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.

rushed out of me, and my

you know it was me?” I laid my head on the back of the couch

chuckled, “I know everything, dear. Now, come over here

“Yes, Grandma.”

chuckled, walking around the couch. She’d cleared a spot for me right next

trying to catch his attention, but it was like Ashton couldn’t tear

but I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. I’d rather

wrapped an arm

my grandmother’s age but looked just as timeless. “Last time I saw you, you were

due to your

you,” I smiled

have heard about your

“Thank you.”

about

Chapter 19

roll my eyes at the sound

smiled like she was happy to see me as she and Ashton approached. “I’m a bit disappointed you didn’t

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

frowned, “Did Maelyn have another

as the air immediately went cold. I smirked,

her, innocently. “She’s the

frowned, looking between the two of us. “But you are of similar ages? Maelyn did

her eyes before they

simply, the disapproval in

families are complicated,” Corinna giggled nervously, her arm wrapped around

Gretchen asked me,

the best of friends. In fact, Addie volunteered to be my maid of honor at my wedding, didn’t

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

was different today. Or I was different.

My mind kept going back to Damon and the texts he sent me

But I did had to admit, his teasing was always harmless. And the

know how to stop, Damon never went far enough that I could truly despise him.

Chapter 19

wife, that’s what

and if I was being truly honest, I

he was also intelligent and