Chapter 1
On my birthday, I was kidnapped–held captive and tortured for three days and nights.
By the time my husband Ian Cohen finally found me, I was practically naked and covered in filth.
Ian showed up at the scene, shouting at reporters to get the hell back. His eyes were full of genuine pain as he pulled me into his arms.
Right there, in front of everyone, he proposed.
On the ride home, I fell asleep in Ian’s car. Somewhere between sleeping and waking, I caught bits of his conversation with his bodyguard Kurt Delapore.
“Ian, getting your wife drugged and hiring those guys… you know… Wasn’t that a bit much? I mean, if you wanted to ruin her reputation for that woman, there had to be another way, right?”
Ian kept rubbing my back gently as he answered, his voice low and calm.
“For a woman, chastity is everything. If you want to destroy her, there’s no other better way.”
“But it’s fine. I can give her the marriage she’s always wanted. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to her. That should be enough…”
Burning tears slid down my face. But inside, all I felt was cold.
The fairytale marriage I’d dreamed of was nothing but a lie.
A grave I dug with my own hands.
“Ian, let’s take her to our Cohen hospital. Everyone there’s our own staff…”
“No. Public hospital.” Ian said coldly.
“Seriously? Public is crawling with people. Reporters are probably already camped out. God knows what kind of crap the media will start spinning!”
11..hand Branded Me with Shame
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Chapter 1
“That’s exactly what I want. This thing’s almost wrapped up. We need to stick the landing. That way, Simon’ll finally give up on Aurora, and Veronica can relax about being his wife…”
“Enough. I’m tired. Let me rest.”
I bit my lip hard, forcing myself not to make a sound. The familiar warmth of Ian’s body terrified me
now.
The car, once filled with our laughter, had become my personal hell.
Everything finally clicked into place. After Simon cheated and we divorced, golden boy Ian had pursued me relentlessly.
But it was never about love. It was just his way of clearing the path for his first love Veronica Ashton.
The two men I’d loved with my entire heart both fantasized about the same woman. And that
woman wasn’t me.
The nausea hit hard, twisting up my stomach with each passing thought.
I couldn’t hold it back anymore. Gripping the seat, I doubled over, retching violently.
The noise instantly woke Ian. He quickly leaned over, patting my back gently while asking in a soft voice, “Babe, what’s wrong? Just hang in there a little longer–we’ll be at the hospital soon.”
He reached for the cup I always used and handed it to me. The water was the perfect temperature. Ian always nailed those little details.
“Babe, take it slow,” he murmured, leaning closer.
Every time he called me “babe,” it made the nausea surge back stronger.
A few minutes later, I finally felt a bit better. I pushed myself up and glanced outside. And right then, we drove past the Cohen Group’s private hospital.
Ian tensed slightly but quickly recovered, pulling me close as if nothing had happened. He gently tucked my hair behind my ear and explained softly.
“Babe, the doctors at our place… they’re not good enough. You’ve already been through hell. I don’t want to take any chances. I’ve booked the best specialists for you. Let’s do a full check–up, alright?”
14 Mo with Shame
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Chapter 1
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep the reporters out. I won’t let them get to you.”
He placed a soft kiss on my cheek. I turned my head toward the window and sighed quietly to myself.
What could I say? Three years of marriage, and I was just Ian’s caged canary. Aside from the credit card with a six–figure monthly limit, I had no control over anything in my life.
I forced a smile and gave the response he expected. “Okay. Whatever you think is best.”
My usual docile compliance seemed to please him. He shifted in his seat and looked at his bodyguard through the rearview mirror.
“Kurt, make sure Aurora’s protected once we get to the hospital.”
Kurt met Ian’s eyes in the mirror and nodded. But a few seconds later, he gave me a meaningful look.
I knew exactly what was behind that look. It was the guilt of someone who still had a conscience.
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