Page 35

My brows arched in shock, my breath hitching in my throat.

He couldn’t possibly be serious. Could he?

I fixed my gaze on him while he drove, eyes across the windshield.

Why would he lie about where we were going?

It wasn’t like he was afraid of me or anything.

Nik wasn’t the type to kid around, hence I’d have thought this was some sort of elaborate joke.

It wasn’t.

He was goddamn serious.

The annual Tarasov family gathering? For real?

Instantly, my heart began to race in my chest, my mind cooking up scenarios that may or may not happen. What happened to his precious fiancée? Why not take her instead, considering that his family hated mine and vice versa?

Shit. This was not good at all.

I’d be the odd one out, the enemy. And although my plan was to try as much as possible to stay hidden, that was virtually impossible now. I’d be a Romano amongst a lot of Tarasovs. There was no way I could be invisible, not with this baby bump that would for sure draw unwanted attention.

Dang it, I’m fucked.

***

The air was filled with the gentle hum of conversations and the occasional clinking of glasses.

Soft classical music wafted through the air, performed by a live band at a corner.

Impeccably dressed men and women of the Tarasov family mingled with one another, their light laughs filling the atmosphere.

As we walked amongst them, I felt the shift in the air and the lingering gazes that followed.

Eyes tracked us from every corner of the room, hushed murmurs rising from our spectators.

I could see the shock in their eyes, the hatred, and, of course, the condemnation.

They made it clear with their intimidating gazes that I was not welcome here, but none of them had the courage to say anything.

How could they when I had Nik by my side?

To my surprise, he reached out discreetly and slipped his fingers between mine, locking them in place. The moment he did that, I felt like I was no longer alone, like he had my back. I heaved a sigh and raised my chin, my confidence boosted by a fraction.

We hadn’t gone deep into the room when I heard it—a familiar voice calling out to me. “Alessia?”

I paused in my tracks, and Nik did, too. We looked at each other, surprised that someone in the Tarasov family had called out to me like they were familiar with me.

My brows arched in disbelief the moment I turned around and saw my caller. “Scarlett?” A scoff left my lips.

“Oh, my God, it is you !” She laughed, hurrying up to meet me. Her eyes darted to my belly, and her smile widened. “And you’re in a family way.” Scarlett chuckled and embraced me.

“Scarlett, what a pleasant surprise,” I declared, wrapping my arms around her, relieved to have run into her.

The last time I saw her, she was about to get married to Liam Callahan, a charming prince who was perfect for her. But wait a minute, what was she doing at a Tarasov family gathering, then?

Scarlett let go of me and faced my plus one. “Hey, Nik,” she greeted him with a warm, knowing smile.

“Scarlett.” He gave a courteous nod as he hugged her respectfully.

“You two know each other?” I asked, my gaze shifting across the two of them.

Scarlett laughed. “Of course. He's my husband’s cousin,” she replied.

My eyes widened in shock and bewilderment, my head tilting to the side. “Your husband’s cousin?” I repeated, seeking clarity.

“Yes. Daniel Tarasov,” she replied, but her response still left me in the dark.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Nik said, his eyes meeting mine for a second before he dematerialized.

I turned to face Scarlett, my curiosity piqued. “Okay, start talking,” I demanded an explanation.

A waiter dressed halted beside us, offering a tray of champagne and canapés.

“No, thank you,” I said, waving a hand in dismissal.

“You sure?” Scarlett asked me, reaching for a glass on the tray. “The canapés are really good.” She gestured toward the food.

“I’m okay,” I replied, eyes fixed on her.

As the waiter moved along, she took a sip from her glass, savoring the flavor dancing on her tongue.

I leaned in, hushing my voice. “Scarlett, how are you married to Daniel Tarasov? I thought Liam Callahan was supposed to be your husband?” My eyes darted around to be sure no one was listening in on our conversation.

“He was,” she said, her tone casual and unbothered.

“Then, what happened?” I asked, curiosity flickering in my eyes.

“Let’s just say I dodged a bullet,” she replied, sipping her drink again.

I pulled my head back, slightly scratching my eyebrows. “Okay, I’m confused.”

She heaved a sigh. “A lot has happened since the last time we met.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” I said, watching her closely.

