The Rancher’s Second Choice Wife Read Online Marian Tee

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Virgin Tags Authors: Marian Tee Advertisement

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What she had with Valerian Rossfield might not be enough to qualify as a relationship, but something was still better than nothing. Since she didn't even allow herself to think of him in the past, what she did have now was enough to have Poppy feeling over the moon.

Not only could she fantasize about him without guilt, but he had even given her a reason to hope for something more.

And when she saw his name flash on her phone late that evening, Poppy honestly felt like she had won the lottery. Her heart started to pound, and her voice came out breathless as she answered his call.

"Hello?"

"You sound out of breath. Did I catch you at a bad time—-"

"No—-"

"Or are you that excited to hear from me?"

Poppy barely managed to keep herself from squealing. His words might be too arrogant for others, but she didn't care. She had been trimming his hair for eight months, and they had acted like strangers to each other the entire time.

So the fact that Valerian was now flirting with her over the phone?

It was like winning a million dollars again and again and again, and Poppy's giddiness was such that all she could do was speak the truth. "The latter?"

A moment passed, and Poppy couldn't help smiling as she heard him groan exactly the way his half-sister did.

"Have you no guile at all?"

"Uh—-"

"Never mind. The fact that you have to think about it is answer enough."

"I'm sorry?"

"Don't be. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've just realized that it's what I like the most about you."

Poppy started pinching herself. He likes me? That was what he said. Wasn't it?

Chapter Thirteen

VALERIAN WAS ON EDGE.

A week had passed since news of political upheaval in Risto had broken out. All eyes had been on him since, but while Valerian had succeeded in keeping his activities under wraps, it was not without cost.

For so many years now, the world had been fascinated and mystified by his seeming passion for extreme sports. Many had assumed it was a whim of his, but nothing could be farther from the truth.

Bungee jumping, cliff diving, and the like had been Valerian's way of keeping his sanity while working under pressure. And even though not everyone in the corporate world had thought his activities appropriate, Valerian could afford to ignore whatever they had to say.

In the past, he still had everyone's respect and billions of dollars at his disposal.

But now, he had neither.

All the enemies he had made had crawled out of the woodwork and were now gleefully scrutinizing and criticizing his every move. If it was Valerian alone who stood to lose from his company's bankruptcy, he wouldn't have given a fuck about what people thought of him.

But that was not the case at all.

Thousands depended on him for their livelihoods. There were also a handful of investors and stockholders who had felt the need to show their support for him, even though Valerian had never asked them to do so.

For these people's sakes, Valerian had striven hard to do what was proper and expected of a "staid" businessman. But with each passing day, he had also felt his control slipping more and more.

Heather had forced him to see his old therapist, but the latter hadn't anything new to say.

I warned you about this years ago, Mr. Rossfield. Not all coping mechanisms are sustainable in the long run. Our goal must be to overcome what's holding us back instead of finding ways to live with it.

Valerian had felt he was near breaking point after that...until he realized there was one last thing he had yet to try.

Poppy.

Within moments of speaking to her, the incessant buzzing in his mind had gone silent, and a sense of almost miraculous peace slowly settled over him. The sound of her voice alone was unexpectedly soothing, and when she unconsciously spoke her erroneous thoughts out loud?

'He likes me.'

Valerian stunned himself by actually having to hide his amusement with a cough upon hearing his words. For the entire fucking week, all he had known were anger and bitterness. All he had been able to think of was how to save his company.

But within minutes of talking to Poppy, everything had changed.

"Thank you, Poppy."

"F-For what?"

"For thinking I like you."

A thud immediately followed his words, and Valerian could easily imagine what this meant. "Did you fall off your bed?"

"N-No!"

So damn bad at lying, Valerian thought.

It was another thing he liked about her, but it was also why he heard himself ask, "Why?"

"I'm sorry." Poppy's tone was full of dismay. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot. Of course, you don't—-"

"It's not that." And he wasn't lying. Any man would end up liking Poppy. He knew that now. But what he couldn't get was the other side of the coin. "I'm asking why...me."

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