The Wife He Never Knew I Became novel · Chapter 7 of 32
Chapter 7: Dear Mrs. Rutherford
"Do you want me to open it?" Holden asked.
"No."
I slit the envelope with my florist's knife.
Inside were three folded sheets of cream paper and two photographs.
Holden took off his coat, poured two glasses of wine and sat on the stool beside me, close enough that our knees touched.
"Dear Mrs. Rutherford," I read out loud. "Please forgive a stranger for writing to you. I am a mother, and I write to you as one woman to another."
"Oh, good," Holden said.
"I know you value your privacy. I would not intrude if I did not believe your family was in danger."
I turned the page.
The danger was me.
Margaret had written two pages about a florist "with a history", and she'd spelled my name "Lina" all the way through.
She'd had me at her table every Sunday for two years.
"I have no wish to hurt you," she'd written. "I only think that a wife deserves to know."
The first photograph was Vanessa's elevator picture, printed glossy.
The second was me at the flower market that morning, in my wool hat, with Daniel holding a coffee out to me.
It had been taken through a car windshield. The white Mercedes.
"She photographed you with her own fiancé," Holden said slowly, "to prove you're my mistress."
"To prove I'm a whore. The man doesn't matter."
"It matters to me."
He took the photograph out of my hand and turned it face down.
I read the last paragraph to myself first.
Then I read it out loud, because I couldn't believe it.
"As a small token of friendship from my family to yours, I hope you will accept this gift. It has been in my house for some years. I would be honoured to see you wear it at our gala. With deepest respect, Margaret Zhang."
Keep reading free with an account. Start The Wife He Never Knew I Became from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 6 · All chapters · Chapter 8 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend