Beautiful Revenge (A Good Wife #1) - Sienna Blake Page 0,42
he didn’t go that far. I sag at this reprieve. Only for a second.
Emily’s watching me. “Don’t you want me to be happy?”
Your happiness is a lie. “Of course I do…”
“Why can’t you be happy about me and Dimitri?”
How can I, when I know that her crush on Dimitri is wrong? Oh, sweet girl, if you only knew. What do I say when the truth will only destroy us both? “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Emily’s lips press together. “I have to get ready.” She shoves the blankets off her and strides to my door, her knee-length flannel nightgown flaring behind her.
“Emily,” I sit up, “come back.”
She slams the door behind her.
34
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Alena
By the time I get down to breakfast, there is only my place setting left. I sit, my eyes unfocused on the cream and rose wallpaper that dresses the breakfast room.
Coffee is set down in front of me with such a clatter that it spills onto the saucer.
I look up with a start. Mrs Bates is hovering at my shoulder.
She never serves us breakfast. Even if she did, she never serves me. She always sends one of the younger maids to do that.
She’s glaring at me, something menacing in her crow-black eyes. My stomach flips. She leans in, her eyes narrowing. “I saw you last night. You and Mr Wolf.”
The blood drains from my face. She saw him kiss me. She followed us out to the balcony.
Despite the way my insides are screaming, I inject the most apathy I can into my voice. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You looked pretty cosy dancing with him.”
I almost sag into my chair. Thank God. She didn’t see the kiss. “It’s a dance. You have to get pretty close to your dance partner to dance.” I pick up my coffee and shoot her a snide look. “Not that you’d know, seeing as nobody would want to dance with an old crone like you.”
She scowls at me. “You think you’re so clever. I see the way you look at him when you don’t think anyone’s watching. I see the way he looks at you. You never notice me watching, do you? Well, I see. There’s something going on. When I get proof I’m going to take it straight to your husband.”
I stiffen. “Even if you do get proof of whatever you think is going on, what do you hope will happen when you run to Edgar? That he’ll leave me and marry you?” I let out a curt laugh. “You’re dreaming.”
“You are a spiteful, hateful child. You don’t deserve Edgar.”
“He is Mr Worthington to you. Don’t forget, you’re just the help. I’m his wife.”
“Not for long.”
I snort. Even though I am panicking inside. I shove the saucer and cup at her. “The coffee is cold. Go get me another one.” Steam is still rising from the black liquid.
“Mark my words, Alena,” she hisses, “I will find out what’s going on.” She snatches the coffee cup and shoots me a final glare before striding away, chin held high.
I sink into my chair along with my hope. What am I going to do?
35
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Alena
Dimitri kissed Emily.
He did it to hurt me.
Just to hurt me.
And oh, how he has hurt me. I am a throbbing wreck of pain. I need to stanch the blood flow. I need to cauterise these wounds. I tuck my grief away into the wooden box deep in my mind; I’ve gotten good at this. Later I can deal with this grief, this final loss of hope. Not today.
Today I need to force Dimitri out.
When I sneak into Dimitri’s bedroom after dinner, making sure I’m not seen, he’s standing by the side cabinet pouring himself a drink.
His eyes darken when he sees me, rejection flashing in them like lightning. “What do you want?”
I close the door behind me and walk towards him, my steps shaky. My hands are clammy and I have to keep wiping them on my skirt. I have to stay strong. “I’m here to ask you, no…to beg you—”
“Alena Ivanova is begging me?” Dimitri leans against the wall, a cruel glint in his eyes. He lifts his drink to the air as if to salute me. “Do go on.”
“Please,” my voice warbles, “leave.”
“Leave this room?” he asks with mock surprise.
Bastard. He knows very well what I’m asking. “Leave this house. Do business with my husband if you must, but please, leave me,” and Emily, “alone.”
He stares at me, the right side of his lip lifting in