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 my hands fell to my side.

on the back of the couch

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

“Yes, Grandma.”

around the couch. She’d cleared a spot for me right next to her,

on me, even though his father was clearly trying to catch his attention,

really have a choice

My grandmother wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close with a proud smile.

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

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

nice to meet you,” I smiled brightly

about your engagement,”

“Thank you.”

ask Gretchen anything about her

Chapter 19

of Corinna interrupted. I tried my best not to roll my eyes at the sound of her

she was happy to see me as she and Ashton approached.

frowning at their appearance. “This is my

Maelyn

cold.

half-sister,” I told her, innocently. “She’s the daughter

us. “But you are of similar ages? Maelyn did not pass

seemed to dawn in her

said, simply, the disapproval in

complicated,” Corinna giggled nervously, her arm wrapped around Ashton’s. “But Addie and I get along

do?” Gretchen asked me, looking

my wedding, didn’t you, Addie?” Corinna smirked at me. “She’s very supportive of

not really feeling as angry as I thought I would. I still had no intention of being her maid of honor, no matter how

today. Or I was different.

mind kept going back to Damon and the texts he sent me all night until I fell asleep.

did had to admit, his teasing was always harmless.

Corinna, who didn’t know how to stop, Damon never went far enough that

Chapter 19

wife, that’s what

truly honest, I couldn’t

was also intelligent and always stood