Chapter 5
Lying in bed before Talia was the man she’d nearly died saving that insane day on Evil Island. She blinked, barely able to believe it.
That day, their yacht had been blown to hell by a missile, leaving him bleeding out like a stuck pig. She had fought like mad to keep him alive, but he’d slipped into a deep coma anyway.
Fate, or pure dumb luck, threw them a lifeline when a passing shop picked them up. He was airlifted to safety, while Talia got dropped off in Maiyonne, courtesy of the ship’s captain
“Well, isn’t life one hell of a ride?” Talia smirked, running her fingers gently over Clifford’s sharp jawline.
She always had a thing for tough, sexy men, and seeing him so vulnerable right now only made it more enjoyable for her.
Leaning in, she whispered with a sly smile, “Didn’t I tell you? Save a life, you’re stuck with it. Now look at you–you’re all
mine.”
“From the second we signed that marriage certificate, for better or worse, you belong to me. This marriage? I take it damn seriously. She said it to herself, almost cheerfully, her voice echoing softly in the quiet room.
The thought of making everything official soon, plus the nice engagement gift that came with it, made her heart race a little. There wasn’t some grand wedding, but the certificate in her hand made tonight their wedding night, and that was enough.
She made up her mind–tonight was going to be one hell of a night to remember.
Without hesitating, she took his hand and carefully rolled up his sleeve, running her fingers along his arm. A slight frown formed on her face
Its o
only been a month, and you’re already softer, she muttered a bit of concern sneaking into her voice,
She glanced around the room. The heavy curtains blocked out every bit of light, making the space feel like a tomb. His once sun–kissed skin had turned a dull, sickly shade, and she was not about to put up with that.
Not wasting any time, Talia marched to the window and yanked the curtains wide open. Sunlight exploded into the room. chasing away the shadows and filling the space with warmth
She threw open all the windows, letting the breeze flow in and brush gently against his face, his hair rustling slightly. The room now had a soft, peaceful vibe, full of life.
“There, that’s better, she said, satisfied. “From now on, you’re my problem. I don’t give a shit if you’re out cold–I’m not treating you like some fucking thing. Whatever I do, I’ll make sure you’re on the same page. Got it?”
Right then, the bedroom door flew open, and a young woman barged in. The second she saw the open curtains and windows, her face twisted in anger. “Who the hell told you to open these? Not only are you messing with Clifford’s test, but if he catches a cold because of this, do you think you can deal with it
The woman, early twenties at most, had her hair pulled into a tight bun, makeup on point, and she was dressed in a fitted white suit that made her look sharp. She looked Talia up and down with a mix of disgust and superiority.
“So, you’re the new Mrs. Snyder?” she sneered, scanning Talia from head to toe. “Honestly? Nothing impressive. I don’t what Grandpa Snyder was thinking, marrying you into this family to help with his health. Obviously, it’s not working”
ger
Her tone was dripping with condescension, making it painfully clear she saw Talia as worthless–a failure right from the
start.
Talia stayed calm, simply asking, “And who the hell are you?”
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Chapter 5
With a smug little smirk, the woman responded, “Ramona Nguyen. I’m Mr. Snyder’s distant cousin, his personal nutritionist, and his masseuse. I take care of all his daily needs.” She let that sink in, then added sharply, “Close the damn curtains. I need to give him a massage. You can leave now,”
Before Talia could say anything, Ramona started walking over to Clifford, reaching for the blanket that covered him.
Talia’s mind went into overdrive. A massage? Physical contact? Hell no. That’s my man, and no other woman is touching him–cousin or not.‘
“Stop right fucking there! Talia’s voice rang out, cold and clear.
Ramona froze in her tracks, stunned by the interruption. No one in the Snyder family had ever spoken to her like that before.
This bitch has guts, she thought.
Quickly regaining her composure, Ramona decided to throw her weight around. She wasn’t about to let some new bride push her out of the way,
“What did you just say?” Ramona asked, pretending she hadn’t heard.
“I said, get the fuck out, Talia replied, her voice steady, eyes locked on Ramona.
