Page 126 of Bride By Coronation

"It can! Whatever he's holding over you to have made you marry him?—"

"He didn't make me marry him! I did it with my own free will. He's a good man. You'll see. Once you get to know him?—"

"Get to know him? No! Fiona, you need to leave him," she insists.

Tears drip off my chin. I sniffle and shake my head. "Mom, I'm not leaving him. Not now, or ever."

She gasps. "Don't say that."

Silence ensues for a few moments.

She begs, "Fiona, tell me where you are. Please."

I glance at Kirill.

He studies me intently with concern shining in his eyes.

I reply, "I'll be in Chicago at some point tonight. I assume you'll be there?"

"Damn right, we'll be there," she spouts.

"I'll see you when I'm back," I inform her.

"Fiona, please. You don't know what he's capable of," she warns.

Hurt, guilt, and anger explode within me. I snap back, "Don't accuse him of things he hasn't or wouldn't do. It's not fair."

"He's a Petrov!" she exclaims.

I lift my chin, finding a new strength within me. "Yes. And he's my husband. So you will need to accept his last name, get to know him for the person he is, and not blame him for whatever his relatives have done."

She fearfully stutters, "Y-you don't know wh-what he's capable of doing. Please get away from him."

Pain shears through me. "I'm sorry, but I won't. I'll see you in Chicago, Mom. Goodbye." I hang up before she can reply.

Several moments pass, then Kirill grabs my hand, asking, "Are you okay?"

I face him, shaking my head. "This is worse than I assumed."

My phone rings. I glance at it and groan.

Kirill pins me with the same look he gave me when he spoke about me being a coward. "You might as well get it over with, or they'll never stop calling."

I answer on the second ring, "Hi, Zara." I put it on speaker and set it on the cushion.

I can hear compassion in her voice when she says, "Dante's on the phone with Sean. You spoke with Bridget?"

I curl my arms around my shins. "Yes."

"Are you okay?"

I sigh. "My mom is never going to forgive me."

"She will," Zara insists.

Kirill strokes my back.

"No. She won't. She wants me to leave him," I state.

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