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Chapter 268
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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
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 270
"I really don’t see what all the fuss is about.""One of my staff members has been bitten by another.""Not just any one of your staff members..."This time, he deliberately didn’t blink. He held his expression in absolute check as she interrupted, and, though few usually dare, he let the fact go as Brianna Doyle got straight to the rather awkward point."Gilberto is, I believe, your brother-in-law."He gave a terse nod—a nod that was actually respectful, acknowledging what she had to say even while quickly disregarding it. "The fact that Gilberto is my brother-in-law has no bearing in this matter—none whatsoever." Now, I want to hear exactly what happened."As Gilberto said, we were discussing a promotion—I tripped and, like a reflex action, he put out his hands to save me."‘Brianna—’ Rather more usually, it was Elmo interrupting now, but unusually, someone overrode him—someone’s voice got a touch louder and more insistent as Brianna spoke over him."And—like a reflex action—I bit h
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 271
It had nothing to do with her."If anything untoward has happened, you have the same rights as any other staff member." "Just because Gilberto is family...""I hear your sister’s having a baby..." She pulled a crumpled tissue out of her pocket and gave her nose a rather loud blow."What does that have to do with this?" Elmo’s voice was completely even, his face impassive, but he had to stop himself from drumming his fingers on the desk—actually, he had to remind himself to keep looking her in the eye as she voiced his very thoughts. How the hell would Annabella cope? She had just started to get her life back on track after Elpido’s death—the new baby was due in just a few days, and there was his niece, Lucia, just four years old—what the hell had Gilberto been thinking?"It has everything to do with this!" Brianna gulped. "Look, I’m fine—I really am—and I don’t want any fuss." I just want to get my things and leave.And, though it must surely be the last thing she wanted after the day
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 272
Damn!!!Pacing the floor of the huge office, Brianna paused for a moment to blow her nose again and rummaged in her bag for her compact, powdering her reddened face and telling herself to hold it together for just a little while longer.She’d surely get another job—but she also needed those three blasted payslips just in case the court ruling went against her mother.It wouldn’t, Brianna consoled herself. Their lawyer had assured them that everything was under control. A moan of horror escaped her lips at the thought of that same lawyer’s bill sitting on the dining room table—a bill that had to be paid before he’d proceed further.What the hell was she going to do?She’d lied to Elmo about a second interview with the Leonardo chain—she hadn’t even had the first interview yet. Her application was still sitting half-typed on her computer! Actually, she’d lied to Elmo about everything. There had been no discussion about a promotion; Gilberto had just been his usual sleazy self. She’d bee
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 273
"Thank you for passing it on.""And she knows you’re there and is just refusing to talk to her."‘Anything else?’"Er, that was pretty much it," Brianna lied. Well, she was hardly going to tell him that "just because he’s fabulous in bed, it doesn’t make up for the way he’s treated me." Though she did give him a rather edited version of the teary conclusion to the call. "She’d like you to call her—any time," Brianna emphasized. "Any time at all!" So…’ Noticing his empty hands, she raised her eyebrows. "Where are the forms?""In a filing cabinet." He gave an apologetic grimace. "Only I’m not sure which one..." but I will write you a check now..."A check’s not much good to me at this time on a Friday." She didn’t want to stay another second. Another second, and she’d start crying; another second, and she’d crumple. The brave façade she was wearing so well was seriously falling apart—the hem unraveling along with the seams—so she hitched her bag on her shoulder and headed for the door.
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 274
Formality was welcome.Formality she could actually deal with.So she listened as he took her through her new role, blinking at the description of international flights and luxury hotels that would now pepper her existence, at a salary that made her eyes widen, and at the prospect of a life, as Elmo strongly pointed out, that would be basically put on hold to accommodate his."My time is valuable," Elmo said, and she nodded. "Take today—I should not be going to Admin to get forms, and neither will you be able to." That is why you, too, will have an assistant. My former PA has a list of names somewhere of people who can be put through to me without question, people who first you check and people who, like Lucy, you will have to deal with. He gave a tight smile. "At times your work will be menial, and at other times it will be downright boring—such as sitting in a car waiting for me." At other times, the stress and demands will be intense. Each morning we will go through my day; each we
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 275
‘Purple!’ Brianna said instead, giving a tight smile at Elmo’s bemused frown. "I’m wearing purple knickers, before you ask, and we've been together for six months." He ended it, but I was actually about to. Is that enough information for you?‘For now…’ He gave her a very lazy smile and stared at her for the longest time without even attempting to speak. For Brianna, it was excruciating as she awaited what she knew was about to be a summarizing. "You’re very..." he paused before delivering his verdict, "different."‘I am.’‘Very interesting…’ Elmo mused."I’m hard, bloody work, actually!""I like hard work." Elmo grinned, and she nearly shot out of her chair at the look he was giving her. "Well, I look forward to working with you." That will be all."‘Not quite.’ Brianna saw his frown of surprise, and she took a deep breath before speaking. "Generally, at the end of an interview, the interviewee is asked if she has any questions or anything she’d like to add."‘Do you?’‘Actually, yes
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 276
‘Really?’Your new boss has very exacting standards where his staff is concerned. Absolutely, I’ll help you.Standing in the changing room, Brianna stared at her reflection—the safe black suit she’d initially chosen had been tut-tutted away by the assistant and replaced with a slate-grey one, which was gorgeous; a cream linen one, which Brianna wasn’t sure about; and an olive one, which was fab too—although the skirt was just a touch too short for her liking. Now she was wearing a chocolate-brown suit that, as the assistant had promised, worked well with her coloring. It calmed her complexion and brought out the blue of her eyes, and with her hair done, her make-up on, and the right shoes... Standing on tiptoe, Brianna assumed a snooty pose and decided that she actually might just pass as Elmo Nicoli’s assistant—and she could afford to help her mother now, could pay the lawyer, and, if the ruling didn’t go their way, would be able to pay off Aunty Debby and Maya.Maya…Sitting on the
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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
