Page 81 of Seduced By Contract

"We do."

I nod again. "That still doesn't change anything."

"How so?"

"I know that our relationship was about sex from the start, and I told myself that all the time, but you were my first everything, and I couldn't help but fall in love."

"Madison."

I get up and go to the other side of the room. Being so close to him and not being able to touch him is painful. "I'm not what that girl called me, and now that I'm calmer, I realize that those people laughing when I was insulted mean nothing; none of them hold any weight in my life. In the end, what matters to me is my family: my niece and nephew, my mother, and my sister."

I avoid his gaze because, for a moment, I think I see hurt in his eyes, and that's more than I can bear. "Even though you have no further commitment to that Celine girl, you weren't honest with me from the beginning. I assumed you were free, otherwise we never would have gotten involved."

"In my mind, I was free. I never saw that little viper or touched her. We had nothing more than a contract signed through her legal guardian."

"With legal validity?"

"No one could have forced her to marry, of course, but I'm sure the girl would have done whatever her grandfather told her to."

I go to the window, looking out into the night. I'm completely lost. Nothing he's explained makes things any clearer.

"I believe it wasn't your intention to deceive me in the beginning, but you did it anyway. Or maybe I deluded myself. I knew I shouldn't fall in love with you, but it happened anyway."

"Look at me, Madison." He gets up but keeps his distance.

"What would have happened if your cousins hadn't bought the shares? Would you have broken the promise you made to your grandfather?"

"If you had asked me that a few months ago, I would have said that nothing would make me break the promise I made to my grandfather."

"And now?"

"If you need to ask me that, it's because you're still not ready to hear the answer."

I try to stay strong, but I start crying and I'm angry with myself for feeling so fragile in front of him.

Zeus approaches, but I stop him with a gesture. "Don't. Right now, I love you, but I also hate you. I'm not good at trusting, and I let my guard down for you, which only makes me see how much I've put myself in your hands."

"I know you're hurt, and I admit that I was wrong not to tell you the truth. I was arrogant and thought it would be better to resolve the issue of the missing shares before we talked, but that doesn't change anything between us. I want you."

"Are you crazy? Even if we were to work things out, you're a banker. All your employees heard what I do . . .didat the club. Once the rumor spreads, we'll be tabloid headlines."

"I watched the recordings. Everyone who laughed at you will be fired. As for rumors, I don't give a damn, but just so you know, anyone who works in one of my companies signs a confidentiality agreement before they're hired. If what happened this afternoon leaks to the press, if in any way your image is tarnished, I will go after the fucking gossipmonger with so muchdetermination that whatever he gets from the outlet he sold the news to won't be enough to pay the contractual penalty."

"I'm not afraid of what people think of me."

"No?"

"No. I would do it all over again if the safety and well-being of my niece and nephew were at stake."

"Then why does it still seem like you hate me?"

"I don't hate you—I'm just hurt. When we were together, even reluctantly, I felt like Cinderella. That girl brought me back to reality. I'll never belong to your world. It's better if we end things here."

"Are you giving up?"

"It would have happened anyway in a few months."

"You can't know that, Madison. No one can predict the future. A few months ago, I was living my life completely focused on revenge, and then you came along."

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