My Monster Husband, My Salvation

, a place that smelled of turpentine and dust and broken dreams. The light struggled through the grimy front windows, illuminating the canvases

d known my whole life, Dr. Liam Miller. My childhood friend. The man I loved

et. It was my father, Richard Ree

come home. Now.

mansion felt cold the moment I stepped inside, colder than the autumn air. Richard was pacing in the living ro

my eyes searching for m

ickly, waving a dismissive hand.

f her perfectly painted lips. "It's about m

here was always a trap

itself. A man even wealthier, a true titan of industry, but with a catch. He was rumored to be horribly disfigured from an accident and, worse, unable to have children. This

voice smooth. "And since I am obviously not g

dn't look at me. He just stared at a

? A man you call a monster?" I a

he man is Noah Blackwood. He' s a recluse, but he' s incredibly

created with their lavish spending while I struggled to keep

hole life, as a maid, a scapegoat, a shadow to mak

rd feeling solid and

ed. "Don't be a fool.

rt, his pale face, the constant fear that hung over us. His condition was rare and the treatments were

their c

d in my mind. If I was going to be

espite the tremor in my hands. "I

relieved. "An

ry to me, free and clear. The deed, the business

"Ava, the gallery is

than comes with me. I will have full custody and he will live with m

can't be serious. You, taking care of Eth

ed teeth. "He is the only reason I am ev

He was so weak, so utterly enthralled by this woman who was my age, his own stepdau

malice. "Have the sick brat. And the failing galler

gree. "We have a deal. I'l

dy, probably to call his lawy

whispered, her voice laced with venom. "You haven

nd I have to call Liam. He'll need to adjust Ethan's medication

to me. I stood frozen, my blood running cold. I hea

he wants to take him with her when she leaves... I'm just so worried about his stability. I was thinking, maybe we should slightly incre

of the conversation, but I could imagine it

. "I knew I could count on you. You're the

gic, more dependent. It was a way to control him, to control me. And Liam, the brilliant Dr. Miller, was her willing tool. The man whose face I

was holding a small bouquet of roses, Chloe's favorite. He saw m

, his tone pol

t smirk on her face. She took the flowers f

m looping through his. "Ava was just telling

a mixture of surprise and somethin

" he said, the wo

hloe added, watching m

t up. "The Noah Bla

ake some demands. She's taking Ethan." She looked at Liam, her eyes wide and innocent. "I'm so wor

cern overriding everything else. He looke

horitative tone of a doctor. "Uprooting Ethan could be very dangerous for h

lding hands with my tormentor, publicly siding with her, publicly shaming

rait in my studio felt like a mockery,

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