Damen stiffened. “And?”
“He asked me…if I was okay with what would happen tomorrow.” She then asked bitterly, “Are you having second thoughts about asking the same thing?”
Damen knew now was the right time to explain, but he just couldn’t get past the fact that she had been talking to Ioniko Vlahos. It was his worst fears realized, and as the fear mingled with pain, he said with unconscious sharpness, “What did you tell him?”
“Nothing.”
He snapped, “You didn’t tell him about us?”
She snapped back, “Is there an us?”
Damen cursed. “What does that even mean? Don’t fucking play games—”
The sheer unfairness of Damen’s words had her crying out, “You’re the one who’s playing games! Why didn’t you call me sooner?”
She had the right to ask him that, he knew. But guilt was still not an emotion he was used to feeling, and so was jealousy. Together, the two was a dangerous combination, effectively messing with his head.
“Mairi—”
“Cut the bull and answer me!”
His temper heated up, and he growled, “You are not my fiancée to have a right to make me answer your question!” The moment he said the words, Damen knew they were completely the wrong thing to say.
Her skin took on a sick pallor at his words. She thought he had changed. She had really believed he had.
“I wish I was in love with Ioniko instead,” she whispered, just to hurt him as much as he was hurting her.
The words were like a gunshot directly aimed at his heart. It made every cell in his being burn with fierce possessiveness and jealousy. A part of him knew that things had probably escalated out of their control. They were hurt and had both said things they didn’t mean.
He wanted to be fair and take it all back, but he couldn’t because in his mind he still heard her saying that she wished she was in love with Ioniko instead.
“If you want to be with Ioniko, I’m not stopping you.” He should stop here and now, but he was hurting too goddamn much to stop just like that. “I just hope he’s willing to settle for my leftovers.”
Chapter Ten
To trust a Greek billionaire, you must not give up on them on the first try, or the second, or the third…
She said: Get ready to be hurt a lot of times.
He said (wincing): Think of it this way. We get a lot of practice begging, too. The next book can be The Art of Groveling.
He still hadn’t called.
It was the uppermost thought on her mind as she showered and changed into a cerulean wraparound dress. As she applied her makeup, she told herself that it was because he hadn’t yet figured how to apologize to her without losing face. Greek billionaires were terribly arrogant, after all. She couldn’t even think of a single Harlequin title that had a humble Greek billionaire in it.
Also, Mairi thought stalwartly as she worked her hair into a chignon, humble was good on paper but in real life? It was so not sexy.
So all in all, this was good and healthy for their rela—
Her thoughts stuttered to a stop, and she mentally scrambled for the right word to describe what they had.
Lover and cheater.
Mistress and benefactor.
Slut and client.
Mairi ran to the sink to throw up.
Two hours later, she was hurrying towards the auditorium, face scrubbed clean of tear-ravaged makeup and dressed instead in an elegant but simple cotton candy pink sheath dress.
Velvet and Mandy were already in their seats when Mairi joined them. “Where’s the pretty dress we bought yesterday?” Velvet asked, surprised.
“Wardrobe malfunction,” Mairi lied, thinking that should cover the fact that she had thrown up all over it because of sheer nervousness…and heartbreak.
“Oh…and your makeup?” Mandy asked.
“Umm…application malfunction?” She pretended she didn’t notice her friends throwing her suspicious looks after that.
Finally, Velvet cleared her throat. “Okay. Yay you for all the mishaps then.”
Even Mairi had to crack a smile at that.
Mandy gave her a quick hug. “Break a leg, okay? And chin up. I have no idea what you’re going through again to say all those silly lies, but I’m certain it has to do with your Greek billionaire. Whatever it is, remember we’re here for you.”#p#分页标题#e#
She did her best to remember that, especially since the award ceremony had started and the usual red carpet had been rolled out for the VIP guests.
“Ladies and gentlemen, a warm round of applause for the first of our guests of honor, Mr. Ioniko Vlahos.”
Ioniko walked down the red carpet in a swift pace, looking absolutely gorgeous and sexy in a black three-piece suit and a crimson necktie. He looked at her only for the briefest moment, his eyes warm. And then he was walking past her and ascending the stage to take his place on the VIP row.