Page 290 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

Together

This Is Why I Need You by Jesse Ruben

DIANA WAS ABOUT TOleave the dorm when the resident manager called out to her, asking for her to wait.

He came back a moment later, a small, beautifully wrapped parcel in his hands. He handed it over to her with a smile, and she took it gingerly, unable to think of any reason why she would be sent a present.

"This is really for me?" she asked doubtfully.

"No other gal here by the name of Diana Leventis," Lenny answered cheerfully, "so I'd have to say yes."

Since the package didn't come with any card, she asked, "Did you get a name?"

"Afraid not. Maybe you've got a secret admirer?"

Diana couldn't stop her cheeks from turning red. "I don't think so."

And the lady truly meant it, Lenny thought ruefully as Diana thanked him before turning away.Poor gal. That Esther Leventis woman must've been a real horror, to have made a pretty little swan like Diana think of herself as an ugly duckling.

A cautious but irrepressible form of optimism had infected Diana's senses by the time she made it out of the dorm, and unable to help it, she plopped down on the nearest bench and eagerly began unwrapping it.

Underneath the layers of foil wrapper and soft tissue was a box, and hope reluctantly gave way to confusion at what she was seeing.

An iPhone?

Granted, it was the latest model, but...an iPhone?

Maybe Damen needed to give her another phone for security reasons? It would be just like him if so, and she wouldn't be even surprised if this came with GPS tracking and whatnot.

She opened the box, and the first thing she saw was the sticky note posted on its screen.

The passcode is the date we first met.

And that was when she knew, her eyes stinging, her heart skipping a beat, and a euphoric burst of hope exploding inside of her with such force that she could barely breathe.

Her fingers shook as she turned the iPhone on, and her heart skipped another beat as she typed the numbers that corresponded with the clue. The lock screen blinked out, and the next thing she saw was the new message notification.

One click, and her heart started pounding.

Matthijs:In the event you need to contact me.

A helpless smile played over her lips.

Diana:Is that your way of saying you want to keep in touch?

Matthijs:No.

Diana:But you went as far as buying me an iPhone.

Matthijs:To ensure our means of communication remains secure and private.

Diana:Why can't you just lie and say you want to talk to me?

Matthijs:Because you'd never believe me even when I tell you the truth.

Diana:You're so serious.

Almost an entire minute passed, and there still wasn't anything from the professor, almost as if he were saying he would only deign to text her back if she had shared something worthwhile.

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