The main living area is large and open, with plush carpets, white walls, and a variety of large, beautiful paintings. A gorgeous stained-glass picture of a Maori goddess by local artist Marama Cavendish hangs in one window, casting colored patterns across the floor.
The rest of the family is here, sitting on the light-gray sofa and chairs, chatting as they wait for us to arrive. “Here she is,” Marcus says as we walk in, and he gets up to greet me, sliding his arm around my waist.
“Hello,” I say to Caesar, who responds with a smile and a wink. I hope Marcus has asked him not to mention my request.
“Hey, Wren!” Aurelia gets up to give me a hug. She looks very different today, young and pretty in navy cut-downs and a white top, and with her red hair piled on top of her head, curls tumbling around her face like a Greek goddess.
I shiver at Marcus’s touch on my waist, and he murmurs in my ear. “Are you cold? Can I get you a sweater?”
“N-no, I’m okay, thanks.”
He kisses my cheek, and my blush deepens. Cece spots it, and something like surprise flickers on her brow. Oh God. She’sguessed that I’m not used to his touch. She knows something’s awry.
Don’t panic, I tell myself, but it’s impossible not to. If his parents find out this marriage is fake, they’ll assume it’s because I’m after his money. The thought of upsetting them like that fills me with horror. The sooner we draw up the prenup, the better.
It’s not about money at all, I remind myself. We’re both getting something out of this. A baby. Marcus told me to keep thinking about the child, and that’s what I’m going to do. God willing that I can get pregnant, Marcus will have his heir, Edward will have his legacy, and I’ll have a child. It’ll be a permanent, beautiful by-product of a messy situation, and providing I can keep my heart intact, all this will have been worth it.
Chapter Nine
Marcus
“Glass of wine, Wren?” Dad asks. “The sun’s over the yard arm.”
“Ooh, yes please,” she says, lowering onto the sofa, “that would be lovely.”
I ask for half a glass as I’m driving. While Dad pours and tops up everyone else’s, I say, “I’m glad you’re all here. Wren and I have something to tell you.”
Mum’s eyebrows rise. Aurelia stares at us. Dad passes Wren her glass, then pushes mine over to me, looking curious.
“We’re engaged,” I announce.
I’ve already told Caesar and Aurelia, because I wanted to make sure they didn’t comment negatively when I announced it, but my parents both look completely shocked.
Then, all at once, they burst into a cacophony of exclamations and cheers.
“Congratulations!” Mum comes over and flings her arms around Wren, who laughs. Aurelia squeals and jumps up to hug me, then Wren. Dad looks a mixture of stunned, thrilled, and amused, and comes over to kiss Wren on the cheek, then shake my hand.
“I asked her a couple of days ago,” I tell them, “but it was off the cuff, and I didn’t have a ring. So… I’d like to do it properly now.” I stand and slide my hand into my jeans pocket, and extract a black velvet box. Then I turn to Wren and lower down onto one knee as I open the box.
“I know this isn’t exactly an Instagram proposal,” I say, looking into her eyes. “But will you marry me?”
Behind me, I hear my mother inhale, and Aurelia murmurs, “Oh my God, wow.”
Wren stares at the ring. I bought it this morning. It’s a public holiday, so the shops are shut, but a friend owns a chain of jewelry stores and opened one especially so I could browse in peace.
The ring is platinum, the four-carat round diamond resting in an attractive setting that looks like a flower. There were bigger diamonds in the shop, but even this one will overwhelm her, and besides, I liked it and thought it suited her.
The silence stretches out, and I glance over at Caesar, sitting beside her, who lifts his eyebrows.
“Wren?” I murmur. “It’s customary to say something at this point.”
She lifts her gaze to mine. “Is it real?”
My mother says, “Awww.”
I take it out of the box and hold it out so Wren can look at it more closely. “Marry me,” I say softly.
She’s breathing fast, and her face is flushed. But she finally brings her gaze up to look me in the eyes. Then she nods, her lips curving up.
