Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
“About my mother’s plans to discredit you?” He spoke the word ‘mother’ with unabashed revulsion. “Unfortunately, yes.”
Mairi took a deep breath at Damen’s confirmation. “Tomorrow...how bad will it be?”
“Not as bad as she hopes,” he answered grimly. “I’ve put the word out that I won’t hesitate to sue, but I can’t stop the media from reporting facts. And the facts are that tomorrow, a number of students would be made to withdraw from Christopoulos University and their respective parents will explain that they’ve done so because they don’t want their students to be corrupted.”
“By me?”
“By you.”
“Corrupted in what way?”
“Apparently, your presence could serve to influence female students into thinking it’s alright to be a gold-digger.” There was also Leon Arlotta possibly becoming an issue, if the media got wind of it, but Damen decided against warning her about it directly. If it was still something she wanted to solve on her own, then he trusted her to do it.
“Mairi?”
“Mm?”
“You still don’t want to ask for my help about whatever it is that may be troubling you?”
It took her a long time to answer. “No,” she said finally. “But I think...you’re already helping me in a way.”
He knew exactly what she was referring to and he smirked.
Mairi rolled her eyes. “It’s a really big hickey, Damen.” But she couldn’t help smiling as she pointed it out.
“Is it?” he drawled.
“It is, and you know it. And,” she added with a shake of her head, “you deliberately didn’t tell me about it!”
“If I had, you’d have thought of covering it up.”
“But—-”
“Admit it, my love. Am I not right?”
She grumbled, “Yes.” She gulped, afraid to ask the next question but knowing she had to. “How much do you know about...my problem?”
“Nothing specific,” he said readily. “I want you to tell me when you’re ready.”
“What if I’m not ready?”
He was exasperated. “Mairi.”
“But what if I’m not? You’ll let it be? You’ll just tell me you forgive me, right?”
“Are you a five-year-old kid?”
She changed the subject. “You know I love you, right? So you know I’ll never do anything to hurt you and that—-”
“I love you, too, matakia mou, but you will not get off that lightly.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I’m just really afraid you’ll hate me if I tell you,” she whispered.
He sobered. “Do you still love me?”
“I won’t ever stop,” she said simply.
“And whatever it was – or is, did it happen because you meant to hurt me?”
“No!”
“Then it won’t keep us apart,” he finished just as simply. “I love you, Mairi. I mean it in every sense.” He let it sink in before saying briskly, “I may be flying to Greece tonight. I’d like to take care of Esther once and for all.” When she started to protest, he said in a hard voice, “No more.”
She quieted, realizing Damen was more furious than he had let on.
“I’ve let her off the hook because you asked me to, Mairi. But you see now, don’t you? She won’t stop until I take everything away.”
“She’s still your mother, Damen.”
“She is. And I am still her son, but it didn’t stop her from hurting you or me, did it?”
“Could you at least wait for me to join you before you do anything?” she asked finally. “You know I only have two days of work a week so tomorrow I’ll be free to join you. And I’ll bring Nala with me, too.”
“If that’s what you wish to do,” Damen said. “But I can do this on my own—-”
“No,” she said firmly. “We’re a family, Damen. Remember? I want to be there to protect you too, in case she says something hurtful.”
The words were unexpected, and his chest tightened as emotions still unfamiliar crowded his heart. Before Mairi had come into the picture, Damen had never known what love was. But now...
“Then I look forward to you two joining me.”
She sighed in relief.
“I’ll miss you tonight.”
“Me, too.” She inhaled and exhaled, willing herself to muster the courage to confess. She owed him the truth. “And Damen?”
“Mm?”
“The problem I have?” Another deep breath and she confessed in a rush, “You know those books I love to read?”
He deadpanned, “The ones about Greek billionaires falling for their secretaries or their children’s nannies or their—-”
She glared at her phone before answering, “Yes, that.”
“Obviously, I know about them.”
“Well, in those books, when the hero learns about the woman they love being, umm, kissed by another man, they react first and think later. They go into a rage and sometimes they even break up—-”
“Are you trying to tell me another man kissed my wife,” Damen asked in a dangerously soft voice.
She gulped. “Kinda?”
He swore.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen,” Mairi cried out. “One moment he was just holding my hand—-”
“He fucking held your hand?”
“And he even whispered to my ear—-” She froze. She didn’t have to say that, did she?