Secret Billionaire’s Contract Bride: Marrying My Enemy’s Lover

Chapter 19

Home is where the heart is. That’s what everybody used to tell me.

“What a lovely home,” they’d say with jealousy at our million-dollar mansion with fancy cars and butlers and maids.

I never understood it.

Standing in front of my father’s mansion as it loomed over me as a nightmare did to a child, I realized this place never felt like home to me.

My father decked out the mansion in artwork and vases and a thousand things that I was not allowed to touch. I remembered every rule as Piers welcomed me into the house.

When I lived here, I felt more like the mosaic my father hung on the wall than a daughter. It was no wonder this place had never felt like mine. I never belonged there.

As I entered the large room for gatherings, I spotted every member of our extended family laid out before me. Cousins and distant aunts or uncles that I had barely spoken a word to in my entire life. Why on earth were all these people here?

Corinna and Ashton were here, much to my dismay. They were talking away with my father and stepmother, Tabitha with their plastic smiles. They were all faking their enjoyment in each other, that was plain to see.

I grabbed a champagne glass from one of the tables set up and sipped it, noticing how Ashton looked over at me.

His smile fell as he stared at me intensely, but I didn’t really care. He was nothing to me anymore. And I wanted nothing to do with him.

Surprisingly, I wasn’t in a bad mood just from seeing him. I didn’t feel a rush of anger or resentment toward them.

I just felt nothing.

I shrugged, continuing to search through the wide area until I found who I was looking for.

My grandmother sat on one of the sofas, looking as prim and proper as ever. She looked regal, fitting as the head of our family. I ducked behind

Chapter 19

one of the servants as I snuck up behind her with a grin.

Just when I was right behind her, the guests spotted me before she ever did- I breathed in, ready to scare the bejeebers out of her, reaching with my hands to grasp onto her shoulders.

“Hello, Adelaide,” she said, knowingly without even turning around.

of me, and

me?” I laid my head on the back of the

dear. Now, come over here and

“Yes, Grandma.”

spot for me right next

father was clearly trying to catch his attention, but it was like

him staring at me, but I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. I’d rather not argue in front of Grandma’s

my granddaughter, Adelaide. You remember her, right?” My grandmother wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close

of course,” Gretchen spoke heavily in a French accent. She was near my grandmother’s age but looked just as timeless. “Last time I

for France. She used to spend a lot of time here due to your grandfather’s job but moved back to France when you were

you,” I

I have heard about

“Thank you.”

Gretchen anything about her own

Chapter 19

not to roll my eyes at the sound of her shrill voice.

Addie!” Corinna smiled like she was happy to see me as she and

said, frowning at their appearance. “This is my other granddaughter, Corinna.”

“Did Maelyn

air immediately went cold.

afraid Corinna is my half-sister,” I told her, innocently. “She’s

two of us. “But you are of similar ages?

dawn in her

disapproval in her eyes not hidden well.

complicated,” Corinna giggled nervously, her arm wrapped around Ashton’s.

Gretchen asked me, looking doubtful.

In fact, Addie volunteered to be my maid of honor at my wedding, didn’t you, Addie?” Corinna smirked at me. “She’s

took a sip of my champagne, not really feeling as angry as I

today. Or I was different.

kept going back to Damon and the texts he sent

But I did had to admit, his teasing

to stop, Damon never went far enough that I could truly despise

Chapter 19

that’s what

being truly honest, I couldn’t say I had zero feelings for him.

and demanding and tricky, but he was also intelligent and always stood up for me.