Chapter 13
ANNA S POV
“So you‘ re saying we are going to
you’re
announce that Caden and I are divorced?” I was asking Nate.
“Yes, Anna. It’s the best way to convince everyone that we’re a legitimate couple. We need to let them know you’re completely free from Caden in order for our plan to work. And we are going to do it on our wedding day”
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I‘ d be divorcing one man and getting married. to another so quickly. “I… I guess I am a divorcee now, aren’t I?”
Nate chuckled, his hand moving to rest on the small of my back. “That’s right, sweetheart. You’re a free woman now.” He paused, his brow furrowing slightly. “Although, I suppose there is one little. matter we haven’t discussed yet.”
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“What matter?” I asked cautiously, my gaze searching his face.
Nate’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “The baby, of course. What do you plan to do when Caden finds out?”
I immediately protectively covered my still flat stomach. “He won’t find out,” I said firmly. “He doesn’t deserve to know and even if he somehow found out, this baby is mine, and I’ll raise it all on my own.”
Nate’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but then his expression softened into. something that seemed like admiration. “You know, Anna, I have to say I’m impressed. You really are one tough cookie, aren’t you?”
“Well, I’ve had to be, haven’t I? After everything Caden has put me through, I’m not about to let him come back into my life. and try to take this away from me too.”
got a
Nate nodded. “Now, come on – we’ve go family function to attend tonight, and I
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can’t wait to introduce you to everyone the
soon to be Mrs. Powers.”
I was a little bit uneasy on hearing that though. I had never met Nate’s family before, what if they didn’t like or accept me?. “How long is this arrangement of ours going to last, Nate?” I asked cautiously.
He shrugged, a nonchalant grin spreading across his face. “As long as it needs to, sweetheart. We’re not going to draw up any contracts or anything like that – we’re just going to get married for real, and then when it’s all over, we’ll get a divorce.”
I nodded slowly, my gaze dropping to the floor. “I see.” A part of me couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed at the thought of it all being just an act, but I pushed the feeling aside. This was just for a moment.
Nate reached out, his finger gently tilting my chin up so that our eyes met. “Hey, don’t look so glum,” he said, in a soft voice.“This is your chance to start over, to be free from Caden and everything he’s put
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you through. Isn’t that what you want?”
“Yes. Yes, that’s exactly what I want.”
Later that evening, I lingered a little more on the full length mirror admiring my reflection and the perfect black evening dress Nate had picked out for me. That guy had taste for real. My nervousness was out the window and I was starting to even feel giddy for real.
A soft knock on the door broke the silence, and I turned to find Nate standing there, a mischievous grin plastered across his handsome face. “Well, well, don’t you look stunning,” he said, appreciatively raising a brow.
“Thank you” I said quietly as he grew closer.“You do not look so bad yourself.”
Nate’s lips curled into a small smile, and before I could react, his hands were reaching up to gently gather my hair and twist it into a ponytail. “There,” he muttered, his fingers brushing against the
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nape of my neck. “You look even prettier like this with your gorgeous hair up.”
I couldn’t help but smile, a flutter of warmth spreading through my chest. There was just something sexy about a man brushing your hair, braiding it or just trying to fix it in a style.
“Careful, Nate,” I teased. “Keep this up, and I might start to get a little diabetes from all that sweetness.”
He chuckled, his hands coming to rest on my shoulders as he gave me a gentle squeeze. “Well, you better get used to it, Mrs. Powers. Because this is just the beginning.”
I wasn’t Mrs Powers yet but that just felt about right. Anna Powers. Sweet.
With that, he stepped back, offering me hist arm. “Shall we?”
I slipped my hand through the crook of his elbow. “Let’s do this,”
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My earlier excitement died down. immediately we reached his parent‘ s mansion and it was replaced with a bit of nerves. There, sitting beside Nate’s parents, was Sophie and two older people who I assumed were her parents. Uh, what were they doing there?
I was beginning to feel out of place.
Nate spoke up, looking as confused as I was. “Mom, Dad, I thought this was a family function? What is Sophie and her family doing here”
Nate’s dad shot him a look. “Come sit down Nathaniel and do not be
disrespectful. The Marinos are our family at this point.”
Nate must have sensed my discomfort, because he leaned in and whispered. “Ignore them. Just focus on me, okay?”
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to nod as we took our seats.
“Nathaniel,” his mother said, her voice
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clear with barely concealed disapproval. “Who is this guest of yours?”
Nate straightened his shoulders, a confident smile spreading across his face. “Mother, Father, this is the woman I’m going to marry–Anna Johnson.”
The reaction was immediate – Sophie’s eyes. went wide, and Nate’s parents exchanged a look of utter bewilderment. “Marry?” his father scoffed. “Nathaniel, surely you can’t be serious.”
Nate’s grip on my arm grew firmer, and I could feel the tension radiating from him. “I am very serious, Father. Anna and I are going to be married, and I’d appreciate it if you could at least try to be civil.”
His parents exchanged another look, and I could how irritated they were.
“Nate, this is simply unacceptable,” his mother snapped, her gaze fixed on me. “This woman is not good enough for our family. You will take her and leave at once.
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Your future wife is already sitting here and that’s Sophie Marino, you got that?.”
I should have known that this wouldn’t be
easy that the Powers family would never accept me as one of their own.
.
Nate’s jaw tightened, and I could see the anger burning in his eyes. “Mother, Father, I’m not asking for your permission, I’m giving you guys an invite to the wedding. Anna and I are getting married, whether you like it or not.”
