The Price of a Stolen Marriage Chapter 01
Chapter 1 The Girlfriend My Son Brought Home
Author: Perfect Timing
“Mom, this is Natalie, my girlfriend. I wanted to bring her home so you could meet her.”
I turned my gaze to Natalie Ashcroft.
She was undeniably beautiful, with the delicate air of someone who had been pampered her entire life.
Holding a gift with both hands, she offered it to me with a sweet smile. “Hello, Mrs. Wellington. I brought this for you.”
I did not take it.
The living room fell silent.
My son, Christopher, looked at me, then at her. “Mom?”
I did not look at him. “Chris, go upstairs. I’d like to have a private conversation with Ms. Ashcroft.”
He hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”
Once he left, only Natalie and I remained in the living room.
The second Christopher was gone, the sugary smile disappeared from Natalie’s face.
She tossed the gift onto the coffee table and looked me up and down without the slightest courtesy. “Mrs. Wellington.”
Her voice had not changed, but every word dripped with superiority. “You sent your son away so you could lecture me in private?”
I said nothing.
“Fine. Let’s stop beating around the bush. I’ve heard about you. You’re not from Kingsport and you don’t come from an influential family. The only reason you married into the Wellington family was because you got lucky.
“I know women like you. Women with no family backing can’t stand someone like me. You’re afraid I’ll marry into this family and steal your spotlight, aren’t you? You know it yourself. The only thing you’ve ever really had going for you is your face. Too bad beauty doesn’t last forever.”
She looked at me with open condescension.
“But I’m different. My grandfather, Benjamin, is the head of the Ashcroft family, one of the most powerful families in Kingsport. I grew up in the elite enclave, and my family could get me anything I wanted in the blink of an eye.
“I went to the best international schools and grew up in the most exclusive social circles in Kingsport.”
She paused, as if giving me time to absorb every word.
“Mrs. Wellington, I looked into you. There’s no one left in your family. Your parents passed away years ago. Someone with your background only got into the Wellington family because Mr. Wellington loved you. But how long does a man’s love really last?
“You’re forty now, aren’t you? In a few more years, when your looks start to fade, what will you have to compete with all the young women out there? But I’m nothing like you. I have the Ashcroft family behind me.
“Even if Christopher and I don’t work out someday, I’ll still be an Ashcroft. No one would dare lay a finger on me. What about you? Without the Wellington family, what would you have left?”
She looked at me as if I were someone worthy of pity.
“Mrs. Wellington, if I truly decide I want to marry into the Wellington family, there’s nothing you can do to stop me. So, instead of making things unpleasant, why not do me a favor now? Once I become part of this family, I’ll make sure you’re treated with the respect you deserve.”
