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Chapter 118
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MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 119
During the ceremony, Layla focused on the handsome flower arrangement on the table while listening carefully to the words. She would have preferred a church service but would not have dreamt of telling Lucas that.He slid a ring onto her finger, but he had not given her one to return the favour with and there was a small embarrassing pause as the registrar allowed them time to complete what was usually an exchange of rings. Clearly, Lucas wouldn’t be wearing a ring, announcing to the world that he was "taken," Layla reflected ruefully, wondering why that small detail should make her feel so insecure. She reminded herself that many men didn’t like wearing rings.A light meal was served to the wedding party at an exclusive hotel. Layla glimpsed her reflection in one of the many gilded wall mirrors in the private function room and barely recognized the refined image of the woman clad in the sleek bronze sheath.At the beauty salon the previous day, every part of her had been primped and
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 120
Lucas’ expressive mouth quirked in receipt of her innocent comment. ‘Having both parents never felt lucky to me. Logan married my mother, who was a very spoiled Greek heiress, primarily for her money.’Layla gazed back at him in shock. "That’s an awful thing to accuse your father of!"But regretfully true. Although he married my mother, he was actually in love with a waitress called Athena. He set Athena up as a mistress, and she became pregnant with William only a few months after my mother conceived me, "he confided grimly. ' Eventually, my mother found out that she wasn’t the only woman in her husband’s life.I must’ve been about six by then. I still remember her screaming, sobbing, and throwing things, and the drama went on for days. Logan duly promised to give up Athena, and we lived in peace for a while. But of course, my father was lying, and the truth came out again. That same destructive pattern just kept on repeating and repeating—’"That must’ve been devastating for your mo
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 121
"Bite the bullet, Lucas," Layla advised in amusement. "This is a very romantic setting."Lucas stiffened, but looking away from Layla at that moment wasn’t an option; she looked so irresistibly appealing. She had taken her hair down during the flight, and the brilliantly colourful strands tumbled luxuriantly round her slim shoulders, glinting like her metallic dress in the sunlight coming through the windows.He moved forward, stepped behind her and ran down her zip, peeling the fabric back slowly from her shoulders while planting a kiss on the pale flesh he exposed.Layla held her breath, watching their reflections merge in a tall mirror with the faint blurry quality of antique glass. As he bent over her, the brush of his lips made her shiver. His hair was so black against hers, his hand so dark against her white shoulder. The dress slid down her arms and then dropped into a pool at her feet."My turn to say wow," Lucas growled, flipping her round to take in the full effect of her cu
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 122
A couple of hours later, they lay naked in a tangle of fur throws in front of the gas-fired logs in the massive fireplace in the main drawing room. As night fell, they had become hungry and had raided the fridge to savour the delicacies prepared by Josefina, the housekeeper, who had gone home hours earlier."I thought pregnant women suffered a lot from nausea," Lucas said abruptly. But you still have a good appetite.’‘I haven’t felt sick once,’ Layla admitted. ‘A little dizzy a couple of times, but that’s all.’"I’ve signed you up to see one of the local doctors while we’re here.""That’s unnecessary this early in my pregnancy."Lucas gave her a warning glance. "Humour me. I have a very strong need to know that I’m looking after you properly.’But Layla was worried that if she gave an inch, Lucas would take a mile. She wondered if he had taken the same managing and controlling attitude to Beverly and asked.Lucas leaned back on his hands, the hard muscular lines of his chest and stom
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 123
Temper hurtled through Layla like a rejuvenating blast of oxygen. You mean you wouldn’t have done it?Of course I wouldn’t have done it. I’m not an unjust man. Your uncle gave you a home when you needed one, and I respect him for that because I doubt very much that he received much support from your aunt.’ Lucas studied her. But from certain things you have let slip quite without meaning to, I think your aunt should be burnt at the stake as a witch...and possibly your cousin with her.’That cool rundown of her upbringing snuffed out Layla’s annoyance as though it had never been and provoked an involuntary laugh from her lips. ‘Oh...dear.’But in one sense, you have done me a favour. Your position in your uncle’s family closely resembled William’s when my half-brother and I were children, and that has enabled me to see that William was often excluded, set apart from my parents and I by his birth and parentage and made to feel like an outsider, "he imparted grimly. It was wrong when tha
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 124
She was moved from the limo into the small hospital in a wheelchair and taken to a small side ward. Somewhere in the background, she could hear Lucas talking in low-pitched urgent Italian and thought numbly of how useful his gift with languages could be.A few minutes later, she was moved yet again, and this time she was transferred to a room where there were no other patients. Lucas helped her into bed, and the fraught silence between them worked on Layla’s nerves until a radiographer entered with a portable scanner.Layla lay still while the gelled probe moved back and forth over her tummy, her attention locked to the small screen, her hopes and dreams slowly dying as what she prayed for failed to appear. The operator excused herself and reappeared some minutes later with a doctor, who spoke English.He broke the news that the machine had failed to detect the baby’s heartbeat but that the procedure would be repeated the following day to ensure that there was no mistake."I don’t see
