All Chapters of The Mafia’s Temporary Bride : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Maksim hid his disappointment a tad too late. Camilla had already seen it. Her face fell, and she smiled sadly. “It’s not good.” “No,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s fine.” “Don’t lie. Your face says it all.” He took another spoonful to show her he was fine, but that only helped him identify the issue. Salt. The problem was with the salt. “You really don’t have to pretend, Alek.” “Cam, I mean it. It’s good…” “But?”“It’s a bit salty,” he admitted. “Salty?” Camilla asked. He nodded. She scooped some from his plate, and her face wrinkled as she forced it down her throat. “Oh God. This isn’t a little salty. It’s a lot salty. Fuck. I forgot I added salt the first time.” Rising, she tried to pack his plate, but he stopped her. “You don&r

Maksim spied the time. Today was going too slow. He had a date with Camilla. A sadistic chuckle almost escaped him. Fine, he called it a date. So what? She was his wife, not a random girl he was fucking. The knob jiggled, and his office door opened. Vanya entered. Their relationship had moved from I want to murder you, Vanya, to, what the fuck do you want, since Camilla’s arrival. He had only been nice to his half-brother for Camilla’s sake, but that had become easier to do in the last days. Not enough to want Vanya around him but enough to tolerate and not kick him out of his office for not knocking first.“What’s up?” Vanya offered him a smile that lacked its usual exuberance. Another patient of his had better not died because Maksim still was unable to offer any sympathies. “I’m leaving. I have to return to work.” Maksim leaned back in his chair, his fingertips touching. He

Days had passed since the river date. They hadn’t had any new ones, and Maksim was afraid to ask his wife to another. He loved to think their relationship hadn’t changed much after it. Camilla was still treating him as good as she always did. Her patience with him was frightening. On some days, like today, he wondered if it was patience or something more. Something sinister.As he fixed his tie before leaving for a meeting at the club, he pored through their older conversations in his mind. Even in his imagination, Camilla was still an angel. An angry angel, but still one. Something dropped on his lap. Her scent announced her presence first before he looked up. “What’s on your mind?” Camilla asked. He caught his worried reflection in the mirror before she blocked the view. Standing between his legs, she nudged his hand from the tie and knotted it. “Talk to me, Alek.” “Our last date,” he replied.&n

Camilla was lying to her husband. She had to tell Alek what Papa wanted from her. If he let her go, oh well. Maybe it would hurt, but she wouldn’t have to carry a child she might never see again. She would do so today. That thought kept her sane as she cleaned up. She had delayed doing that since their other visits to the hammock. Alek was opening up to her. Opening up might not be the word he would use to describe the actions of the past few days, but she had to reciprocate the gesture. How could he trust her if she was lying to him? What if he wanted to know why she never told him? The answer was simple. For the same reason she called him babe. Which was? A bang from outside paused that thought. Camilla went to the door and cracked it open. Ivan was outside, with shopping bags in each of his hands. She stepped back to let him in. They couldn’t be for her. Alek would rather die than let another man shop for her. In the past, Doris

Camilla was asleep or pretending to be when Maksim came back to the room last night. Yesterday, the same thing happened. Today, he left before she woke up to prevent any awkwardness. On his return now, she was on the bed, the cover pulled to her chin. The blue bedsheet was her choice. They had gotten used to alternating between bright colours for her and dull colours for him. Was she asleep already? Maksim glanced at the thick envelope in his hands. The frames had come today. He knew Camilla would love them, but he was scared to show them to her, so she wouldn’t misinterpret the gesture. Kicking off his shoes, he sank into the bed and touched her. Her head lolled to the side.“Hey,” he said. “Hi.” That was all. No kisses, no excited smiles to see him. They were talking. He would ask a question and she would answer, but it wasn’t the same. He missed the bubbly, talkative wife who wanted to know all of him. Every single, unnec