Claiming My Bride of Convenience

‘Seriously, Daisy...’

‘I invested it,’ I told him. ‘And the profits will allow me to repay you and keep some for myself.’

He shook his head slowly, as if he couldn’t believe I was clever enough to have done such a thing, or courageous enough to ask him for an annulment. But I was both, and I was proud of it.

His jaw hardened and he folded his arms. ‘I don’t wish to have an annulment.’

‘That’s too bad for you, then, isn’t it?’

His eyes flashed dangerously. I knew I shouldn’t have provoked him like that, but I wasn’t having this high-handed manner now.

‘Our agreement was clear, Matteo. I could have the marriage annulled at any time, as long as I gave the money back. You just never thought I would.’

His lips tightened. ‘It i

s exceedingly inconvenient for me to have our marriage annulled.’

‘Oh, dear,’ I mocked. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘Don’t, Daisy.’

‘How about you don’t—don’t stand in my way? I’m the one abiding by our agreement, Matteo, not you.’

Matteo shook his head slowly from side to side, as if trying to clear it. Then he shook it more forcefully.

‘This is ridiculous. What on earth are you going to do once our marriage is annulled? Where will you go?’

‘Actually, I intend to stay on Amanos.’

‘What?’ He stared at me in scathing disbelief. ‘Not in my house.’

‘No, of course not. I’ll rent a place in the village.’ I’d already seen one—a small, whitewashed one-bedroom cottage that was reasonable.

‘Why, if you intend to stay on Amanos, can’t you stay married to me?’

I didn’t reply, and Matteo’s eyes narrowed.

‘Have you met someone else? Are you having an affair?’

‘That’s rich, coming from you.’

Matteo’s affairs were plastered all over the tabloids, which was the whole reason I was meant to be invisible.

‘Are you, Daisy?’

He looked furious, which was entirely unfair.

‘As it happens, no, I am not.’

Something in my tone must have given me away because understanding flashed in his eyes like lightning.

‘But you wish to?’

‘No, actually. I have no desire to have seedy, sordid affairs the way you do,’ I retorted.

‘What, then?’

I shook my head, regretting having said anything about it. ‘Let’s focus on the annulment.’