Page 34 of Pregnant Bratva Wife
My cheeks burned.
He was right—I would have balked at such an enormous sum.
I would have been convinced that there was an even higher price to pay.
“Fine. But it still doesn’t explain why you chose me. I’m nobody,” I started. “You could have any woman in New York. You’re loaded. Very powerful. Very influential. So why marry someone who brings nothing to the table? No connections? No grace? Admit it, I’m far from the perfect housewife.”
Even as the words left my mouth, I hated how small they sounded. My voice stayed normal, but inside, I was withering—dragging myself through the familiar list of all the ways I was a failure.
A look of shock crossed his face. It stole the teasing edge from his mouth as he narrowed his eyes.
And that, somehow, was worse.
That look said How little do you think of yourself?
“Is that what you think? That I settled?”
“It’s the only explanation that makes sense.” I crossed my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling vulnerable. “You married a woman who brings nothing to the table.”
He set his glass down and walked toward me until he stood inches away. Until my stomach turned.
“Nothing?” His voice dropped lower.
“What possible value could I have to someone like you?” I asked, my voice quivering now.
He met my gaze with his dark green, wild, and beautiful eyes. “You’re clean.”
“Excuse me?”
“In my problematic world, everyone has an angle. Every woman wants something. Status, money, connections. You never wanted any of that. You have none of that. You’re the kind of woman that men in my world would respect.” He nearly whispered the last word, “Admire.”
“And that’s it?” I pressed. “No other motive? Just... a simple wife?”
He laughed under his breath. It wasn’t unkind—it was incredulous.
His eyes flicked over me slowly, with certainty.
“Nothing about you is simple.”
My breath caught. I forced myself to look away before I crumbled completely. Before he saw how much his words got under my skin.
I needed space—to breathe, to think.
To study the facts.
In his world—the business world, where people tossed around millions as if it were spare change—it made sense that he’d want someone who wasn’t trying to gain from him. I didn’t understand that world. I’d never belonged to it.
And maybe that’s exactly why he needed me.
We stood there a little longer. In silence. For a brief, stupid moment, I had started wondering if maybe he’d seen something in me that day near his car.
Something real.
But that was fantasy. This was business.
“Right,” I said flatly. “You needed someone without motives. Got it.”
I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me.
