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Chapter 156
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MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 157
He kept staring at her, his gaze searching and yet not seeming to find any answers, for eventually he looked away and resumed his story.Well, understandable or not, Antonios was the favourite. I didn’t accept that, though. I tried so hard, Theos, to make my father love me.Trust me—’He broke off then, and Lucette ached to comfort him. But she didn’t, because everything about Ariston was brittle and tense, and she had a terrible feeling—a fear—that he would shake her off if she tried to hug him as she wanted to.To make a long story short,’ he continued finally, his voice brusque, ‘he never did. He had a heart attack and he sent for Antonios—told him the truth about the business. He’d been involved in dodgy dealings for years, trying to make back the money he’d lost on bad investments. He was a hair’s breadth away from losing everything. He made Antonios swear not to tell anyone...not even me.’‘And did he tell you?’ Lucette asked.Ariston shook his head. "Not for ten years. Ten y
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 158
Soon an ambulance came screeching and wailing up the drive. Ariston saw his sisters and Maria crowd onto the villa’s portico as he carried Lucette towards the vehicle. A paramedic came out to help her onto a stretcher."Ariston ! " Iris cried, and he shook his head.He promised, "I’ll call you," and then climbed into the ambulance with Lucette .She looked so vulnerable, lying there on the stretcher, her eyes huge and dark in her pale face, and she scrabbled for his hand, her fingers fragile and icy in his as the paramedic took her vitals and then asked Ariston what had happened.Ariston gave the details as clearly and evenly as he could; he could feel Lucette clinging to his hand, her breath coming in little pants as she tried to control her panic.Dear God, he prayed, let nothing happen to the baby.The next half-hour was a blur as the ambulance took them to the hospital in Amfissa and then to an examination room in the A&E. A doctor, brisk and purposeful, came in with an ultra
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 159
When Lucette awoke, the room was dark, and panic doused her in an icy wave. She struggled upright, one hand going to her middle, curving over the reassuring bump even as the remnants of the nightmare she’d been having clung to her consciousness.‘Ariston —’‘I’m here.’In the darkness, she couldn’t see him, but she felt his hand come and close over hers. Even so, she couldn’t stop shivering.‘I had the most awful dream.’ Her voice was choked and her throat closed. She’d dreamt about Annelise—something she hadn’t done in a very long time. ‘It was so terrible.’‘It was just a dream, Lucette ,’ Ariston said, his voice soft and steady. ‘It wasn’t real. Everything’s all right. The baby’s all right.’She nodded and gulped, wanting and needing to believe him and yet not quite able to do so. The dream had been real once upon a time. She’d relived the worst memory she'd had in her nightmare, and she was afraid of it happening again. But Ariston couldn’t understand that because she hadn’t to
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 160
Her body went tense and she turned to stare blindly out of the window."What are you not telling me?" Ariston asked, his voice quiet but insistent. ‘Because there’s something.’‘It doesn’t matter.’"It does matter. It matters because in the hospital you were terrified—’"Of course I was!" She turned to look at him. ‘Ariston , I was afraid I was losing my baby.’"Our baby," he corrected quietly, and Lucette bit her lip. Don’t shut me out, Lucette .’She turned back to the window without replying, and they drove in silence all the way back to the Linard estate. ******When they arrived at the villa, Ariston helped Lucette out of the car, one hand on her elbow as he guided her inside.Iris, Zoe, and Maria all met them in the foyer."You’re all right?" Zoe asked, her face pinched with anxiety.Lucette said, smiling as Maria muttered a thanksgiving prayer and crossed herself."I’m going to get Lucette upstairs," Ariston cut across his sisters’ anxious chatter. It’s been an incredib
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 161
‘After he left, my mother's life went very much downhill.’She lapsed into silence then, because she did not want to tell him how grim it had been. The sheltered housing, the stints in various homeless shelters, the weeks when she’d been taken away from her mother and sent from one foster home to another Some of them had been good, some of them mediocre, and some of them had been very bad. But always, in the end, she’d been brought back to her mother to try again, having promised she’d stay clean, and for a few days, sometimes a few weeks, she had.Life during those periods had been normal, if fragile, and sometimes Lucette would begin to believe it was going to be okay this time. Then she’d come home from school to find her mother strung out, or manically high, the promises all broken, and the whole cycle would start once more.Until Annelise But she really didn’t want to talk about Annelise.‘Lucette ?’ Ariston prompted Ariston softly. "Tell me more. If she couldn’t care for you,
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 162
She bowed her head, the memory and the pain and the guilt rushing through her.It was my fault, Ariston . It was entirely my fault she died.'She’d never said those words aloud—never even admitted her guilt to herself. And saying it now made her feel both empty and unbearably full at the same time. She bowed her head and tried to will back the tears.Oh, Lucette .’ Ariston ’s arms came around her and he pulled her towards him, her cheek against his chest. I’m so, so sorry.’He didn’t speak for a moment, and she simply rested there, listening to the steady thud of his heart, letting the grief subside.It wasn’t your fault, you know. You were twelve. You never should have had to bear that kind of responsibility.’I wasn’t a child. And it was my fault. If I’d gone to the hospital earlier, they could have given her antibiotics. brought her fever down. Maybe she’d have been taken away, but she’d still be alive.’ She spoke flatly, dully, knowing it was the truth and that nothing Ariston co
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 163
In the days after Lucette told him about her childhood, Ariston found himself going over what she’d said and connecting the dots that before had seemed no more than a scattered, random design of inexplicable behaviour.He was starting to understand why Lucette had decided to marry for the sake of their child.After a childhood like hers, he could see how the stability of a family life was something she would want to provide for her child...even if they didn’t love each other.Except that basis was one Ariston realised he could no longer assume. Did he love Lucette ? Could he love her? He certainly admired her resilience, her strength of spirit, and her devotion to their unborn child. He was still deeply attracted to her, God knew. And if he let himself...if he stopped guarding his heart the way he suspected Lucette was guarding hers...Could this businesslike marriage become something more? Did he even want that? Lucette had rejected him once. He understood why now, but it didn’
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 164
"It’s not Christmas yet," Lucette protested, even as she felt a tremulous thrill of excitement.‘It’s after midnight.’ Ariston sat cross-legged on the thick rug in front of the fire and patted the space next to him. We’ll open it together, so we can see at the same time.Lucette said, and a little bit awkwardly, because of her growing bump, sat next to him on the rug.Wordlessly, they opened the envelope, their fingers brushing as they withdrew the single slip of paper and read the single sentence in English the technician had written there.It’s a...boy!‘A boy...’ Lucette repeated, wonderingly.She felt jolted, almost unsettled. She’d been excited to find out the sex of their baby, but now that she knew, it made things more real and less real at the same time.She put both hands on her bump. ‘A son. We’re going to have a son.’ She glanced at Ariston , who looked as gobsmacked as she felt. "Are you happy?"I’m...overjoyed.’ He put one hand over hers, on top of her bump. "What abo
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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
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 436
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
