From Mob Princess to Mugshot Photographer novel Chapter 107

107 /131

**Chapter 4**

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jake’s gaze bore into me, filled with an intensity that suggested he feared my response could spiral out of control. There was a vulnerability in his eyes, a silent plea for understanding that made my heart ache.

I offered a nonchalant nod, trying to keep the atmosphere light. “It’s fine. I can stay at Mom’s place tonight,” I replied, attempting to sound casual, though inside, a storm of emotions raged.

Jake stood there, momentarily frozen, his expression a mix of surprise and relief. Clearly, my agreement had caught him off guard; he hadn’t anticipated such an easy acceptance.

Before I could dwell on his reaction, Riley made her entrance back into the bedroom, her presence radiating a smug confidence that was almost palpable. She seemed to bounce into the room, clearly pleased with herself, as if she had just won some grand prize.

I grabbed my suitcase, feeling its weight in my hand as I moved toward the door. Jake remained rooted in the living room, like a statue carved from stone. His lips were pressed together tightly, and when he took my hand, his grip was firm, as if he feared letting go would mean losing everything. The guilt swirling in his eyes deepened, casting a shadow over the moment.

“Tomorrow, after we get married, we’ll go see your mom together,” he finally said, his voice strained, almost desperate, as Riley called out to him from the bedroom.

At dawn, I gathered my belongings, the finality of the day ahead weighing heavily on my shoulders as I returned to the office for what would be my last day there.

The moment I crossed the threshold, I was met with a chorus of curious glances from my coworkers. They exchanged furtive whispers, their eyes darting to me and then quickly back to their screens, as if they were trying to pretend they weren’t watching a drama unfold.

And then I spotted Riley perched at my desk, a smug smile plastered on her face. Everything clicked into place. Their covert observations were not about work; they were all waiting to see how this would play out.

When Riley’s eyes met mine, she regarded me with a disdainful look, as if I were nothing more than an unsightly stain on her shoe. “I’m starting work here today, and I want this desk. You can move.”

I took a deep breath, maintaining my composure. “Sure. Let me just grab my stuff,” I replied, forcing a calmness I didn’t feel.

“Dan can sit somewhere else,” she added, dismissively.

We both acted as if this was a casual exchange, but I could sense the tension in the air. My coworkers, witnessing my retreat, likely assumed I was filled with guilt for being caught by the “real wife.”

With both of us standing there, no one dared to voice their thoughts aloud. Yet, I could almost hear the clattering of keyboards as they typed furiously, probably discussing me in the company chat.