My Life as the Counterfeit Wife

He quickly let go of me, grabbed his phone, and strode toward the door.

"I'll have Nate sort out the new agreement," he said quickly. "Something's come up at the office. I have to go."

Without waiting for my reply, his thumbs flew across the screen. I caught a glimpse of his message just before he angled the phone away: Ursula, don't worry. I'm on my way.

Just then, my own phone buzzed. It was a call from the admissions office of The Dalton School.

"Miss Ashford, your husband mentioned applying for a Poppy Vance's admission, but we have another couple interested in her. Do you have time to come by and discuss the situation?"

I took a deep breath, schooling my features into a placid mask, and drove to the school.

From a distance, I saw Rocco standing by the garden gate. Before I could get any closer, a figure rushed out and threw herself into his arms.

"Rocco, you're finally here! Please, you have to help Poppy! I can't let someone else adopt her. I don't want her calling other people Mom and Dad."

I stared, frozen, at the woman he was gently comforting.

It was Ursula.

Rocco looked down at her, his expression firm.

"Don't worry. I won't let anyone take our daughter."

They stood there, wrapped in the easy intimacy of a real husband and wife. In that moment, it was obvious I was the intruder in their life.

I didn't move until they had disappeared inside the building. Then, I slowly got out of the car and followed them to the second floor.

Near the end of the hall, a clique of wealthy mothers huddled outside an office, their whispers sharp enough to cut through the silence.

"Is that the child Rocco Wright is trying to place? She looks just like him."

"Of course she does—she's his illegitimate daughter. The whole adoption thing is a front, a way to make her a legitimate heir."

"Oh, my God. Then who's the mother? It can't be Murphy, right?"

"No way. Everyone knows Murphy can't have kids. Didn't you hear about her car accident years ago? I heard it left some... permanent damage."

"That's not what I heard. I heard her wild youth led to some serious health problems. Why else would Rocco go to all this trouble, pretending to adopt someone else's child?"

"Exactly. Everyone knows Ursula is Rocco's real love. It's been obvious since they were kids. Just look at them—they're the perfect couple."

Each word was a dagger twisting deeper into my chest.

For five years, I had been unable to give Rocco a child. He always comforted me, whispering that it was okay, that having me was more than enough.

Now I understood. He'd had a backup plan. A whole other life. One that never included me.

My legs felt weak. I had to brace myself against the wall to stay upright.

Suddenly, the office door swung open.

Rocco emerged, holding Poppy in one arm and Ursula's hand in the other.

Our eyes met. Panic flashed in his eyes, a fleeting but unmistakable glint of fear.