Page 114 of The Work Wife

Jamie looked down at her ring in disbelief. This giant rock was real?

“Holy shit,” she muttered. Not exactly the first thing that should come out of a person’s mouth when they met their mother-in-law.

“How did you find out?” Weston asked.

“Benjamin told me. I went to see Albert Lowry and he congratulated me on the addition to our family. He told me that you’d changed the beneficiary on all your accounts to your wife.” She glared at Jamie again. “How could you get married without a prenup? And why in God’s name would you put her on as beneficiary? What kind of spell does she have you under?”

“Are you insinuating I’m a witch?” Jamie said, her shoulders straightening. Wes had accused her of the same thing before, but when he did it, it was funny.

“I know your type. You’ve lured my son into your trap. Now you won’t be satisfied until you’ve taken the business my husband built and drained it dry.” She turned on Weston. “If you didn’t want to pick up the reins and run Archer Worldwide, that’s one thing, but to let this harlot take away everything your father worked for is another.”

“Harlot?” Who even said that anymore?

“How long before you leave him now that you’ve gotten your claws into his money?”

“Money?” She looked at Weston, who was looking at his mother with a look Jamie had never seen before. “Wes, what is she talking about?”

“Nothing. Mother, can I speak to you alone outside, please?”

With Jamie still standing there in shock, Weston escorted his mother out the door and closed it behind him. But not before she saw the look of devastation on his face.

“What the hell?” she said to their empty apartment.

Her heart was still pounding from the altercation when she went to her laptop and typed in Archer Worldwide.

A fancy website came up showing a number of projects the company was working on at the time. Further research revealed it was the biggest design firm in New York City. It had been run by Geoffrey Archer, until his death almost six years ago.

In a separate article highlighting the company, it listed the CEO as Weston Archer, with Benjamin Archer, vice president of operations, acting as temporary CEO in his absence.

She didn’t know what was going on, but it was very apparent Weston had lied to her. About a lot of things.

Strangely enough, she was almost more upset that he’d done nothing to defend her. And the way he’d rushed his mother out without so much as a formal introduction made her think he was embarrassed of her in front of his swanky mother.

She was so hurt by this she wanted to pack up her things and go home so she’d never have to see him again.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have a home to go to. Her home was now with Wes. And she would have to see him again, because they were not only married, but they worked together.

“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid,” she repeated while smacking her forehead.

It was nearly an hour later when he returned.

Jamie was sitting on the sofa trying to distract herself with television when he came to stand in front of her with his arms out. He seemed to be at a loss as to what to say.

She didn’t have that problem. “You’re the CEO of an engineering firm in New York?”

He didn’t answer; instead he just stood there looking stunned.

“Why do you work at Blain and Douglas?” Silence. “This diamond is real?” Nothing. “Why didn’t you defend me to your mother? You let her think I’m a gold digger! I didn’t even know there was any gold!”

That got a reaction.

He shook his head. “I don’t care what my mother thinks about you. Or me, for that matter. She doesn’t know me.”

“I don’t know you either!” she yelled. “You’ve been lying to me this whole time.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I just . . . wasn’t ready.”

Was this the thing he’d been working up to tell her? “Well, guess what? You’d better get ready. Because you’re going to spill it. Right. Now.”