“A lot has changed on your side, too,” she said, her eyes dropping to my stomach, with a beautiful smile playing on her lips. Scarlett paused for a second, then began. “I thought Liam was the one for me; I truly believed so. But I guess life had a different plan for me—a better one.”

“Daniel Tarasov is a better plan?” I asked, my tone laced with a hint of disdain. “No offense,” I added almost immediately.

Scarlett laughed lightly. “None taken.”

I studied her for a while, and in all sincerity, she looked happy. I judged her husband, condemned him, because of his last name, whereas my old friend was happily married to him.

She drew closer and held my hand. “They’re not all monsters, you know?”

I shot my head up, confusion setting in as I tried to process what the hell was going on here.

“The Tarasov men have a twisted way of doing things. They have an even more twisted way of getting a woman—a wife,” she continued, her eyes never leaving mine. “It’s not a conventional method, but it works for them and the women they take, too.”

I squinted, cocking my head to the side. “Did…did he take you against your will…your husband?”

“Yep.” She nodded, her smile widening. “Right there on the altar where the priest was supposed to join Liam and me in holy matrimony.”

I withdrew my hands from hers, placing a palm on my forehead. “I…I don’t understand. How are you cool with this? How did you end up…happy?”

She closed the distance between us and reclaimed my hands. “Time.”

I raised my brows. “Time?”

She nodded. “I realized that as cruel and ruthless as my husband was, he loved me, and I learned to love him too.” She let the words sink in for a moment, her gaze dropping to my belly. “Nik is the father, isn’t he?”

I swallowed hard, then nodded.

Her lips curled into a warm smile, fingers squeezing against mine.

“I know you’re afraid, and you might even hate him.

I know I did; I hated my husband at first.” A light chuckle escaped her lips.

“But these men…they don’t joke with their family, Alessia.

And one of the things I’ve noticed by hanging around them is that when a child is involved, it changes the entire narrative of their story.

” She beamed at me, her hand resting on my belly.

For some reason, I felt a sense of calm wash over me.

Her words matched those of Olga’s, and now, I was starting to see why the maid was so confident in her claims. Scarlett’s happiness melted my heart, especially because she found it with a Tarasov, not the man she thought she’d end up with. How ironic.

But was that going to be the case for me? Did Nik really have my happiness at heart?

Just then, the sudden clicking of a spoon against a glass turned heads toward the center of the room. “Everyone, can I have your attention, please?” Nik began, standing tall, absorbing the gazes lingering on him.

My heart stuttered as all conversation died. A hush swept over the gathering like a collective intake of breath.

“I have an important announcement to make,” he said, shifting his gaze in my direction for just a second before looking away. “I’ve been told that I’m getting old and that it’s high I found a wife.”

The crowd broke into a collective chuckle, soft and hushed.

“Well, I’m here to tell you all that I have found my missing rib,” he continued, his voice low and even.

My breath ceased, and I lowered my head in shame, unable to bear the thought that he brought me here only to humiliate me. If he knew he was going to announce Helen as his wife, why bother bringing me out here?

While I was busy wallowing in defeat, I heard it. Loud. Clear. Unmistakably.

“Alessia Romano will be my wife,” he declared.

What?! My eyes widened, and I raised my head just in time to meet his gaze.

“She’s carrying my child—my son,” he added, looking right at me with an expression so soft that it charged my tear glands.

Silence fell.

A thick, stunned silence that made even the chandeliers hold their breaths.

I stood there, rooted in place, blinking once. Twice. Maybe this was a joke—a rather expensive one, at that. But the more I looked into those blue eyes of his, the more I realized just how real this was.

He chose me.

Nik chose me.

Olga was right all along, as was Scarlett.

My heart raced in my slowly heaving chest, and my eyes misted as I stared at him. It was as though the world around us was starting to fade into the background, leaving just the two of us.

I could hear the murmurs amongst the crowd, could hear their disapproval. But none of that mattered. Nik chose me, and that meant that I got to raise my child as his wife.

Still stunned, I could only stare at him—eyes wide, lips parted, heart thudding in disbelief. One word echoed through my mind, over and over. What?

A wind of relief blew across my face, and with each passing second, my heartbeat steadied. In that moment, I saw it, something I’d never seen before—Nik’s genuine smile, directed toward me.