The Wife He Couldn't Afford

old dread seeping into my bones. The cathedral was packed, a sea of Savannah

uni

father' s arm. Senator Anderson. He sque

urmured, his voice low but firm. "

erfect Southern belle, the Senator' s poised and intelligent daughter. Inside, I was just a woman ab

rogant, entitled

o begin, one of the bridesmaids burst

asped, out of breath. "She' s... t

aughter of my father' s longtime mistress, a constant, bit

decorum, was instantly at my sid

rantically. "She' s been taken to the hospit

ugh the guests. My wedding day had just become a public spe

ding wa

y. Wesley was already there, pacing outside Gabrielle' s room

.. I don' t kno

looking grave, stepped out. "She' s stable. We

a shadow in our lives, rushed past us, wailing drama

pital bed, looking pale and fragile. Tears s

hetic croak. "I' m so sorry. I just... I

d. "I love you. I'

usual arrogance gone, replaced by a d

delivered her

ng a theatrical strength. "There' s something else.

the room. My mother' s

lle?" my father demanded, his senat

nshed tears. "Remember the lake house? A few months

aled, re

r... it was contaminated. I got so sick afterward. The doctors told me... the infecti

e hadn' t saved Wesley. She had gotten him drunk, pushed him in, and

at Gabrielle, his face a mixture of horror,

milies assembled in their weddin

voice shaking. "Gabrielle saved my life. She sa

y at me, his eyes

brielle. To honor

d silence. My mother looked

looked back at me, a despera

sister. We can... we can make it work. She can be my wife, and you..

o our world that it felt like a physical blow. He was asking me t

f Senator Anderson to become