Page 148 of Bride By Coronation

Dante backtracks. "I didn't say we're disowning her."

A bit of relief fills me. I nod. "That's good."

Fiona hurls, "You might as well have. And since I'm not divorcing my husband, I guess there's clearly nothing left to say between us."

"Fiona—" I start.

"No. Let's go, Kirill," she demands, then grabs her coat and marches toward the front door.

Bridget calls out, "Fiona!"

She spins back to snarl at her mother, "What? I'm not going to stand here and feel bad for marrying Kirill. He's as much of a victim as everybody else, and you know it because Dad told you about it. So why don't you think about that instead of what all the other Petrovs do, because he's not one of them!"

"You're going to have his last name. There are consequences," Dante blurts out.

Fiona glares daggers at him, spouting, "You're not my father, so stay out of this."

The color drains from his face, and shock and hurt explode over his features.

"Fiona!" Bridget exclaims.

I interject, "I think we need to discuss things at a different time. This is getting too heated."

A sad, confused, fearful, and upset Bridget stares at me.

"We will discuss this at another time," I assure her. "I'm sorry we've upset you and caused you pain. Truly, I am."

She looks at me as if she's not sure what to believe.

I guide Fiona into the foyer and shut the door. I push the button to the elevator. The doors open, we step inside, and I press the button.

With tears falling, she claims, "They're never going to forgive me."

I tug her into me and hold her head to my chest, kissing the top of it, murmuring, "I'm sorry. We need to give them time to process this."

She pushes away from me, shaking her head. "No. You don't understand. They are never going to forgive me, and they have no other option except to disown me."

"Don't say that."

"It's true."

"No, it's not. We'll work through this. It will just take time," I insist.

She puts her hand over her face.

I tug her back into me, and she sobs as the elevator descends.

The doors open on the garage level. We exit and get into the SUV. We don't speak during the short drive, and we get out when the driver pulls up next to the elevator in the parking garage of my building.

It's slow as molasses like the broken one, which I'm still shocked hasn't been fixed. I vow to make good on some of my threats.

The doors finally open. I lead Fiona into the foyer and open the doorto the main penthouse. My nerves reappear, and I say, "After you, my bride."

She obeys, stepping into the room and then glancing around. My heart races. I quickly state, "We can decorate it however you want."

She turns to me, and whispers, "This place is beautiful."

"You like it?" I question in surprise.

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