Beautiful Revenge (A Good Wife #1) - Sienna Blake Page 0,52
it was him. I only told you because you just looked so terrified at his intentions. I know you can keep a secret.”
I nod, my head spinning.
I’m in a daze as I make my way home after dropping off the food I brought. How am I supposed to act now when I see him?
My heart is softened towards him. But I can’t reveal that I know.
This proves he still cares for me. Dimitri still cares. Underneath his cold, ruthless armour, he is still the warm, caring soul I love. He’s just a wounded animal lashing out in pain. I just have to find a way to open his heart. I have to find a way to bring the old Dimitri out. I won’t give up on him.
I arrive home forty minutes later. One of the maids opens the front door of Worthington Manor for me. I rush past, throwing my light coat and scarf in her arms. “Is Mr Wolf in?”
“Yes, miss. He’s in the formal living room, but—”
“Thank you,” I call over my shoulder.
I burst into the living room, a stately room centred around a low antique table, enough seating for over a dozen. I come to a halt. Dimitri is here, yes. So are Emily and my husband.
“Ah, Alena,” Edgar says, “you’re here. We have some wonderful news.”
I glance at Dimitri. He looks stern and a little pale as he sits next to Emily, but it doesn’t take away from his beauty. I yearn to run to him, throw my arms around him and thank him for what he did for those children. I can’t. For so many reasons.
“Really?” I say. “What news?”
Emily curls her arm through Dimitri’s. “We’re engaged.”
44
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Alena
Engaged.
I let out a laugh. “Be serious.”
Emily looks a little miffed. She forces a smile, pressing closer to Dimitri’s side. “I am.”
It’s then that I notice how close they’re sitting. Their bodies pressed side by side. Cold realisation travels through me like a deadly frost.
This is a joke.
A nightmare.
A mistake.
My gaze snaps to Dimitri’s face. “Dimitri? Is this true?” He won’t look at me. I see his insides churning even from here. I remember the way he looked down at me last night, how the fear stole across his face and he leapt back as if I had burned him. Oh God. What has he done?
“Of course it’s true,” Emily says.
My head spins. I can’t say a thing. I am too much in shock. I grip onto the sides of my dress because I need something to hang on to.
Dimitri looks at me. “I know Emily looks upon you as a sister. That’ll make me your new brother, won’t it?”
My brother. His words are a direct attack. They pierce me through my chest.
He has not forgiven me. He is not done making me suffer.
“Won’t you congratulate us, Alena?” he says, his words soaked in bitter triumph.
I force a smile even though my heart is breaking. “Congratulations.” What a sham this engagement is. They won’t go through with it. They can’t. “When is the happy day?”
“In four weeks,” says Emily, beaming up to Dimitri.
Four weeks.
Oh God. He means to go through with it. Just to hurt me? Or…has he really fallen for Emily?
I swallow down the ball of thorns in my throat. I stagger over to the closest chair and sit. “Sorry,” I say, my hand pressed to my stomach, “I’m just overwhelmed with the news. This is all so sudden.”
“Actually,” Dimitri’s voice is cold, “it’s been inevitable for some time.”
This was his plan all along. He manipulated his way into our lives, he seduced Emily in front of me. This was all to hurt me. This was all for revenge.
Anger thunders through me. Well, let him ruin his own life if he wants. Let him marry a woman he doesn’t love. At least he won’t be around here anymore.
I choose my words carefully. “Four weeks. I see. Then you’ll move to London, I suspect.”
Dimitri smiles, patting his fiancée’s hand. “I’m sure Emily won’t be in a hurry to leave her childhood home. We’ll stay here until we find a suitable house nearby.”
“Nearby?” I choke out.
“Of course.” His eyes glitter with triumph. “We wouldn’t want to move away. We’re all going to be one big, happy family, after all.”
Dear God. My nightmare is not over. It’s barely begun.
45
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Alena
I corner Dimitri alone in the corridor in front of his guest room. I grab his arm and swing him to face me. “You can’t do this. You can’t marry her.”