The Perfect Deception

Prologue

The Lux Resort
Los Angeles, California
Four months earlier

Adelina De Romano felt like the sun was trying to kill her.

With a huff, she leaned into her chair on the veranda and pulled her shades down, blocking the sun's rays from her eyes. Behind the darkened lenses, she could barely make out a word from the file in her hands. Sighing, she threw down the file onto the coffee table and crossed her legs, wishing the day would just end soon.

It wasn't like she didn't enjoy where she was at the moment. In fact, the Lux Resort had basically been her go-to resort for nearly three years. She found the beach to be heavenly, the hotel rooms perfect, and the food there, even for a chef like herself,  was exceptionally good.

She just didn't like why she was there.

As if to remind her of her inevitable fate, her phone sounded a text. Taking her strawberry smoothie off the table with one hand, she grabbed her phone with the other.

"Coming up in 5, Ad. Be nice."  She scoffed at her sister's text, putting down her phone and drink to get her head in the game and try to be nice.

Adelina could still remember clearly what brought her to a resort in Los Angeles in the first place.

Four days ago, her little sister Caramina had suddenly called her in the middle of a meeting to announce that she, a bright-eyed young girl of 22 years who had never had a serious boyfriend in her life, was indeed married.

She could still remember the rage she felt not even five seconds after she heard the news. By that time, she had zoned out of her conversation with her sister and had instead focused on the fact that her sister had gotten married after meeting a guy on a cruise and that they had done it in Vegas -- because of course, it had to be Vegas.

The thought made her want to kill this "handsome, perfect guy" another ten times in her head.

With another deep sigh, she calmed herself down and took a long sip of her smoothie, cooling her head.

"Adelina!" A sweet voice called out behind her and, despite herself, Adelina couldn't help the big smile that had found its way to her lips. She stood and turned around to greet her sister with a hug, "Hey, you."

"I've missed you so much!" Her sister,  a carefree, curvy blonde with the same green eyes as she had, practically screamed in her ear, making Adelina's ears ring from the sound, "It's been such a long 3 months without you."

"Cara, I think you're making your sister deaf," A deep, manly voice sounded from behind her and immediately, Adelina knew it was the unknown hubby she had to meet.

When Cara had let her go, Adelina turned to look at the man who had wed her beautiful, younger sister, plastering a fake smile on her face.

But damn. Now she knew why her sister, who was at the top of her class in college, had easily fallen for a guy she had just met.

He was gorgeous.

With his dirty blonde hair messy, and the smart yet warm look in his almond-shaped blue eyes, he was exactly like her sister's dream man. She noted his high cheekbones and perfect jawline, as well as his fit built that looked great with the loose, light blue button down and khakis. She mentally scoffed, thinking he was exactly how she imagined her sister's man would look like.

But still.

Mystery Hubby held out his hand to her and gave her a cute, boyish smile, "Aiden Westcott. It's nice to finally meet the woman my wife can't seem to stop talking about."