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Chapter 168
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MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 169
Lucette tried to banish the disquiet that fluttered through her as she saw Ariston ’s eyebrows draw together in a faint frown. She’d been nervous about coming back to Paris, to the city where they’d met so often during their affair and the very room where Lucette had rejected him. She didn’t think she’d imagined the suddenly shuttered look on Ariston ’s face as he’d come into her apartment, and she had a terrible feeling he was remembering how he’d proposed to her here and what her answer had been.Now, however, he smiled, his face clearing, and looked around her sitting room. ‘Do you know, before I came here I would have thought you’d have some modern, sleek penthouse? All chrome and leather and modern art.’You mean like your bachelor pad in Athens? I prefer a homeier place to live.’Which is why you were a buyer of home furnishings, I suppose?She nodded, and he strolled around the apartment, noting the squashy velveteen sofa, the Impressionist prints, the porcelain ornaments and
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 170
She spent a long time getting ready that evening. First she had a long soak in the tub, and then she did her nails, hair, and make-up before donning a new maternity dress of soft black jersey.It had a daring V-neck that made the most of her pregnancy-enhanced assets and draped lovingly over her bump before swirling about her knees. She’d put her hair up for the simple pleasure of being able to take it down again in Ariston ’s presence later that night, and had slipped her feet into her favourite pair of black suede stiletto heels.And now she waited—because Ariston still wasn’t home.He’d been due back at seven to collect Lucette for their date, but as the minutes ticked by, Lucette ’s unease grew. She figured he'd be gone the one night she'd decided to tell Ariston how she felt.It almost seemed like a sign, a portent of things to come. Or rather, not to come.At seven forty-five, she texted Ariston . At eight, she took off her heels and her earrings—both had been starting to hurt
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 171
Lucette came to, lying on a stretcher. Two paramedics were wheeling her to an ambulance, and panic clutched at her so hard she could barely speak."My baby—"One of them reassured her that they were taking her to a hospital, and Ariston reached for her hand. His hand felt cold, as cold as hers. She realized that he was scared. He knew the worst was happening.The worst always happens.Just hours ago, she’d been buoying up her courage to tell Ariston she loved him. Now everything has fallen apart. Nothing could be the same. Her relationship with Ariston had been expedient at its core; without this child kicking in her womb, there was no need for a marriage.And yet she couldn’t think about losing Ariston on top of losing the baby; it was too much to bear. So she forced her mind to go blank, and after a few seconds, her panic was replaced by a numb, frozen feeling—a feeling she’d thought she’d never have to experience again.It was the way she’d felt when she’d realised Annelise wa
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 172
"It’s difficult to say what’s going to happen," the doctor told Ariston when he went to ask for more details about his son’s condition. "Of course, there have been terrific strides made in the care of premature babies. But I don’t like to give any promises at this stage, because premature infants’ immune systems aren’t fully developed and neither are their lungs. It’s very easy for them to catch an infection and have it become serious. "Ariston nodded, his throat tight. He’d just tried to promise Lucette it was going to be okay. But she was right: he couldn’t promise anything. And he didn’t know if their marriage, fragile as it was, would survive this.He stood outside the neonatal ICU and watched his impossibly small son flail with tiny red fists. He was covered in tubes to help him breathe, eat, and live. It made Ariston ache with fierce love—and a desperate fear.Eventually, he went back to see Lucette . She was awake in bed, and while the sight of her lifted his spirits, the
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 173
"Where are we going?" Lucette asked as they stepped out onto the pavement in front of her apartment.It was three months since their son had been born, and he was coming home from the hospital tomorrow. To celebrate, Ariston was taking her out to dinner.It had been a long, harrowing three months.Annas—the name meant ‘a gift given by God’—had had several lung infections that had terrified both Ariston and Lucette at the time, and twice it had been touch and go. Lucette had felt more fear than she ever had before, and yet with Ariston ’s support and strength, she’d met every challenge head-on, determined to believe in her son, to imbue him with all the strength and love she felt.And he was healthy now—weighing just over five pounds and more precious to Ariston and Lucette than they ever could have known.Ariston hailed a cab, and as the car pulled to the kerb, he leaned over the window to give directions. He’d been making a big secret of their destination, which made Lucette
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 174
It's love again...TITLE: A VIRGIN FOR HIS DESIRES'Excuse me.’Orla had been so focused on watching the bustle of guests in the ancient palace courtyard, where two of her closest friends had just been married, that she hadn’t realized that she was blocking the pathway to the garden. She had intended to make her way to one of the pavilions put up for the wedding celebrations, but had become distracted by the magical, intoxicating atmosphere of it all.The male voice was authoritative and deep—velvet-rough, Orla decided, as though the nap of the fabric had been brushed to reveal the strength that lay beneath the silky surface. Just hearing it made her feel as though that same fabric had brushed against her own skin, and the sensual effect on her sent small electric shocks of awareness darting through her. His accent was recognizably English, public school and university honed; the accent of a man who took both position and wealth for granted as his right of birth. The accent of privile
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 175
Originally a summer palace and hunting lodge owned by an ancient maharaja, it had been converted into a luxury five-star hotel. Formerly an island palace, it was now connected to the shore by a handsome avenue, but the impression created as one approached was that the palace and gardens floated on the serene waters of the lake that surrounded it.If it wasn’t the venue, then perhaps it was the sensual scent of the lilies resting on the still water of the pools that was having such a dangerous effect on her senses? Whatever the cause, it was in her own interests to remember that she was supposed to be a rational adult.Orla took a deep, calming breath and told him firmly, "Both." I’m a friend of the bride and the groom.’A swirl of activity refocused her attention on the wedding party. Late afternoon was giving way to early evening darkness, and preparations were almost finished for the evening reception. The small flickering flames of hundreds of glass-covered tea lights were scattere
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 176
His father had laughed at him, and so had she—the slut who had ultimately been responsible for the death of his mother. The official cause of her death had been pneumonia, but Arni knew better. His gentle, beautiful mother had died of the wounds inflicted on her heart and her pride by a tramp who hadn’t been fit to breathe the same air. He loathed the kind of woman his father’s lover had been—greedy, sexually available to any man who had the price of her in his pocket.He had been reluctant to return to Ralapur at first, when Anmol had succeeded their father, but Anmol had persisted, and out of love for his brother, Arni had finally given in. Even now, he wasn’t sure if he had done the right thing.The boy who had walked away from a life that held the status of being his father’s second son into an uncertain future where he would have nothing but his own abilities, had returned to the place of his birth a very wealthy man, who commanded respect not only in his own country but througho
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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
