Page 317 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

It was a question he thought he wished to know the answer to, but by the time he realized the truth, it was already too late.

Dinner was the usual affair, with the professor managing to keep Laverne suitably occupied that she didn't notice the way his gaze would occasionally stray, almost as if her presence alone was a magnet for his attention.

A call from work came just as the staff came to clear their plates away for dessert, and the professor had to excuse himself from the table. After stepping out in one of the restaurant's balconies, he took the call and the resulting conversation was brief but productive. The person on the other end of the line, a representative of a pontifical university in Spain, had asked if the professor could make time and give their students a talk onSumma Theologica.To which he had immediately said yes, because the farther he was fromher,the less likely he was to do something stupid.

Such as asking her for another chance.

That was the plan at least, but when the professor pocketed his phone and left the balcony, he only had to turn back to the main dining hall to realize that "something stupid" was already there, just patiently waiting to happen.

Diana.

And almost as if she had heard him, he saw her flinch, and he had to clench his fists to keep himself from reaching out to her.

"Hello, P-professor."

"Ms. Leventis." His voice was curt, his face expressionless, his whole fucking body a rigid form of tension. It was the only way to survive seeing her and still do the right thing, and after giving her a clipped nod, he forced himself to walk past her.

"Professor?"

He kept walking.

"Is she your...girlfriend?"

He froze.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

But because he couldn't make himself pretend he hadn't heard the way her voice broke - he just fucking couldn't - he found himself stiffly turning around, and pain nearly crushed his chest when he saw her eyes.

So much hurt. He had hurt her so much. And yet there was still no anger.

"Is she, Professor?" Diana whispered.

"No." And he found himself unable to lie. "Laverne's...my mistress."

Her lips parted, and though no sound came, it didn't matter. He could hear her just fine, and her cry of pain and betrayal cut his heart into pieces.

Let it end there, mijn obsessie.

Let it fucking end there and save yourself from more hurt.

But it didn't.

Because God always answered His people's prayers.

What must I do to make you throw me away, mijn obsessie?

And he heard Diana ask, "Since when?"

No. Fuck. No.

LIE. DAMN YOU, LIE.

You didn't mean to betray her.

SO LIE. FUCKING LIE FOR HER SAKE.

And then he saw her already crying, and he realized it was too late.

---