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“No, nor did I,” he said with a shrug. “Yet I do.”
“What changed?”
“I met her. And I remembered what it is like to love a woman you shouldn’t. Your mother was not the smart choice, Zamir. But she was the right choice. She made me happy.” A frown marred his features. “She gave me my sons. And then she left me; she left us all.”
He sighed heavily. “Losing her almost killed me, son. I had thought that in urging you to marry someone you do not know, I would be protecting you from the pain her death has filled me with. But that is both selfish and foolish. I would live with this pain for five lifetimes, for even a month of the happiness I felt with your mother.”
Zamir felt emotion swell in his chest.
“The future is a great unknown, but only a fool would close a door without walking through it.”
Zamir nodded. “I tried to walk away from her. I know that’s not what I’m meant to do.”
Faisal nodded sagely. “I expect you’ll want a wedding to be arranged quickly?”
“You’d better believe it.”
Having been given the glimmer of a second chance, Zamir immediately railed against the idea of waiting any longer.
He found Olivia in the same courtyard they’d met in the previous day. She had chosen a cream gown and had left her hair flowing loose. She looked like a princess already.
Zamir was almost breathless at the sight of her. Without a word, he crossed the ground and knelt before her. He had no need for long, flowery speeches. They both knew perfectly how the other felt. All that had to be ascertained was whether or not Olivia could forgive him. Whether she was brave enough to trust him with her happiness. “Olivia Henderson, will you marry me?”
Her eyes sparkled and her smile was glorious. “You bet I will.”
His fingers shook as he slid the ring onto her hand. It was a simple gold band, cast from some of the oldest gems in the land. It was the perfect size for Olivia; almost as if it had been waiting for her.
25 December, 7.13am
From: Olivia
To: Ava, Sophie
I know I’ve been terrible with emails lately.
I’m sorry, but when you read this, you’re going to understand. I’ve met someone. Someone special.
Oh boy, I hope you’re both sitting down.
Because I’ve just agreed to marry him.
And that’s not even the shocking part…
She smiled as she hit send, imagining what her sisters’ reactions would be when they learned she was going to become Sheikha of a country like Dashan. She thought of the Sultan’s words in describing his wife, and they took on a whole new clarity for Olivia.
She had travelled the world, and never felt satisfied. But the air of Dashan was soothing to her soul. Here, surrounded by desert, with the man she loved at her side, she was truly home.
And she’d never felt happier.
THE END
Claiming His Secret Baby
All the characters in this book are fictitious and have no existence outside the author’s very-vivid, non-stop imagination. They have no relation to anyone bearing the same name or names and are pure invention (mwah-ha-ha).
All rights reserved. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reprinted by any means without permission of the Author.
The illustration on the cover of this book features smokin’ hot model/s and, as gorgeous as they are, bears no relation to the characters described within.