Ramona’slowly turned, a cold smirk playing on her lips as she stared Talia down. “And if Clifford’s condition takes a turn for the worse because of you, are you ready to shoulder that blame? Don’t start throwing around your “Mrs. Snyder‘ title with me, she sneered. “You’re just a stand–in. You didn’t even get a real wedding. You actually think you’re Mrs. Snyder? Fucking
hilarious,
Faced with Ramona’s obvious contempt, Talia just smirked. “Guess I’m not exactly your favorite person, huh?”
Ramona didn’t bother to reply. That sinug, twisted grin on her fire said everything.
“I’m here to give my cousin a massage. You should leave and stop getting in the way.” Ramona said flatly.
Talia could handle any amount of bullshit people threw at her, but when it came to someone messing with her man? That was a whole different game.
Her smile turned icy. “I said, fuck off. Get out.”
Before Ramona could even react, Talia lunged forward, grabbing her wrist in a tight grip and yanking her toward the door like she was taking out the trash,
Talia wasn’t some fragile flower; beneath her calm surface was a strength one didn’t mess with.
“Let go! What the hell are you doing?” Ramona screamed, thrashing, but Talia’s grip was like a vice, and the pain shot through her wrist, almost making her dizzy.
A second later, Ramona found herself tossed out of the room, landing hard on the cold floor.
“Who the fuck do you think you are, throwing me out like that! Ramona yelled, eyes blazing with rage.
Talia stood in the doorway, her gaze as cold as ice, her words sharp and final. “I’m the one who can. That’s who.”
Ramona, as much as she hated to admit it, felt a chill run down her spine. Talia might’ve looked like just another girl, but there was something unseuling about her, something that felt more like a nightmare than reality.
Gritting her teeth, Ramona muttered, “You’re gonna regret this, you little bitch.
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Chapter 5
Not long after, Ramona stored off to find Kyla Mckinney, the Snyder family’s housekeeper.
Her face full of fury, she blurted out, “Kyla, I went to give Cliffor his usual massage, and that bitch not only stopped me, she threw me out! Look at my wrist–it’s swollen! What if she screws up his recovery?”
Kyla, a sharp, no–nonsense woman in her forties and the backbone of the Snyder household, frowned as she listened.
She knew Ramona had strong feelings for Clifford, and she also knew Eddie had only agreed to marry him off to some girl from the Blake family because of a fortune–teller’s warning. That whole ordeal had crushed Ramona
“Miss Nguyen, let’s go meet Mrs. Snyder and see what she thinks she’s doing.” Kyla said with quiet authority.
Kyla was known for being tough as nails and was one of the few people Eddie trusted completely. Ramona figured even Talia. would have to show respect when Kyla got involved.
Oh, this is gonna be fun, she thought, smirking to herself.
There was a gentle knock on the bedroom door before Kyla’s steady voice broke the silence. “Mrs. Snyder, it’s Kyla Mckinney, the housekeeper. Mayl come in?”
A brief pause, followed by a calm response from inside. “Yeah, come on in.”
As Ramona walked into the room, she stayed close behind, muttering under her breath, “Kyla, for God’s sake, look at this. The window’s wide open, and the sun’s shining right on Clifford He’s gonna freeze his ass off”
Kyla narrowed her eyes, already thinking about her next move, but on the outside, she kept her cool and said softly. “Miss Nguyen, watch your mouth. This is Mrs. Snyder.”
Ramona’s lips twitched in silent irritation. She couldn’t care less about the whole “Mrs. Snyder” thing.
Kyla then turned to Talia. “Mrs. Snyder, you know Mr. Snyder’s not well. He’s really sensitive to the cold, so please be mindful of that.”
After a moment, she continued, her tone steady but pointed, “Allo, Miss Nguyen mentioned you didn’t let her give Mr. Snyder a massage. Is there a particular reason for that?”
Kyla’s words were polite and firm, which was a rare thing in a house full of people always looking for an angle.
Talia didn’t miss a beat. “If the massage isn’t doing anything, there’s no point wasting time on it. Simple as that.”
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