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 125
Lucas lost colour, the exotic slant of his cheekbones pronounced. There was a lurch in the region of his gut, as though he had been punched. He didn’t want to be free. Naturally, he had gotten used to being married, and he was content to stay married and eventually try for another baby.Layla suited him. He didn’t know how she did it or why she was so important to him, but she matched him in all the ways that mattered. Indeed, he had become so accustomed to Layla being around that he could not imagine his life without her.Obviously, he was more of a creature of habit and routine than he had ever appreciated, because within a short time, Layla had become astonishingly necessary to his comfort."And what if I don’t want to be free?" He grated, soft and low.Layla told him with astonishing conviction, "If that’s what you think you feel right now, you’re lying to yourself." And why are you lying to yourself? because you feel sorry for me and you think it’s your job to look after me.You
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 126
Unfortunately, her prejudice against her father for the way she believed he had treated her late mother had ensured that Layla had not had a very high opinion of men, even to begin with.And how much had Lucas’ own behaviour since their first meeting contributed to her continuing distrust? The casual one-night stand? The engagement he had neglected to mention? The blackmail he had used to persuade her to marry him? His conduct has been less than stellar.But Lucas had always had a can-do approach to problems. Layla wanted him to love her. He could lie and tell her he loved her. Was he willing to do anything to keep her? Lucas winced, shocked by the concept.What had she done to his brain? His brain clearly wasn’t working properly. Shock and sorrow had temporarily deranged his wits because, for the first time since childhood, he felt helpless and almost panicky.It felt wrong not to be with Layla, although maybe she genuinely needed time alone to deal with what had happened. He couldn’
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MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 440
He moved suddenly, turned to her, and gripped her arms; she glimpsed the desperation in his eyes as he dragged her against his chest. "I will do whatever it takes to win you back, Kalila." "You are my wife, the love of my life, and I won’t let you go." His warm breath fanning the curls that framed her face, he pressed his lips to her temple, his eyes briefly closing as if in pain."I have told my father to name his brother Sulim as the interim ruler of Qubbah in the event of his dying before Hazem comes of age." Kate stared at him, shocked beyond words. "But... but why?" she finally stumbled.I thought that you were to rule until Hazem was older. "You are the King’s only son, and it is your duty." Ahsan shook his head. "My first duty is to my wife, and my father agrees." Even if he did not, I would still be here for you."Don't you understand, Kalila?" he asked urgently. "You are more important to me than Qubbah, my father, everything." You, me, and Hazem are a family, and the only thin
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 439
The still silence in the garden that followed his astounding statement was broken by the piercingly sweet song of a blackbird. Kate licked her suddenly dry lips, her heart beating so fast she was sure it would explode. "I don’t understand.""It’s quite simple." He sounded impatient and stared at her haughtily. But to her amazement, streaks of dull color highlighted his cheekbones, and his eyes veered from hers as if he were afraid to meet her gaze. "I love you, Kate."Her rebuttal was fierce and immediate. "No, you don’t.""I should have known you would want to argue about it, Kalila." A little of his tension left him, and his smile stole her breath."You don’t love me," she said again. It was probably some cruel trick, and she had more sense than to be fooled. "You married me for Hazem." You love Farrah. Malika said so.Malika said a lot of things, most of them untrue. Ahsan’s voice was suddenly harsh."But not the things she said about me," Kate said thickly. "My mother was a prosti
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 438
The blue sky was dotted with cotton wool clouds, and the warm breeze carried a scent of lavender and old-fashioned roses. There was no place on earth more beautiful than Ingledean on a spring day, Kate mused—except an oasis in the middle of the desert, where palm trees provided shade from the scorching sun and an azure pool glinted beneath a cloudless sky.She had been home for a month—although Ingledean no longer felt like home without Hazem. The image of his huge brown eyes and impish smile caused the familiar agonizing pain in her chest, and she bit down hard on her lip, tasted blood, and cursed the tears that slid unchecked down her face. She couldn’t cry forever. Somehow she was going to have to find the strength to move on, pick up the threads of her life, or maybe make a new one, far away from Ingledean and all its memories. But since she had left Qubbah, a terrible lassitude had settled on her, and she could not plan anything when the only two people she loved were far away on
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 437
