Fake-Married to My Billionaire Boss

Chapter 51 : Pretenses

Friday night

Katelin

For a moment, the sight of the mob in front of the gates of Bianca's home in Weston confuses me. Until a grey Escalade driving up prompts a burst of flashes from cameras.

"Is that the press?" I ask in alarm, tamping down the urge to tell my chauffeur to turn around and take me back home.

"Yes," Marcus says. "That's why Bianca's having her father's birthday party here instead of her place in town. We can keep a bigger distance between us and the press."

From the few times I've been to the estate, I do remember the long stretch of the driveway from the gates to the front of the mansion. "Isn't this going to be bad PR for the company? A party less than a week after Señor Saldana... passed away?"

"Franklin is turning 70. The PR department didn't think the public would begrudge an elderly father his birthday celebration. Besides, the invitations went out a year ago."

Anxiety turns my stomach. The public won't, maybe. But apparently, the press still wants them to know the Marins and Elizondos are clicking champagne glasses and nibbling caviar while a recently murdered member of the board isn't even cold in the ground.

"Maybe I shouldn't be here," I say.

"Raul has to make an appearance, or people will think he has something to hide. That means you have to be here too."

I run a clammy hand across my lap, over the soft fabric of my red cashmere evening coat. He's right. I need to get a grip. "Right."

"I know things aren't great between the two of you, but Raul needs you to do this, Kate." Marcus sighs. "Besides, he needed to pick up Olivia. She has to be here too, people need to see that she has the family's support."

I'll never get used to this. Having to do so much just to keep up appearances. All the lying and the pretense. This is why I suggested Raul marry an actress. Someone who will always look perfectly happy when she sweeps into a room on his arm. Someone who wouldn't mind if he spends his nights alone in an apartment with another woman.

Thankfully, the paparazzi can't see me behind the heavily tinted windows of the Rolls Royce. We get in the gates without incident and drive up to the house.

Bianca meets us as soon as we enter the hall where all the guests are gathered. On a regular day, it's the library and music room, but tonight it's host to a small gathering of about eighty guests and a string quartet perched up on a mezzanine by a winding marble staircase. Tables heavy with charcuteries, cheese, fruit, and caviar are spread around the room while smartly uniformed wait staff walk around with trays of champagne and cocktails.

"Kate, I'm so happy you made it," Bianca says, air-kissing me on both cheeks. "Did Raul come with you?"

"He's on his way," Marcus says.

"Well, it's quite early." She takes my hand. "You don't mind if I steal Kate away for a bit, do you, Marcus? The tias have been looking for her since they got here."

Marcus nods. "Not at all."

***

Bianca does not take me to see her aunts.

"Sorry about the music," she says as we stroll out the eastern French doors. They open out to a rose garden where a few of the guests are enjoying the evening air and one more buffet table is set up surrounded by fairy lights-draped greenery and trees. "You know usually have a salsa band but we needed something boring to keep Papa chill throughout the party."

"It's fine," I say. "I hope Señor's Hernandez health is good these days?"

"Yes, but the doctor says he needs to take it easy for a few weeks. We almost canceled this party but Papa nearly had a fit." She squeezes my hand. "How are you holding up?"