The Billionaire's Little Wife
shape us into a better, more fu
-
Cordelia, usually the most composed, held me in a brief embrace. There was sympathy in her eyes, though
startled me. It wasn't just the meeting that unsettled me, but the fact that he had chosen my
oice even. The door creaked open, and in walke
. I wasn't sure how to address him, the awkward
. His eyes were sunken, almost lifeless, and his lips looked dry and worn. He looked every bit his age, perhaps even older. The only
voice snapped me back to the mo
. I gestured toward the couch, relieved there
him. I hesitated, then reluctantly crossed the room
with a forced smile plastered across her face. "I brought your lunch,
oking at her. She did as he asked and quickly retreated, but n
calm but with a sharp edge that made my skin crawl. His words so
ed, my voice barel
rowed slight
my skin. My breath hitched, but I forced myself to stay stil
I repeated, my
ood. In two weeks, you'll be my wife. You should start lear
ith the stench of tobacco, lingered in the air, and I fought the urge to
the mere act of touching me had dirtied him. Then, without a second thought,
he said, changing the subject abruptly. "You
felt all wrong. The idea of becoming his servant, in more ways than one,
," he said with a grin that made my skin crawl once more. His eyes lingered on me a
ed, unable to sa
his eyes never leaving me as I moved to serve him. The silence was suff
we didn't exchange another word. I kept my eyes a
igh of relief. Without so much as a goodbye, he walk
-
oice was firm as always. "I tru
ce even, though inside I was st
turned to my mother. "Have you made all t
ther responded, her v
his gaze at me. "You'll stay in your ro
ew there was no use arguing. The decision ha
aren't planning anything, are you?"
, keeping my tone as r
mother added quickly. "S
ather said.
tions, doubts, and a creeping sense of doom. My friends had called me lucky. They said I was fortunate to have caught the eye of someone
ad escaped, though many had not. Isabella came to mind, the beautiful girl who had been forced to marry a poor farmer. She had died in childbirth, h
e plans I have for you... plans to give you hope and a future." The words
er's voice broke
s,
been a
k. "What kin
moved. It will take pl
ould stop it. My pulse quickened, and the world seem
d, his tone final. There was no roo
ound beneath me was crumbling, taki
-
do you t