The Life She Left Behind Read Online Free PDF

hardly achieving the volume of a whisper.
    When he responded, his tone was surprisingly gentle. “What other option is there, Angelina?”
    She could leave. She could go into hiding. Hope that he never found her. She could take her child away from his father; she could steal her child’s birthright. Deny it the chance to be royalty, the first born of a king.
    Yes, she could do that. But it would be wrong. It would be selfish. If Taj were a bad man, if he were incapable of being a good father, of loving their child, then maybe it would be excusable. But the fact was, he was just as likely to be a good parent as she was.
    The look on his face after dinner last night, when his eyes had fallen to his stomach, had nearly brought her to her knees. There had been tenderness there, a longing that had made her chest ache in response.
    No, she could not take Taj’s child from him. She couldn’t take her baby from his father.
    And that meant, no matter how much it sucked for her, she had to stick it out.
    She met Taj’s eyes and her heart tripped and fell over itself. There were certain things that wouldn’t be a hardship. Being with Taj…it had been incredible. Unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.
    He had been as amazing as she’d imagined. No, even more amazing.
    But she was afraid of what he made her feel, too. Afraid of getting involved with him again. Afraid of loving him again.
    He was arrogant and entitled, with strong and proud tendencies when he was angry. Loving him should take effort. Yet, she found it was a lot harder to stop herself from loving him. And that was just stupid.
    â€œThere is no other option,” she said.
    â€œYou knew that from the beginning.”
    She nodded. “Yes. I did.” From the moment she’d seen the positive test, she’d known. It was either hide the truth from him forever, or embrace life as his queen. “But…where did these dresses come from?” If she really was going to be his wife she would take a stand here at least. She wasn’t wearing cast-off gowns from cast-off women.
    His face hardened, for a moment he looked like he’d been carved from stone. “They have been here. Just as this room has been here. Awaiting its queen.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThey are yours. I had them prepared when you accepted my proposal.”
    â€œAnd you…kept them?”
    He tilted his chin upward, the gesture making him look haughty. Defiant. “I was to marry one day with or without you. Clothes are altered easily enough, why should I replace them.”
    â€œWhy indeed?” she struck back. “If the woman in question does not matter, if she’s only part and parcel to a business agreement then why does it matter what she might want? Who she is?”
    â€œIt matters,” he said, his voice rough.
    She took a step back, her stomach curling in. “Oh. I…I…”
    He appraised her for a moment, his dark eyes searching. “It will not be so bad to be my wife, will it?”
    She didn’t know what to say. Words stuck in her throat. Words in denial and in agreement.
    His expression hardened. “Well then, let us prepare to speak to the media.”
    She had a feeling she’d done the wrong thing. But she could not find the words to placate him. Because they would be a lie.
    It would be hard to be married to him. Hard to guard her heart against feelings she didn’t want but wasn’t certain she could deny.
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    â€œYou were exquisite,” Taj said as he closed the limo door and encased them in the air-conditioning.
    â€œI hardly spoke.” She felt horrible. Her head was pounding, and she was still shaking from having to sit there in front of so many people.
    â€œAnd in Rahat, that will be considered a bonus.”
    â€œOh, I do hope you’re joking,” she said, treating him to her deadliest glare. In addition to the headache, she was hot,