and reached for it.

It was a video from Sophie.

Richard was with her. He had said he was going to be late from work due to problems with some investors. But there he was with Sophie, having dinner at a restaurant. Smiling like a damn Cheshire cat.

Our special restaurant, the place he would take me every time we went on a date and promised he would never leave me.

She was spoon-feeding him in the video, giggling as she wiped his lips with a napkin.

I didn't want to block her, because a part of me wanted to know when he was lying. But each time I looked at the pictures, my fingers trembled.

But not today.

I had made my final decision. I was going to leave, and I wasn't going to remain where I wasn't wanted.

I will leave him to his fake love.

But they were going to pay dearly for what they had done. Right under my nose.

But now wasn't just the right time.

Ding.

Another notification.

Richard.

“Hey baby, how are you doing? Are you bored?”

I hissed and turned the phone upside down. Crossing my arms across my chest.

They will never guess what's coming.