Page 146 of Priceless

There was no point in denying it or trying to hold myself back.

I was falling in love with my husbands. If I was really honest with myself, I was already there.

It was that realization that kept the smile on my face all day. While I worked in the new greenhouse and made a note of the flowers that still needed to be transferred from the Caldwell Estate, catching up with Sally, and generally making sure nothing was on fire.

Now, though, my smile fortified me as I walked into the house. I’d noticed it before when I visited, but the big house felt dark. It never felt that way before my mother died. Proof enough that people could influence the energy of a place. It wasn’t inherently dark, it just felt that way.

Isabel let me in, and she was in shock. “Ocean, you look wonderful.”

I paused. “Thank you?”

She laughed softly and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I meant you seem well. You’re brighter, and It’s been years since I’ve seen you smile like that.”

It was sad that it was the truth. “I’m happy.”

“Good. I’m glad.”

“Is Frank in his study?”

She nodded. “Go on in.”

I’d worn a bottle green dress today. Straps that clung to my shoulders but exposed some skin. It flounced around my knees. I mainly chose it because it was comfortable and pretty, but also because I knew it would drive my husbands wild as soon as they saw it. I looked forward to that part.

“Ocean?”

I turned and found my aunt staring at me from the entrance to the living room where she spent most of her time. Her face was frozen, like she didn’t quite know what to do with me. “Hello.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Frank wanted to talk to me, so I’m here.”

Her nose turned up. “Well, it’s about time we have some progress on that front. I see the only real thing you’ve been doing is making progress on your waistline.”

I rolled my eyes. “Is that really what you’re going with? It’s getting boring.”

“I can’t help it if it’s the truth.”

“If you don’t have anything else to say, I’m not speaking to you.”

I turned, and she grabbed me by the arm and turned me back. “Just because you got married to Alphas desperate enough to take you doesn’t mean you get to be rude to me. And you’ve never once wanted to hear the hard things, Ocean. Believe it or not, I’ve always tried to help you.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“Most people go on vacation to Europa and lose weight.”

“Most people give a shit when you talk. I guess we’ll both have to be disappointed.”

I looked at her, not feeling anything. The words simply fell to the wayside without digging their claws into me. Because I knew better now. I had Alphas who craved me just the way I was and never let me forget it. They didn’t reduce my value to numbers on a scale or the circumference of my waist.

She was still gaping at me when I turned and left her there, continuing to my uncle’s office. My foolish heart hoped I’d stunned her enough that she wouldn’t follow. Or she would, and I would give her more.

Fuck, this felt incredible. Freeing. More like myself than I’d been in this house since…

Since mom died.

I knocked softly on the door before opening it. “Frank?”

He sat behind his desk, glasses on his face, glancing between the papers on his desk and whatever was on his monitor. I couldn’t remember a time when I’d come to this office and found him actually working. Most of the time he preferred the illusion that he didn’t need to work. Fake it till you make it. Pretend everything was light and easy.

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