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Chapter 261
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MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 262
Rhode had been so wrong in not trusting him, in doubting his love, so painfully unknowing of her own brother... But Kassandra understood him finally. She knew what a complex and honorable man her husband was.And knowing Darian meant loving Darian, loving his generous heart, his sense of duty, even his rigidly autocratic dictates.Why else had she risked everything she had always been scared of this past month? How else would she have thrown herself into this madness with such relish? "After all these years, I didn’t think the reasons for Rhode’s death mattered anymore. Not when I was finally able..."When you were finally getting what you wanted," he finished, and utter fury filled her.She gasped as it unfurled inside her, this new feeling, sinuously breathing courage into her very veins, filling her with tremendous energy.Reaching him, she refused to let him dismiss her so easily. "When, finally, you saw me for what I was, and let me see what kind of a man you were. I thought I sh
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 263
Her collection at the Independent Fashion Week in New York had gone better than Kassandra could have imagined in her wildest dreams. Her designs had been called modern, colorful, yet sophisticated. Just last week, with Helene’s advice, she had invested a load of money into creating a lookbook that incorporated line sheets, one that gave buyers and fashion magazine editors a view into her brand.After a crazily hectic two weeks, she had returned to Athens. When she had knocked at Mrs. Kovlakis’s door and requested the keys to her old flat and the dragon had simply handed them over, she had been both shocked and relieved. One look at the news and she found Kal and Darian and herself at the front and center of it.Hiding and barely eating, she had slept for a week. All of a sudden, she would find herself awake and looking at her phone, before she realized she was waiting for his call.Had he so thoroughly washed his hands of her? Had she truly meant nothing to him?She had cried until sh
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 264
He blocked her way. "Kal told me that you attended the board meeting. That you caused quite a stir. A walking powerhouse, that’s what he called you."She sent a silent thanks to Kal for hiding the ugly crying from Darian."Are you surprised? I will not slink away from what is mine like a coward anymore. I will sit on the Katrakis board, I will launch my label from Athens. I will not hide as if the fiasco of our marriage is my fault."I won’t let you browbeat me into anything I don’t want to do ever again."He looked tortured, his mouth pinched. "Forcing you to marry me was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I can’t believe—"She had no idea that she had thrown herself at him. That with her weight and fists she had pushed them farther into the rear room of his private suite. Pain, and ache and a bone-deep hunger, everything deluged her.Tears flew freely down her cheeks as she continued attacking him.How dare he call knowing her a mistake? How dare he hurt her when all she had want
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 265
She ran shaking fingers over his brow, pushing back his hair. "When I’m with you, I’m unafraid. All I want is to take risk upon risk, all I want is to live and love you.""Then let’s do it."Burying her face in his neck, Kassandra nodded, her head dizzy with euphoria, fear beating a tattoo. He pushed them both off the bed and brought her to the edge of it. While she shivered all over from the intent on his face, he knelt in front of her.Looked at her with such love in his eyes that fresh tears fell on her cheeks."Will you marry me again, Kassandra?" he asked against her lips. "Will you...choose to spend the rest of your life with me?"Kassandra buried her mouth in his throat, swallowed the tightness in hers. "Yes, Darian. I’ll marry you... Tomorrow, if you can arrange it.""No, not tomorrow," he said, tugging her face up to his."Why not? Are you having second thoughts already?"The ache in his eyes undid her. "I...want you to have the wedding you’ve always wanted. I want to take yo
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 266
Cheers to the beginning of another love journey!!!TITLE: THE CEO'S SEX MATE‘Nicoli’s here!’A shiver of anticipation went around the lavish hotel reception—starting with a nod from the doorman to warn the concierge, who in turn signaled to the receptionists—and Brianna noticed everyone’s backs seemed to straighten just a touch more, hands all moving to flatten ties or hair, as a sleek limousine pulled up outside."The question is," Dylan, the manager, blinked nervously as he flicked his fringe back off his face, "which one?"The answer was, for Brianna, more relevant than Dylan could possibly realize.Here on work experience, shadowing the staff and being completely supernumerary, it shouldn’t have mattered a jot to Brianna which one of the dashing Nicoli twins was pulling up outside—after all, both were legends.Elmo and Elpido Nicoli both headed up the sumptuous Nicoli chain of luxurious international hotels—and, along with their sister, were heirs to the vast wealth their father
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 267
"And she has been dealing with guests?""Yes," Dylan croaked. "Well, she’s been closely supervised, of course.""She has been bringing up details for paying guests."‘Er, yes…’ Dylan nodded. "But, as I said, only with supervision." which wasn’t strictly true—Dylan had been out for more smoke breaks than Brianna could count. Still, she was hardly going to tell Elmo that."If she is good enough for my guests," Elmo responded, with the martyrdom only the truly pompous could muster, "then she is good enough for me."If he called her again, Brianna decided, then she’d jolly well give him a piece of her mind.As his black eyes fell on her, Brianna recanted.Well, maybe she wouldn’t actually say anything. Still, she could think it—divine he might be to look at, but he was a loathsome, arrogant, chauvinist brute. Blushing with a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment, she furiously backspaced as she spectacularly mistyped. After an exceedingly long moment, Raymond Phillip’s details finally fl
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 268
"Thank goodness for that.""So long as you’re not attempting a dash of embezzlement..." He’d stopped typing now and put the delicious prison of his arms down as he stepped back, and Brianna thankfully exhaled before she turned to face him."Of course not!" Brianna giggled.Or having a few friends pay your room’s rates while staying in the Presidential Suite?‘Please!’ Brianna laughed."Or mooning behind the desk checking e-mails and doing a spot of internet banking on my time?"‘Er, no.’ Brianna wasn’t laughing now. In fact, she was having trouble forcing a smile."Or checking your horoscope..."Brianna didn’t even attempt a denial. Her face was burning an unattractive shade of scarlet, but if she’d had the nerve to look up, she’d have seen that he was smiling."Everything in order?" Dylan was positively dripping with nerves as he came over.‘Of course.’ Elmo shrugged. "I see that Raymond paid in advance forty-eight hours before the reception..."‘Still…’ Dylan cleared his throat. "I
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 269
"You’re either very late leaving or arriving incredibly early.""I’m waiting for a taxi," Brianna mumbled."You’ll be waiting a while—the night match at the tennis just wrapped up."‘I heard.’"Would you like a lift?"Just like that, he said it—just like any normal person would say it. Only he wasn’t just a normal person, and Brianna had difficulty coming up with a normal answer. She just stood there mute for a moment as a few hundred thousand dollars’ worth of sleek silver sports car pulled up and the valet handed him the keys."I was expecting the limousine!" She put on a plummy voice and raised her nose in distaste at his stunning car—then panicked that he wouldn’t get her rather offbeat humor.Sorry about that... You’ll just have to slum it in this... He didn’t just get it, he topped it! As Giovanni opened the passenger door for her, Elmo peered inside at the immaculate leather upholstery. "I can look in the boot for a newspaper or something for you to sit on, so you don’t mess up
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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
