Page 69 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

“...AND SO FOR TEACHERS’Day, the much coveted spot for the opening speech shall go to none other than Ms. Tanner!”

Mairi’s jaw dropped at Ms. Thorn’s announcement, unable to believe that she had indeed been chosen to formally start the festivities for Teachers’ Day with a speech.How could it be?She was one of the newest teachers in school. It just didn’t make sense.

Ms. Thorn beamed at her. “I can see you’re confused, but actually most of us are not.” She turned to the students with a wink. “Right, girls?”

The students cheered wildly in response, sending a fiery blush to Mairi’s cheeks. When Ms. Thorn motioned for her to go on stage, she did so immediately, knowing the principal liked it when teachers made even the simplest of speech when given awards of any kind.

With a nod of approval and a congratulatory smile, Ms. Thorn stepped aside for Mairi to take over the microphone on the podium. Swallowing, Mairi tested it by tapping the speaker. It echoed in response.

She cleared her throat loudly and mouthed sorry when the microphone unexpectedly picked it up, the sound bruising hundreds of ears in the process.

“Sorry,” she croaked out and wanted to kill herself again because this time she sounded like a newly-turned-human Pinocchio in need of vocal surgery.

Seeing everyone staring at her expectantly, Mairi tried to think madly of something to say but none came except for—-

Carefully avoiding Charity’s gaze, she said weakly, “Yay me?”

The entire crowd laughed. Well, the entire crowd except Charity, that was. Her supervisor had long reprimanded her about using the expression, saying that it was very unprofessional of her.

When she returned to her seat, Ms. Thorn resumed making announcements. Her tone was quite excited as she revealed this year’s sponsors and donations. “We are up by a million dollars this year, mainly due to our two VIP guests.” She beamed. “First is Ioniko Vlahos—-”

Mairi clapped her hands with the rest, but not as strongly because it felt like she was betraying Damen somehow.

“And secondly, Mr. Damen Leventis and his fiancée Alina Kokinos.”

Mairi paled the same time a few pairs of eyes went her way. Velvet and Mandy, who were concerned, Diana, who was anxious, and Charity, who was smug and knowing because she had seen something she wasn’t supposed to see a few weeks ago and she was only biding her time, waiting for the right chance to reveal the ace she had up her sleeve.

Conscious of several people’s gazes, Mairi slowly lifted her hands up again to clap with the rest of the crowd. With each clap, it was as if she was breaking her heart into two, over and over.

When lunch break came that day, Mairi quickly hid herself deep in the school’s gardens, her back against the trunk of a large old oak, knees tucked under her chin.

She wasn’t in the mood to answer the questions that her friends would surely ask. How could she answer those anyway?

Mairi played with her phone, waiting for it to ring. Anytime now, itwouldring, she told herself. Damen had changed completely. He was different now. He might not realize he had fallen in love with her yet, but he cared for her and Mairi believed him when he told her he never wanted to hurt her.

The minutes ticked by, the silence becoming more painful.

When her phone finally rang, she couldn’t answer it fast enough.

But it was not Damen.

“Mairi? It is Ioniko.”

“Oh.”

“You are disappointed?” Ioniko asked gently.

His gentleness undid her. She tried to speak but couldn’t. She was too busy holding back tears.

“I have just spoken to Katya. My sister told me you now know about this weekend?”

Clearing her tear-clogged throat, Mairi said tremulously, “Y-yes. I know that you’re one of our guests. We’d be honored—-”

“Mairi, small talk is wasted on me. You know that. I called because I wanted to be sure you are fine with what would happen?” He paused. “Will you be able to bear seeing them together in person?”

This time, she just broke down.

The sound of Mairi’s tears made Ioniko’s fingers clench around his phone. “Mairi—-” But he was cut off by a beep. He knew it meant another incoming call, and Ioniko would bet his entire bank balance that it was Damen.

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