Neglected Wife: Hidden Heiress's Cold Revenge

ss of the private burial ground into a slick, treacherous mud pit. Eliana Heath stood at the very edge of the gathering.

the bone. The wind tugged at the canopy, threatening to invert it, but she did not adjust her grip

s of New York's elite w

em. She alwa

r t

a t

like a mannequin while her

rved for the immediate family, stood Hayes Vargas. He was not looking at the g

ity B

nerability. Her blonde hair was damp, plastered to her cheeks in artful disarray. She sobbed into the lapel of H

othing circles. He whispered something into her hair, his expression etched with a pain

r. It started in her stomach, a heavy, leaden weight that pulled her i

idow of Hayes's older brother, William, who had died in a boating accident only months prior. No one talked about that today, though. Today was about Felicity's grief for her "second father," Harri

he crowd began to disperse, a sea of black umbrel

n with the Vargas family crest on the door. He shielded her he

iana, opened the rear door. Hayes helped Felicity inside. He

if suddenly remembering he

s found

come. It was the kind of gest

seemed to sever something inside her chest. She walked to the car. T

not get i

ccupying the center, dabbing her eyes with Hayes's h

the front pa

" Thomas aske

Eliana said. Her vo

he interior of the car smelled of wet wool and Feli

and back was open. Eliana could

impered. "Leo is going to be so lost without Grandpa Harris

seat frame. "You aren't alone, Felicity. I promised Willia

ndshield. The wipers slapped back and fort

t. Not a hair out of place, her makeup sealed with setting spray, he

" Elian

around. She spoke

ng in the b

tantly. The tenderness evaporated, replaced by the wear

she said. "We need to

as corrected the wheel, his ha

abin. It was heavy,

let out a small

a short, inc

barely in the ground. Felicity is having a panic attack. And y

water trace a path down th

rious. Your father passed. The merger i

as Hayes shifted, likely leaning for

ou have everything you could possibly want. You live in a mansion, you have an unlimited allowance, you do nothing all day bu

ting on her lap, still and composed. He really

atents pending under a pseudonym. She didn't tell him that her

ust n

," sh

rd hun

back to that soothing register. "She's just upset

ought-iron gates of the Vargas estate

the mansion opened. Martha, the head h

hand to Felicity, helping her descend from t

out of the house. He was dressed in a

" Leo s

d into Ha

er did. He reached down and scooped t

yes said, kissin

umbrella again, though the walk to the porch was short. She

The beautiful, grieving

rfect famil

st the smudge

linging to his elbow. "Have the staff prepare the East Wing master suite. Felicity a

Her eyes dar

e East Wing? That's... that's the p

een sleeping in the West Wing guest room for three

e walked through the double doors, carr

ain. The water splash

It was the snapping of a tether. The final thread that ha

ha, who was starin

s?" Martha

off the water. She walked up the step

ha," Eliana said

dn't look at the grand staircase where Hayes had disappear

" she whispered to