The Deputy Bride

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lked into the mansion, her designer purse dangling on her forearm, and

for the first time since the wedding, Aliyah had felt... included. Emma had made her laugh, and Mr. Brews had be

liced through the calm like

plied with a polite smile. "

landed on Aliyah next, lingerin

today," she muttered under her brea

s smile vanished. Mr. B

." he warn

son wasn

and find her seated at our breakfast table l

rapidly, her ch

her voice firm.

," Charles said more directly

he replacement bride who took advantage of a bad situ

iyah stood up, her fists cle

de decisions that had nothing to do with me. If you have a pro

she could spit another insult, Mar

up with

ging to his neck from his run, but his ex

'm the one who stood before everyone and said 'I d

d wrapped an arm around her shoulder. It made her te

like less than that, I'll take it personall

ht smile that didn

th fake sweetness. "If you're hap

ne knew it

That

ews in the study. He handed her a warm cup

around," he said kindly. "But don't let her

weakly. "Tha

on sees you. You're not

tears. No one had said t

on the wall the only sound in the vast room. She shifted again for the um

till was

palm down her face. "Where the he

the way he'd teased her in front of Emma, or how he laughed when she got flustered. But it ha

been ho

again, hoping, no, wishin

e and dialed his numb

rying to reach is cur

sharp sigh and tried a

ened?" she whispered, h

urtain. The driveway was empty, his car hadn

been too harsh. Maybe he had every right to be angry. But still... Marion wasn't the

d again.

d told herself over and over that she didn't care about Marion. That

silence feel l

around hope flaring in her ches

e was soft, concerned

ded, unabl

ng her face. "You're worrie

ck on the edge of the bed. "H

kay. He just needs time to cool

sper, her voice cracking slightly. "But he said som

t a squeeze. "It's okay to care, yo

e couldn't. The knot in h

leep," Emma offered

eplied, but they bot

ly shutting the

nce, her eyes fixe

her phone an

t mean everything I sai

essage for a long m

rep

d. And somewhere deep inside her chest, Ali

erself. B