His Hidden Family My Ruined Marriage (Liana) novel Chapter 21

Chapter 21 Let’s Have a Wedding

+5 Pearls

A minute later, Liana was awkwardly sprawled in the middle of the huge bed, her arms crossed beneath her face, which was burning crimson.

Elian squeezed out some ointment and dabbed it lightly on her spine.

The ointment was cool, but it quickly warmed on her skin. And his fingers-different from a woman’s softness, they carried a masculine firmness, yet he moved them with what he thought was gentleness.

When he finally finished applying it to her back and she desperately wished he would vanish, his hands suddenly gripped under her arms. Before she knew it, he was in front of her.

Her heart hammered. She could clearly see his long eyelashes, even feel his breath.

“Don’t move.” Elian’s voice was low, focused as he applied ointment to her swollen cheek.

His phone rang, unhurried. Liana came back to her senses. “Aren’t you going to answer that?”

At the same time, Elian spoke, “Let’s have a wedding.”

The phone ringing stopped abruptly. The room fell silent.

Liana stared at him, her heart thundering.

She’d fantasized countless times about walking towards him in a wedding dress, saying “I do” in front of family and friends. But she’d long since stopped hoping he would be the one to bring it up.

“If you don’t want to, tell the elders yourself. It was their idea.” Elian didn’t look at her. He finished applying the ointment, screwed the cap back on, picked up his phone to return the missed call, and stood to leave.

The call connected quickly. His voice was warm, even tender. “Hey, Anya, sorry you had to wait. I’m on my way. Want to grab a drink?”

Liana snapped back to reality, a sob catching in her throat.

She’d almost believed he really meant a wedding for them.

But then she remembered his call with Anya-he was going for a late-night drink with her?

“Liana, what are you still hoping for? Didn’t you wake up from that dream a long time ago?”

She couldn’t help but berate herself. How could she be so foolish as to forget his infidelity over one mention of a wedding?

Later, a maid brought dinner upstairs. Liana had no appetite, but thinking of the baby, she forced herself to eat a few bites.

Linda, hearing Elian had left, went to her room. Seeing how much thinner and paler she looked, Linda couldn’t help asking, “Have you been unwell lately? You’ve lost so much weight.”

Liana’s nose stung. She wanted to make an excuse, but in the end, she just forced a small smile and looked down silently.

If she opened her mouth now, her voice would tremble. Tears would fall. She didn’t dare move a muscle.

10:41 Wed, Feb

Chapter 21 Let’s Have a Wedding

+5 Pearls

She had lost over ten pounds. Early pregnancy had her puking nonstop. Then she learned her husband had a home outside, and her mother passed away.

Who wouldn’t lose weight under those circumstances?

Especially all at once.

The fact that she was still standing was a miracle.

“I’ll call him. I’ll drag him back here. You are the only one who is our daughter-in-law, Liana. I promise you that.” Linda guessed the reason for her weight loss and tried to comfort her.

But Liana shook her head. When Linda put an arm around her shoulders, Liana leaned into her touch, resting her head on Linda’s shoulder. Her voice was barely a whisper. “Linda, I don’t want to be Mrs. Locke anymore.”

Back in her own room, Linda felt her eyelid twitching uncontrollably. She paced. When David came out of the shower, she said, “What on earth is wrong with your son? Did he really agree to a wedding? You did tell him it’s a wedding with Liana, right?”

“Who else would it be?” David asked, puzzled.

“Anya! He’s always using ‘business trips’ as an excuse to go to Westhaven Estates. Isn’t that to see her?”

Linda knew some things about her son. She just hadn’t thought it was that serious-until Liana said she didn’t want to be Mrs. Locke anymore.

“Isn’t that for Theo?” David reasoned.

“It’s for Theo, but Anya is there too! Who knows what a man and a woman alone do after the child is asleep? No, you call him right now. Tell him I’ve fainted.” Linda was frantic, wanting Elian back immediately.

“Calm down. Elian isn’t that kind of man.”

“Maybe he isn’t, but what about Anya? Over two years ago, he proposed and she said no. Then she sees he’s married and regrets it. Now she’s back, using Theo to force him to divorce Liana and marry her. Let me tell you, even if Elian agreed, I wouldn’t. I’ve long thought of Liana as my own daughter. No one is pushing her out of the Locke family.” Linda grew more and more agitated.

She simply didn’t believe Anya’s feelings for her son were genuine.

Anya’s return wasn’t out of love. Who knows, maybe she was targeting Liana?

Competing among half-siblings was common. And Any was a spoiled princess.

Liana, on the other hand, grew up without the Forrest family’s love but was sensible and careful from a young age. It made people’s hearts ache for her and trust her all at once.

“I get what you mean. Don’t get so worked up. I’ll call Elan right now.”

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