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Home > Adventure > THE WIFE WHO CHOSE HIS FATHER.

THE WIFE WHO CHOSE HIS FATHER.

Author: aminathandeka14

Genre: Adventure

Mia was certain that marrying Cole Vale would bring her nothing but happiness. After all, he was handsome, successful, attentive, and, most importantly, faithful. However, Cole did not know about Mia's biggest secret. She did not marry Cole out of love. She married him to get close to his father and learn what happened to her beloved parents. But it seems that fate decided that Mia would never be able to keep her secrets. One day, her husband finds her in the embrace of another man – his father. Everything Mia wanted to do to the Vale family, including Cole, she planned to do in secret. Cole, however, learned about Mia's intentions and uncovered one of the biggest secrets of his life – that he was adopted. Mia carefully kept her secret for so long that she forgot what it was. And now, when she thinks that everything is falling into place, she learns of her pregnancy. When Cole goes to the hospital to learn whose child Mia is going to give birth to, Richard makes another move and makes his will out to Mia's unborn child. Suddenly, the woman who seemed to want to hurt the Vale family down to the last penny is to inherit the entire fortune. The man's father, however, knows more about Mia's story than she thinks, keeping Vivian, Chloe, and Andrew involved in the drama. Mia realizes that she may have made a terrible mistake by getting involved with the Vale family. After all, she is not the only one who is interested in Cole. One of the biggest secrets that Mia has been keeping from herself has the power to destroy everything that has happened. While investigating her interests in Cole, Mia learns that a long-standing mystery involving the Cole family may have affected Vivian, Chloe, and Richard. Meanwhile, Cole uncovers another mystery – his true parentage. It turns out that Mia is not the only one who has been keeping secrets from everyone all along. Mia must choose between the vengeance she has long sought and the love she thought she could never have with Cole. Meanwhile, Cole must decide whether to forgive Mia for what she did. However, the pair may find that the real enemy is the Vale family, which has allowed Mia into their ranks.

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Chapter 1 THE WOMAN IN MY FATHERS ARMS

POV: Cole

The first thing that came into view once I opened the study door was my wife, pressed against my father's chest.

I stopped.

There was a pause, lasting for three seconds, in which no one moved.

The grandfather clock in the corner of the room ticked loudly.

Then my father released her.

Vivian stumbled backward so quickly that she hit the desk with her shoulder.

I looked at her.

Then I looked at my father.

Then I looked back at my wife.

There was something wrong.

Something very, very wrong.

'Cole,' she whispered.

My name... her mouth... something felt wrong.

Almost like she feared saying it.

I closed the door behind me.

'What were you doing? '

They didn't answer.

My knuckles whitened.

My father, Richard Vale, was a powerful man.

One of the most powerful men I had ever seen.

He had built an empire, one that dabbled in everything from hotels and banking to real estate and tech stocks.

People made appointments to have lunch with him; politicians fought to return his calls.

Executives trembled at the sight of him.

But that didn't matter.

Not anymore.

Because he was my father,

and this was my wife.

The woman I had loved for the longest time.

Vivian hesitantly took a step closer.

'Cole, please, let me explain.'

'Don't.'

She halted.

I didn't mean for it to sound so venomous,

but maybe it was.

Maybe that's how I always meant it to sound.

I let out a deranged laugh.

'How long? '

Vivian's face drained of color.

'Cole-'

'How long has this been going on? '

Richard stepped forward.

'It isn't what you think, son, ' he said.

I turned to him.

'Then tell me what to think. '

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

I waited for a full ten seconds before I turned back to Vivian.

She was beautiful.

She was everything I had ever wanted.

She was my wife of six years.

The mother of my children.

The constant presence throughout the hardest times of my life.

She was the woman I had cried into the chest of when my mother passed.

She was the woman who had held my hand when my father decided I wasn't "prepared" to take over the family business.

She was the woman I had believed, up until this point, had loved me.

"Was I ever good enough for you? "

Her face twisted.

'Cole, that's not fair! '

'Fair? '

I stared at her.

'Do you want to talk about fair? '

She shook her head.

'I never wanted to hurt you, ' Vivian whispered.

'I know, ' I said.

But you did.

My voice cracked on the last word, and she flinched.

I looked at my father.

'Did you love her? '

He looked away.

'It's not the best time, Cole, ' Richard said.

I almost smiled.

'It's never the best time, is it? '

I took out my wedding band and stared at it.

Vivian's eyes locked onto it.

'Cole, please, ' she begged.

I removed the ring from my finger and tossed it on the desk with an audible clink.

She looked at me, really looked at me, for the first time since this conversation had started.

'Don't do this, ' she pleaded.

I stared at her.

'Tell me one thing, ' I said.

She hesitantly met my gaze.

'Did you marry me because you loved me? '

Her mouth opened.

No words came out.

And something inside of me shattered.

Maybe I never was the man Vivian wanted.

Maybe I was only the means to an end,

and if that was the case,

I wanted to know what that end

Chapter 2 THE GIRL I MARRIED

POV: Vivian

Seven years ago, Cole had smiled at me across a university cafeteria.

"You're sitting in my seat."

I looked at the empty chair below me.

"Your name isn't written on it."

His lips curled into a grin.

"No, but everyone can see that it's mine."

