Page 357 of The Christmas Wife

Something hot coils in my chest. Satisfaction? Pride that he wants me? I could deny it, but the fact is, a part of me is taken aback that he decided on me—the plus-sized woman who's neverhad a chance to have a boyfriend, or managed to hold down a job long enough to know what it's like to be independent and live my own life. The woman who never knew the love of a mother. Whose own father decided her only worth was to barter her into an arrangement.

"I didn’t choose you." I tip up my chin.

My father exhales sharply. He begins to say something, but Edward shakes his head. My father falls silent. That’s a first. I’ve never seen him not win an argument, but apparently, today is a day for firsts.

The skin around Edward’s eyes wrinkles, then a divot appears on the left side of his mouth, which is how I know he’s smiling. Yeesh, I’ve worked for him only a day and I already know how to interpret his expression.

My father shuffles his feet. He begins to say something, when Edward nods his head toward the door without taking his eyes off of my face. "Leave."

"What?" My father blusters.

"You’ve served your purpose. It’s best you go while you’re still able to walk."

"Are you threatening me?" my father snaps.

"I should do more than that for your being a silent spectator to the emotional agony she was subjected to. In your home. In front of your eyes."

"B-b-b-but—" my father begins to stutter—another first, I’ve never heard him stutter, ever—but Edward shuts him down.

"You’d best get gone before I show you just how angry I am. And I don’t want to do that, not when it’s bound to upset my future wife."

Future wife. Wife? He said WIFE.My breathing grows shallow. Strange tingles make their way down my extremities.

I want to turn and take in the expression on my father’s features. I want to see the regret on his face. I want to hearhim admit that he did wrong by me. But a part of me is afraid that I wouldn't see that if I looked at him, so I won't. The way he allowed them to treat me is something I’ve never dared acknowledge to myself before today. Oh, I hoped he’d come to my rescue, that he’d tell my stepmother and half-sisters that I was a part of the family and needed to be treated with respect. I hoped, but never thought the day would come when he’d actually admit he wasn’t fair to me. Not only did he do so today, but he also apologized to me.

And it's because this man put him in a position where he was no longer the most powerful man in the room. Where he was beholden to someone else… And you know what? He's beholden to me. I could have refused the wedding, and where would that have left him? I could still refuse the marriage, but that would mean my father would suffer financially. And while I’ve wanted him to show me his love, even though he never actively defused the situation with my stepmother and sisters, there was never any question he loved me. I can’t stand by and let him face financial ruin. Not while I can make a difference and help him. Before this, I've never had the chance to contribute to our family. This is my chance to impact the outcome for my father in a positive fashion. This is my chance to… Marry this man who’s fascinated me from the moment I set eyes on him. I don’t know him well, but he's not a stranger. As the saying goes, better the devil you know than the one you don’t, right?

"Mira, I?—"

"You need to leave. Right now," Edward says in a voice which sounds casual but which has a steely undertone to it.

My father hesitates, then I sense him getting a hold of himself. "You’d better take care of her."

"You can bet I'll take a damned sight better care of her than you ever did."

"That's not fair. She's my daughter?—"

"She’s not yours anymore. She’s mine."

14

Edward

Mine. Mine. Mine.The word ricochets around in my mind before swooping down to my chest where it sets off a fireball of sensations. How strange. I’ve never felt this, alive, this apprehensive, this nervous, and also…angry. I curl my fingers into fists at my sides.How dare she walk into my life and turn it upside down? How dare she make me feel the emotions I locked out of my life? How dare she stare at me with those big blue eyes with hurt swimming in them and trailing down her cheeks? Fuck!That ball of sensations in my chest shoots off flames which zip to my fingers, my toes. Every part of my body seems to come alive. Like a seed sprouting through the ground, the individual sentiments make themselves known.

I’m aware of her father walking out of the room. The door snicks shut. I go down on one knee, then scoop up the trail of moisture. I bring it to my mouth and suck on it.

She gasps. "What are you doing?"

"Why are you crying?"

"I’m not." She swats at her cheek. "At least, not on purpose." She bites her bottom lip before whispering, "No one’s stood up to my father for me before today."

"I’m sorry for what your family put you through."

"It wasn’t that bad." She half smiles. "I had a roof over my head, and designer clothes, and a team of staff who made sure my every need was taken care of."

"Everything except your emotional needs," I murmur.And what do I know of that? Why am I unable to stop myself from comforting her? You can take the priest out of the church. You can even try to unlearn everything that you stood for by traveling around the world and trying to lose yourself amongst strangers… But it only takes a full-figured goddess with tears in her eyes to bring out that tenderness inside you which you thought you’d managed to wipe out completely.

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