In less than an hour, she was expected to attend the lavish dinner organized in honor of King Kabir’s recovery and his return as supreme ruler of Qubbah. And somehow she was going to have to do so without revealing that she was breaking up inside, which Kate acknowledged despairingly as she stared in the mirror at her paper-white face and red-rimmed eyes.When she first returned to the palace after her explosive confrontation with Malika, she locked herself in her dressing room and recalled, in stunned disbelief, everything the young Arab woman had told her. Could it be true? Had Ahsan always intended to divorce her once he’d gained custody of Hazem and marry his beautiful advisor?She did not know how long she’d sat there, but eventually her maid had knocked on the door and reminded her that it was time to prepare for the banquet. She should have made the excuse that she was ill—no one who saw her pallor would fail to believe her. But the steely backbone of pride that had seen her th
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Despite the warmth of the early-evening sunshine, Kate shivered. "You’re talking nonsense," she said firmly, striving to sound confident despite the sudden lurch of her heart. She was perfectly aware of why Ahsan had married her, but he had given no hint that he wanted a divorce. Ahsan told me he was never engaged to you. She lifted her chin and glared at Malika, trying to ignore the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach."He wasn’t," Malika agreed, looking surprised. "I was engaged to Farhan; Ahsan was engaged to Farrah."The world seemed to tilt alarmingly for a few seconds, and Kate actually gripped the edge of the wall for support. Ahsan and Farrah! It couldn’t possibly be true, could it? "Jamila told me that Ahsan was in love with his fiancée," she said faintly. "She doesn’t know why the marriage didn’t take place."Malika gave a careless shrug. ‘Jamila knows. Everyone at the palace knows that Ahsan adored Farrah and that she eloped with his brother on the eve of their wedding.
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 435
He was suddenly aware that the children had finished their dance and everyone was waiting for his response. Kate had turned her head to him, frowning at his inattention, and he quickly clapped his hands in applause. Once the dancers had filed out of the marquee, his personal assistant Zaid appeared at his side and informed him that a group of local potters had brought their best work for his gracious inspection. Stifling a sigh, he led the royal party out into the blazing sunshine.The garden party continued all afternoon, and Ahsan was not in the best of moods when he strode back to the palace. He suddenly realized that he was too far ahead and slowed his pace, waiting for Kate to catch up with him. He frowned when he noted how pale she looked beneath her wide-brimmed hat. She made no attempt to speed up, and the dejected droop of her shoulders fueled his impatience."I appreciate that an afternoon spent admiring traditional crafts and customs is not likely to top your list of exciti
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 434
Her feet briefly touched the floor, and he spun her around, tugged her zip down her spine, and removed her dress before she had time to catch her breath. Her bra went the same way before he lifted her again and threw her onto the bed as if she were a rag doll, his eyes glittering with a mixture of anger and sexual hunger that made Kate’s stomach dip."At night, I’m happy to give you all the attention you could possibly want," he growled, his shoes, trousers, and shirt hitting the floor with barely controlled savagery until he stood in his silk boxers. "This is the only bed you’ll ever sleep in." The boxers joined the rest of his clothes, revealing his powerful, unashamedly aroused body in all its glory. "But I wouldn’t bank on sleeping for many hours yet."Kate stared up at him, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she struggled to control the wild excitement that was pounding through her veins. She was conscious that she was wearing nothing but a pair of tiny lace pants and the pric
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 433
Clearly embarrassed, Aaliyah determinedly changed the subject to Hazem and how fast he was growing. But although Kate smiled and made token conversation, her mind was whirling. If Malika’s family had expected her to marry Ahsan, was she the woman he had been engaged to years ago—the woman Jamila had said he had loved? But, if so, why had they not married? It didn’t make sense, and she brooded miserably as she stared at Ahsan. He was smiling at Malika and clearly enjoying her company. Perhaps they had argued and broken off their engagement. Was he now regretting his lost chance to marry a beautiful, clever Arab girl who would have made him the perfect wife?From that moment on, the party became a blur of faces and stilted conversation with people she had never met before. She was sure they viewed her as an oddity, with her pale skin and vivid hair—and her glaring lack of sophistication. But until his father had recovered, Ahsan was king, and one of her wifely duties outside of the bedr
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 432
As Ahsan had predicted, his team of advisors was waiting for him when they arrived back at the palace. Even on the journey across the desert, he’d had his mobile phone clamped to his ear, and Kate had sat silently beside him, lost in her thoughts. The honeymoon was over, and he had made it abundantly clear that he now saw her role as his wife as a walk-on part—or perhaps a lie-down part, she thought bitterly. But what had she expected? She had married him for Hazem, and he had married her for sex, and they had each gotten what they wanted.At least she had Hazem, she told herself later that evening, when she tucked the toddler into bed. She had missed him desperately, and his evident delight that she was back was a comforting balm to her raw emotions. She was Ahsan’s wife, a member of the Royal Family of Qubbah, and no one could ever take him away from her now.But as she prepared for the state banquet, her insecurities returned, and she felt sick with nerves. She had been horrified w
