My Ex-Wife is a Hidden Heiress

ticia

round the rim of a porcelain plate. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted thro

aid, held up a crystal vase filled wit

ered, my voice barely r

g in the flowers?" S

, clutching the hem of my lavend

ned to her with a wide s

the smile before retre

erything to

ear since I had married Dmitri Galden, trading

along the lines, my heart had betrayed me. I had fallen in love wi

finally acknowledged me as his wife a

shared a bed, I am convinced that it

. My hair fell in loose waves over my shoulders, and I dabbed a bit of

gh the hall. I turne

itr

air was still damp from a shower, strands clinging to his forehead. He

ng brightness into my voice. "I t

e time." He

know, before our anniversary." I took a hesitant s

lid past me. "I hav

ed. "Just a few minutes.

ready wal

ate, I reached out fo

"Let go,

ne sip of coffee.

e breath from my lungs. There was nothing th

don't ha

n he wa

ll outstretched, my hand

m all day, till

t cold, and the candles b

sion blurred by both tears

asked myself, as I forc

ed my eyes again, the sun was already ris

window, to see his

n the hall. His bedroom door wa

er was r

and forth. My mind racing with

t with a towel wrapped around

began. "You

u? I waited all night. Did I do something wrong

and pulled out a stack of papers. Then he turned, around

the edges of the stack. "

ers." He rep

tly. "Why?" I finally managed to ask. "The other night-" I stuttered. "D

s a mistake."

It meant somethi

He repeated. "That

e're married.

ove you, V

d try. You promised." I cl

business arrangement, and now

te our marriage?" My voic

had to throw the ultimatum, of marrying you or losing my inheritance." He began. "And to prove myself to him, I

ing me. My knees buckled, and I sank onto

atasha is back, the woman I love is

"Are you really doing all this to me be

he n