Married by 9, Divorced by 5

Chapter 11: Vows, Truths, and Second Chances

The room buzzed with energy—half anticipation, half “did-that-just-really-happen” shock. Hazel stood frozen, like she’d just realized she’d crashed a party she wasn’t invited to.

Bentley’s hand in mine grounded me. The words he was about to say? They felt like a lifeline tossed into a sea of chaos.

He cleared his throat. “Everyone, I want to be clear about something. Hazel and I have a past, yes. But that past is exactly that—past.”

He turned to me, eyes sincere and steady. “Lila, you’ve challenged me, inspired me, and showed me what real partnership means. I don’t want a contract. I want a future—with you.”

I felt my heart leap. This was it. The moment I’d been waiting for since our fake marriage started.

I took a deep breath and smiled. “Bentley, I’m not the girl you hired to play pretend. I’m the woman who believes in us—whatever this is.”

We faced the crowd, hands still intertwined. The officiant nodded, ready to begin the vows for real.

Hazel, finally, spoke up—this time quieter, less certain. “Maybe I should’ve let you both go a long time ago.”

Her words hung in the air like a bittersweet goodbye.

Bentley and I exchanged one last look before turning back to the room.

When he said “I do,” and I echoed it, the room exploded into applause.

Not because it was the end of a story, but because it was the start of a real one.

Chapter 12: Happily (Mostly) Ever After

The weeks after the wedding were a whirlwind—a perfect mix of chaos, laughter, and moments so quiet I thought they might break me.

Bentley and I settled into a rhythm, learning each other beyond contracts and headlines. He respected my independence, and I admired how genuinely he listened when I spoke. No power plays, no pretenses—just us.

Hazel faded into the background, becoming a cautionary tale rather than a looming shadow.

One evening, as the city lights blinked outside our penthouse window, Bentley pulled me close.

“I don’t want to rush things,” he said softly. “But… can we try being more than just a married couple? Like, actually us?”

I smiled, heart full. “Yeah. Let’s figure this out—together.”

And so we did.

Not perfect. Not without hiccups. But real.

Because sometimes, the best love stories start with a fake marriage—and end with a forever kind of love.

Read part 1 of this story here

Read next story ðŸ’Œ 

HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN TEN HATE-TEXTS

🔥 SYNOPSIS:
When sworn enemies Juniper Vega and Asher Cole get stuck planning their school's Valentine's dance, they make a bet: fake date for a week, first to catch feelings loses. But between forced PDA, a mistletoe ambush, and a kiss that changes everything, their "fake" rivalry starts feeling dangerously real.

💘 TROPES:
✔ Enemies-to-Lovers
✔ Fake Dating

📌 Think: The Hating Game meets Never Have I Ever – with all the messy, hilarious heartache of high school.

PART 1: THE BET

Or Read

 Fake Date, Real Trouble

📌 Synopsis 

When Callie Reyes gets caught in a lie about dating her school's golden boy, she’s forced to ask him to play along—or risk total social doom. But fake dating Miles Carter comes with one condition: no real feelings, and definitely no kissing. Too bad her heart didn’t get the memo.

Chapter 1

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