His grin fades when I lower my voice. “Something else happened. It’s to do with Vanessa…”
“What about her?”
I fill him in on everything. About Vanessa contacting me twice to see Brianna, running into her in Singapore, and the threat to take me to court for custody. My hands fist as I talk, the words tasting like poison.
Henson’s expression sours. “Shit. Have you spoken to Ryan?”
“Yes. Last week.”
“Good. Don’t let her get one inch past the line. Not after what she did.”
“I won’t.” But the truth is, I’m not sure I can stop her. If Vanessa really pushes, the law will be on her side.
That thought alone makes my stomach twist.
Before my nerves can get the best of me, I tell him about my plan to marry Mya.
“Holy shit!” Henson whisper-shouts. “We have to call Griffin, right now.”
“No, don’t?—”
But it’s too late: my brother already has my best friend on a video call.
Griffin crosses his arms and pins us with a stare. “What’s going on?”
Here we go.
After I’m done filling him in on the issue with my ex-wife, Griffin exhales. “Damn, Worth. I’m sorry, man.”
I chuckle, but it’s humorless.
“So, what’s the plan?”
I don’t bother sugarcoating it. “Mya is going to help me with the situation. We’re getting married.”
“Come again?” Griffin’s head jerks back. “You’re joking, right?”
“I wish I was.”
His laugh is incredulous. “You said you’d never get married again. You’ve sworn that for years, Worth.”
“True,” I concede. “But this isn’t a marriage of love. It’s a means to an end. I need to prove to the judge that I’m a family man who can give Brianna a steady, stable household. Vanessa’s sudden reappearance means I can’t leave that to chance.”
“And you think a whirlwind marriage to your employee is going to screamstability? Come on, Worth. Everyone saw you walk into the charity event with Sophia on your arm not long ago. Now you’re telling people you’ve been secretly dating Mya? That’s one hell of a pivot.”
Griffin turns his gaze to Henson. “Hen, help me out here.”
“Nothing happened with Sophia that night,” I snap.
“Didn’t have to. Optics, Worth. Optics,” Griffin argues.
“She was just my companion for the event. We didn’t touch. We didn’t kiss. There’s nothing to spin there.”
Henson’s smirk spreads slowly. “And why was that, Worth?”
I glare at him, teeth grinding. “Shut up.”
“Uh huh. That’s what I thought,” he says, smug as hell. “In all seriousness, though. You think this is a good idea?”