Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
“You saw them?” I can’t hide the shock in my tone. My cards were returned every year seemingly unopened.
Aleena nods. “Do you remember how we snuck chips and cookies without Mother noticing?” I match her head bob. “Hair straighteners aren’t just perfect for resealing plastic seams. They also loosen envelope glue.”
Although I love knowing how crafty she is when it comes to deceiving our mother, there’s one point I can’t gloss over.
How did she get my letters to begin with?
Before I can ask her that, the truth smacks me in the face. “Stasy?”
Her smile is brighter than the sun. “She never let Mother’s lies fully sink in. She always encouraged me to seek my own truth.” She breathes in the smell of my freshly shampooed hair. “I’m so glad I finally listened.” After another sniff, she spins to gather her suitcase before locking her wet eyes with mine. “Contact may be sporadic until the wedding. Mother—”
“I know,” I interrupt, not needing her explanation.
Our mother hates me.
No deliberation required.
“But that won’t be an issue for too much longer. It isn’t like she’s going to move into Kazimir’s house with you.” When she grimaces, I balk. “Right?”
She groans as if nothing is concrete when it comes to our mother before she hands her bag to a driver wearing a driver’s cap.
“Bye,” I whisper when she waves at me before sliding into the back seat next to Shevi.
I watch her chauffeur-driven SUV drive away, confident this isn’t the last time we will speak. If I don’t think positively, depression may gobble me up and swallow me whole.
I refuse for my gloomy mood to rain down on Nikita’s and Aleena’s happiness. They deserve to be spoiled, and I’m grateful I get to witness it up close.
Maksim is a man of his word, and he is repaying his debt by ensuring I am included in every event he organizes for Nikita—even their private jet flight home.
He also offered me a job, so I’ll have an easy excuse for my stalking.
I stop following Aleena’s SUV’s roll through the streets of the Trudny District when dark hairs tickle my elbow a second before my best friend asks, “Are you ready?”
Nikita is so loved up right now I can’t help but sway when I spin to face her. “Yep. Just give me one minute to grab something I left in the cabana.”
When she arches a brow, I bump her with my hip, certain this is not a conversation we’re going to have within the next week, much less today.
“Enjoy the reprieve, Z. You can’t escape me when we’re thirty thousand feet in the air.”
I groan before increasing my pace. The bikini Andrik peeled off me notched me ahead of my competitors because it is designer and pricy. Some people look at labels more than the people hiding behind them.
I’m not one of those people, but I am also not leaving a two-hundred-dollar swimsuit to the racoons.
My stomach doesn’t know which way to swing when I enter the cabana Andrik and I occupied for hours two days ago. The scent of multiple arousals is still in the air, but it is also infused with Andrik’s cologne since his suit jacket is draped over one of the single sun loungers.
I snatch up my bikini before spinning on my heel. Since I am trying to be the bigger person, I don’t take a single step toward the exit.
Good things happen to good people—my best friend’s fortunate luck of late is proof of this—so I need to pull up my big girl panties and accept Andrik’s decision with dignity.
It won’t be easy, though if anyone can do it, it will be me.
My brows quirk when a crinkle sounds out of Andrik’s jacket when I snatch it up. It is the same sound as the one his jacket made on my birthday, so I veer my hand to the breast pocket without an objection filtering through my head.
My heart bleeds for a different reason when I read the terms of Andrik’s latest contract. His son is sick, and if I am reading his contract properly, he won’t get the help he needs without Andrik’s original marriage contract being upheld.
Divorce doesn’t seem like an option for his family.
I shoot my eyes up when Nikita calls my name. “Z?”
“I’m coming,” I reply while shoving Andrik’s contract back into the pocket of his suit and racing through the exit.
When she spots my race, her gorgeous face adopts an apologetic expression. “Sorry, I don’t want to rush you, but from the rumors I’ve heard, jets cost thousands of dollars a minute to operate even while idling on a tarmac.”
As my eyes pop, I mouth an apology before gesturing for her to lead the way.
Our flight was uneventful—much to Nikita’s disgust. She remained seated with me in the main part of the private jet while Maksim spent most of his time behind a desk in the bedroom.