Her breath caught on a sob and Feraz’s chest squeezed with yearning to hold her and tell her it would be all right. He clenched his hands at his sides and stared down at the top of her lowered head. “And you, Isabella. What did you want out of all this?”
She gave a sad little shrug. “I guess I just wanted to do right by my mom. And to make you happy. To give you the children you wanted and deserved. I never ever meant to hurt you, Feraz.”
Unable to resist any longer, he reached out and slipped a finger under the chin, tilting her head up and forcing her to meet his gaze. “Just tell me one thing. Is what happened between us the other night part of your plan? Was it all a deception?”
“No.” The fierceness in her green eyes matched her solemn tone. “No. What I feel for you is real. I love you Feraz. I’ve always loved you, even though you never noticed me. I only want the best for you and for your children.”
Feraz leaned closer to her, his fingers tracing from her jaw to cup her cheek. “Our children, rohi. I love you too, Isabella. I should have picked you from the start. I know that now. I was foolish and stupid, and I should have never let you get away. Can you ever forgive me?”
Tears glimmered in her gorgeous green eyes and he held his breath, waiting for her answer. “It’s me who should beg your forgiveness. I should never have lied to you or your family. I should have been honest from the start. I should have told you from—”
He bent and kissed her, cutting off her response.
All around them were cheers and sighs of happiness from his family.
When they broke apart at last, Isabella buried her face in his chest, ever embarrassed by all the attention. He loved her even more for it. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. “Good. That’s settled. Now how will we deal with the rest of this mess, eh? I don’t want to cause you any more stress than necessary until you give birth, but the press will be relentless if they get wind of this story.”
“I have an idea…” she said quietly. “It was my mother’s, actually.”
Feraz rolled his eyes. “I’m sure I won’t like this.”
“No, I think you will.” Isabella smiled. “It took me a while to figure out what her last words to me meant, but I finally did on the long flight back. There was a reason she named my sister and I the same thing, just reversed. She said she was looking out for the future, and she was right. There’s no reason the press has to know at all. We can just tell them that I’ve decided to go by my middle name of Isabella because I want a clean break with my past and to show respect to my dearly departed sister.”
The idea was solid, and would most likely work in the long run, but Feraz didn’t want her to make such a sacrifice without considering it all. “But won’t that bother you? Having people still think you’re Roxanne?”
“But they won’t, not after a while anyway.” She slipped her arms around his waist and held him closer, as if she couldn’t get enough of him. He knew the feeling. Her rounded belly pressed against him and he felt the babies kick inside her. Happiness bubbled up inside Feraz and he couldn’t help smiling. “The public’s memories are short. I’ll live my life as me, Isabella, and soon that’s all people will remember. Will that work for you?”
He hugged her tighter, so thankful for all the joy she’d brought to his life in such a short time. She’d given him back his future and he loved her more ea
ch day for it. “That will more than work for me.” He kissed her again. “This means you will remain my wife and stay with me forever?”
“It does.” She grinned up at him. “I love you, Feraz Nazrani.”
“And I love you, Isabella Germain.”
He kissed her, his wife, his soul, his future.
His forever.
End of The Sheikh’s Pregnant Fake Wife