The Temporary Wife: Luca and Valentina's Story(17)

Natalia Ivanov. Why her? Out of everyone it could have been, why did it have to be her? She’s bitchy, whiny, and fucking spoiled. I could never be friends with her, but somehow, I’m supposed to marry her?

I tense when I hear the telltale sound of Valentina’s heels clicking behind me. “Not now, Valentina,” I warn her without looking back.

For weeks, I’ve been craving her presence. Day after day, I found myself staring at her through the glass wall in my office, trying to think of ways to build a bridge over the hole I dug between us.

Had it been any other day, I’d have slowed my stride until she falls into step with me, but I can’t be near her tonight. Somehow, she’s the one person I can’t be around right now. Just seeing her fills me with regret I don’t have the heart to analyze.

I expected her to stop and turn around, but instead, the sound of her heels follows me all the way back to my condo. I walk in without holding the door open for her, but that doesn’t dissuade her. She simply unlocks it with her fingerprint and follows me in.

I sigh as I head to my liquor cabinet and pour myself a drink. “Make it two,” she says, her voice soft.

I look up at her, my eyes roaming over her beautiful face and settling on those lips I’ll never taste again. I tear my gaze away and make her a martini, her favorite drink. For so long, I wondered how long it’d take for her to walk into my living room again. Never in a million years did I think that the day it finally happened would be a day like today.

She takes the glass from me with another one of those fake smiles of hers, and I grit my teeth. “I fucking hate it when you do that,” I snap.

Her eyes widen a fraction. “Do what?” she asks carefully.

“Those blatantly insincere smiles. Fucking hate them.”

She throws me another one of those smiles and raises her brows. “What? This? You don’t like my customer service smile?”

I blink in confusion. “It’s got a name?”

She laughs and sits down on my sofa. “You wouldn’t understand,” she tells me, “because you’ve never had to swallow down your dignity, but most of us common folk have a fake smile we’ve perfected.”

I sit down next to her and sigh. She’s so beautiful when she laughs. It’s bittersweet that I’ve finally made her laugh, and it’s on a night like tonight. “There’s nothing common about you,” I tell her, my voice soft. “Not a single thing.”

She stares at me and shakes her head. “That might well be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

I look into her eyes, a profound sense of loss washing over me. “I’ve said nice things to you before. I always compliment you on your work.”

“Yes,” she admits. “But you’ve never complimented me as a person. The only time you ever commented on my character—” she shakes her head and takes a sip of her drink instead. “It doesn’t matter.”

I turn to face her and take her drink out of her hand before placing it on the coffee table. “It does matter,” I tell her. “I never intended to hurt you, Valentina. What I said to you at Raven and Ares’s wedding was inappropriate and unacceptable, and I…” I bury my face in my hands for a moment and inhale deeply. “Valentina, I genuinely regret saying and doing what I did. I lost my temper and acted like a fucking fool. I didn’t mean to hurt you, or to make you feel inferior in any way. You aren’t. Hell, we both know I’m nothing without you.”

She shakes her head and picks her drink back up. “Let’s not talk about that, Luca,” she says, shaking her head. “I promise you that it’s fine. We’re fine. Tell me instead how you are. Are you okay?”

I run a hand through my hair and inhale deeply. “I’m not sure. I didn’t… I didn’t see this coming.”

Valentina takes another sip of her drink and nods. “Natalia is stunning,” she says, her voice soft. “The two of you will look great together.”

Bitterness settles deep in my stomach. I expected her to be somewhat hurt or jealous, but she isn’t.

“I know she’s young, and she seems somewhat immature, but that’s the beauty of marriage, isn’t it? You’ll grow together. The two of you will adapt to each other’s lives. It’ll all work out, I’m sure. Your grandmother would not have chosen her for you if that wasn’t the case.”

I should be grateful that she’s finally talking to me again, that the atmosphere between us is the same as it used to be, but I don’t want it to be. Not under these circumstances. I don’t want her to console me — I want her to be angry and jealous. I want her to lash out at me so I can pull her close and kiss her until she melts into me.

I look into her beautiful hazel eyes, my heart aching. Is no part of her bothered by the thought of me marrying Natalia?

I suppose not.

Why would she be?





Chapter Twelve





Valentina

“Val?”

I look up, surprised to find Theo Miller, one of our fund managers, standing by my desk. “I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I was lost in thought and didn’t notice you standing there. God, I’m so sorry. What can I do for you?”

He smiles at me sweetly and shakes his head. It’s clear he’s been standing here a while, but I didn’t even notice him. I need to pull myself together.