Page 86 of Beautiful Deception

But all of these coincidences are getting to be too much. Are they really just that – a coincidence? Or is it something more?

Chapter Thirteen

Inessa

It’smyweddingday.

It happened so fast, I feel like I blinked and missed it.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been focused on wedding planning with Mrs. Green. Viktor and I limit our touch so we don’t go too far before the wedding night. I know it’s getting tougher for him to wait. It’s challenging for me too but I’ve never had sex, so it’s easier for me to wait than it is for him.

He puts a lot of his focus into his work while I work on the wedding. It’s better this way. The questions Viktor was asking me were too scary.

I meant when I said that I love him. How I feel is real because it is. I never asked to feel this way for him but it just happened. None of that is a lie.

The only lie is who my father is exactly and that’s something Viktor hasn’t seemed to figure out.

Since my dad is low on the Bratva totem pole, we’ve been out of the public eye for some time. No police ever went after him. No photos were taken of us. Not like it is with higher ranking Bratva men and women.

Even if Viktor digs, it will be hard for him to find out who my dad is.

And who I am too.

I know it’s wrong to start a wedding off with a lie but everything else I’ve told Viktor is true. Who I am at my core is who I truly am. How I feel is real. He just doesn’t need to know my real name. It’s going to change anyway when I take his last name.

The day of the wedding is hectic with Mrs. Green running around and putting out orders to the extra staff Viktor hired for the day. Since I won’t be a maid any longer, it’s not my job to listen to Mrs. Green. I will be the lady of the house. That’s such a surreal and crazy thought.

The wedding is going to be a simple ceremony with me and Viktor, Mrs. Green, and Viktor’s sister in attendance. We both agreed it would be better to avoid any scandal with me being his maid and all.

Viktor said that we can tell more people afterwards. He’s at war right now and doesn’t want to put a target on my back with a huge ceremony.

Julia, Viktor’s sister, arrives early in the day.

I’m in awe of her classic beauty. She’s like an old Hollywood starlet. She could have stepped off a black and white film set with how effortlessly pretty she is.

“Inessa, my brother has told me about you.” Without asking, she gives me a hug.

It’s nice and comforting and makes me wish I had Elena with me on this day. But the last thing I can do is invite my best friend – Viktor’s ex-fiancé – to our wedding.

“You are so pretty,” she says when she pulls back. “I can see why my brother likes you.”

“How has France been? Viktor told me you were there.”

She makes a face that doesn’t detract from her beauty at all. “It’s nice. Beautiful. Romantic in a lot of ways. Gross in some others. Did you know that Paris mostly smells like cigarette smoke? It sort of takes the beauty out of it. But it’s been fun to explore a different city. The cousins I’ve been staying with are polite company. But I’ve missed home. And I wouldn’t want to miss my brother’s wedding.”

“Thank you for being here.”

“When it came to my brother’s previous wedding, he forbade me from joining. He was worried for my safety. He still is but he’s loosened up a little. Your influence, I’m guessing?”

My laugh is a little awkward and tight. “I can’t claim credit for Viktor’s moods. He’s a hard man to influence.”

Her laugh is like water and air, the complete opposite of mine. “That’s my brother for you. He’s a hard man to impress so the fact that you’ve captured his heart says a lot.”

“Did he tell you how we met?”

“That you were his maid? Yes. And I don’t judge. In fact, I think it’s romantic.” Her eyes turn dreamy like she’s entered into a different world. “A maid falling in love with the powerful businessman. It’s like a Cinderella story.”

“I guess it is.”

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