The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife

"Do you take that long to get dressed?"Billy's toneless, wrathful voice burst out at me. Callum was standing by the doorway of the bedroom, flipping his watch over for the third time. He didn't even glance at me in the mirror where I was sliding between me and the last pin in my hair."I just wished to be correct for this evening," I panted, smoothing the silver evening dress I'd picked hours ago. My hands trembled as I smoothed the material, wishing he'd notice."You could put on a sack and it would make no difference," he growled, tightening his cufflinks. "No one cares about you."My throat closed. "You're married to me. You'll be sitting next to me. They'll be looking at us."That, he actually looked at me in the mirror. His eyes were piercing, bordering on sarcasm. "Don't deceive yourself, Zephyrine. You're here with me only because I was thrust into matrimony. Had Evangeline been ready sooner, we wouldn't even be having this conversation."I remained there. My mouth fell open,

It was quiet on the drive home from my father's house, but not a calm kind of quiet. Callum had insisted on going even though I hadn't wanted to. As his wife, he said, it was my responsibility to stop declining family dinners. It had been painful to be there. Evangeline found every opportunity to talk down at me, and my father's cold gaze never left my face. For the majority of the evening, Callum remained silent, only speaking when my father questioned him about business. I tried to hold back my tears as I gazed out the window of the car. My hands were shaking uncontrollably in my lap, and my chest felt heavy. Callum's grip on the steering wheel was tense, his jaw clenched as if he was biting something back.When we got home, I didn't wait for him. I opened the door and got out quickly, then stepped in. My heels clicked on the floor, too loud in the silent house. My heart pounding with anger, fuming with every step.By the time Callum closed the door, I was already waiting in the l

I spent my first divorce morning in my grandfather's study. The thick drapes were half drawn, letting in a beam of light across the papers piled high on the desk. Grandfather, Edmund Hale, read from a sheet of paper, his glasses low on the bridge of his nose.I shifted in my chair, rolling my hands into fists. My own body remained limp from the hospital, but the child inside me was the only reason I kept going.He set down the paper and looked at me. "Zephyrine." His voice was soft, but it carried with it importance."Yes, Grandfather?"He leaned back in his chair. "The doctor came to see me. You're pregnant."My chest tightened. I looked down at my lap. "Yes. I didn't mean to keep it from you. I just… I wasn't ready to say the words myself."He took a breath, then stood up and moved around the desk. His hand settled lightly on my shoulder. "You are bearing life, my dear. That child—no, those children—are part of my blood as well. And I will not let anyone harm them. Do you hear me?"

The flight to Eldoria was long, but I barely slept at all. I kept my hand on my stomach. With each bump of the plane, I held my breath, reassuring the babies inside me that it would be all right.Grandfather sat beside me, serene as ever. He was wearing his glasses, and he had a stack of papers in front of him. He was even doing some work on a flight.Grandfather," I spoke quietly. "Do you ever cease reading?"He removed his glasses a little, gazing at me. "Do you ever stop fretting?"I looked down hastily. "I can't help it."He sighed and laid the papers down. "Zephyrine, you must rest. Your body belongs to more than just yourself now.""I know," I breathed.He reached over and covered my hand with his. "We're going to Eldoria to start anew. You're going to study; you're going to learn; and you're going to get ready. That's all you need to concern yourself with for now."I nodded, trying to push away the storm of memories from Aurelia. ---When we reached Eldoria, the air felt diffe

I was sitting in my office the following morning, staring at the stack of files I had no enthusiasm to read. My phone buzzed nonstop with calls from the board and from Evangeline, but I did not respond to any of them.There was only one call I was waiting for.At last, the investigator phoned.I answered immediately. "What do you have?"A hesitation, then the man said, "Bronson, you're not going to like this. She's in Eldoria. Visiting her grandfather.""I knew that already," I snapped. "Tell me something I don't know."The man sighed. "There is breaking news this morning. It's all over Eldoria. Edmund Hale held a private ceremony. Your ex-wife… she is no longer Zephyrine Wilder."My fist tightened on the phone. "What do you mean?""She's been legally registered as Zephyrine Hale. She's been made his heir."I couldn't catch my breath for a moment.Zephyrine Hale.It sounded strange, and yet somehow fit her better than Wilder ever had.The detective went on talking. "Pictures of the ce