The Unwanted Wife
The Unwanted Wife
L. MURPHY
Copyright © 2022 L. Murphy
All rights reserved
First Edition
Fulton Books
Meadville, PA
Published by Fulton Books 2022
ISBN 978-1-63860-126-5 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-63985-506-3 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-63860-127-2 (digital)
Printed in the United States of America
CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Epilogue
PROLOGUE
Brooke
“I’ve arranged for you to marry Landon Campbell.” My father’s gruff voice rumbles through the thick air over breakfast. Fear races down my spine and my heart rate speed up. My hands shake as I pour his coffee, spilling it over the cup and onto his lap.
“Dammit! You stupid clumsy bitch.”
He grabs my wrist in a vice-like grip. He picks up the cup of coffee, an evil grin stretches across his face as he proceeds to pour the scalding-hot liquid across my forearm. I wince at the pain and suck in a deep breath. I know better than to cry out. Noise only encourages him to inflict more pain. Tears pricked my eyes and he let go of me so roughly that I fell to my butt.
My glasses fall off my face and I scramble to grab them. The dark, blurred images always cause my palms to sweat as fear seeps into ever cell in my body. My father cackles as he watches me squirm on the ground. He delivers a swift kick to my right side, knocking the breath out of me.
“Clean this mess up. I’ll be in my study arranging your engagement dinner for tomorrow. Don’t disturb me, you ugly cow.” With that, he leaves the room.
I clean up the mess then take a cold shower in hopes of slowing the bruising. My thoughts swirl about the man of who is to be my new husband. Will he be a cruel man like my father, or will he be gentle and loving? I can only hope for the latter, although I fear the worst. What kind of man would agree to marry someone they never met, especially someone as ugly and useless as me? Not a good one, a nagging voice says in the back of my mind.
Landon
One week later
The wedding day
I gulp down another glass of whiskey. Fucking Connor Robinson, and his fucking contract. His stipulation for this marriage was outrageous. I gulp down another drink, and glance at my new wife across the room. She is dancing with her father for the father-daughter dance. The picture of perfect feminine grace as she glides across the floor. As I watch her, I notice that something seems off about the way she is moving. It is almost as if she’s favoring her right side.