Chapter 194

But damn! It wasn't what she wanted either. She uttered such lines out of habit, for her own amusement, if nobody else's. She could hardly admit to anyone—especially not to Ulrich—what she truly wanted from marriage.

She forced her attention back to her mission. This conversation had fallen so far off track, that it was in a ditch spinning its wheels. Time to change her strategy.

"Speaking of marriage, namely your past failed attempt at it, have you renewed your acquaintance with the witch?" Mora asked. She suppressed a shudder. But he only shrugged and went back to fiddling with the knot. "None of your business." He flicked her a glance. "A word of advice, Mirabella: This is not the way to get a man to marry you. I have a mate."

"Do pay attention. I never said a word about marrying you."

He kept picking at the ribbons. "You said—"

"I said an engagement would benefit us both. If you tell my father you mean to marry me and—"

"No."