I rolled my eyes.

"Then everyone can see what I steal."

He laughed.

That was how we met.

Not at some business meeting.

Not at one of his father's many expensive parties.

Not in some mansion guarded to the ends of the earth.

We met at college.

Cole was just a normal man back then.

Didn't act the part of the heir to one of New York's most powerful families.

He wore old sneakers.

Complained about the food in the cafeteria.

Forgets his textbooks.

Smiled at random strangers.

Especially me.

I didn't know what to think of him at first.

He was too confident.

Too persistent.

Too into me.

"You always seem to be planning something," Cole told me one afternoon.

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Perhaps I am planning on stealing your seat once more."

He chuckled.

And then sat next to me.

That became our thing.

Coffee before class together.

Lunches.

Endless chats after the lectures.

Late-night messages.

He made me feel noticed.

And that was dangerous.

Because I had actually been noticing his surname long before he had taken interest in mine.

Vale.

Everyone in New York knew the name.

And I knew what it signified.

Money.

Power.

Influence.

Opportunity.

I told myself I wasn't bothered.

But I did.

I hated myself for it.

And then it dawned on me there was nothing wrong with wanting a better life.

Our family hadn't exactly had it easy.

The bills seemed to come faster than my pockets could keep up, and my mother was always working.

My younger sister Mia always needed me.

I needed security.

And a better future where an unexpected bill would not ruin us.

And that was where Cole came into play.

Cole, who helped me when it came to the fees at the college.

Cole, who brought me coffee before my exams.

Cole, who waited outside the library for me when I studied late into the night.

Cole who never questioned it.

One evening he walked me home.

The streets were quiet when we set off.

"You know, you shouldn't pretend you're not happy to see me."

I smiled at him, but he wasn't fooled.

"Who says I'm pretending?"

"I do."

"You're very confident.

He laughed.

"You have reasons to be."

I chuckled.

Then he turned serious.

"Vivian?

Yes?"I turned to look at him, my heart thudding loudly in my chest as he stopped walking.

The expression on his face had changed.

There was no humour in his eyes.

"I think I'm in love with you."

My heart skipped a beat.

It was the moment I should have confessed it all.

Told him why I'd been watching his surname.

Tell him what I wanted from his family.

Tell him the truth about why I married him in the first place.

Instead, I smiled.

"I think I'm in love with you, too."

That was the lie I regretted most.

Until the day I walked into the church on our wedding day.

Because the truth was, I hadn't married Cole for Cole.

I married him for his father's money, and his mother's connections, and the life he could offer.

The worst part was the fact that somewhere in all of it, I think I may have fallen in love with him too.

Chapter 3 THE WEDDING

POV: Vivian

"Are you sure?"

Cole had both my hands.

We stood under the large crystal chandeliers in the house of Vale.

Lights sparkled everywhere.

There were people from businesses, friends and families, influential figures whom I saw in the news, but I could not care less about them.

I was only fascinated by Cole.

"I am,"

I breathed.

He smiled

"I will make you happy."

I was not sure about that.

I had the feeling that I was cheating on him, even though he did not know it.

When the marriage was over, he kissed my forehead.

"You have no idea how happy I am."

"You do,"

I said with a forced smile.

Later, Richard came to me. For the first time, I got to see the man behind the successful businessman.

He was not as charming as Cole, almost frightening.

His eyes seemed to pierce right through me.

"You're Vivian."

"Yes,"

"My son loves you."

I felt myself being consumed.

"He does."

"I see."

Richard's eyes were on me.

"Then you take care of him."

"What?"

My voice was small.

"I'll be alright."

His smile was gone.

"Good."

Then he moved on, leaving me there, staring after him.

After several minutes, Cole came to me.

"Hey,"

His hands took mine.

"I've been looking for you everywhere."

"I was talking to your father."

The smile vanished from his face.

"Did he say something?"

"Not really."

I lied again, and as always, Cole did not suspect anything.

Later that night, he brought me upstairs.

I could not remember the last time I had seen him so shy around me.

"Are you happy?"

I nodded.

"Very."

He was smiling.

"I can't believe you belong to me."

He gently caressed my cheek, and suddenly, a wave of guilt washed over me.

Cole was perfect.

In almost every way, maybe the only thing was that he was not arrogant or cruel, he was not the spoiled young lord who had the whole world at his feet, but still, he was perfect; and I was taking advantage of him.

At one point I wanted to tell him everything, then someone knocked on the door.

Cole went to open it.

"Who is it?"

"Richard."

My heart gave a leap.

Cole opened the door.

His father stood outside.

"I'm sorry to bother you."

His eyes went from Cole to me; our eyes met for a second, and somehow, I felt a sensation I could not describe.

A pang of fear, but also of something else- a deeper, darker emotion- ran through my veins.

"I wanted to talk to my son,"

"All right, I'll be down in a minute."

Richard left, and as soon as he was gone, I released a sigh of relief.

Cole looked at me.

"Are you alright?"

I smiled at him.

"Of course I am."

He kissed my forehead, and that night, when I laid in bed beside the man I married for the wrong reasons, someone's steps echoed in the hallway outside of our door.

At first there was silence, then the sound disappeared at the end of the corridor.

I closed my eyes, not knowing that this was the night everything would change.

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