Page 258 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

Again, light bulbs, imaginary this time, as everyone realized the photographer’s words were true. Suddenly, everyone was in a hurry, trying to look for the right applications in their phones, tablets, and laptops so they could be the first one to create said meme and be credited for what was likely to be the viral sensation of the month.

Esther, too, had realized what was happening, and spinning around, she went after the reporters. “Don’t you dare post that!”

More clicks, as another photographer shouted, “That’s another fucking meme right there!”

As chaos ensued around them, Mairi and Damen turned to each other. Suddenly, she felt like the world had fallen away, leaving just the two of them and Nala, still sleeping peacefully, the noise not bothering her at all.

She looked at her husband, really looked at him, and found herself breathless. Her Greek billionaire was so, so beautiful, and she just couldn’t believe he was really hers.

The way his wife was looking at him had his lips twitching...as well as another and more insistent part of his anatomy. “Hi.” He spoke with sham seriousness.

Mairi bit back a nervous giggle. “H-hi.”Sheesh, she was married to this man and they already had a baby, and she still ended up stammering in his presence.

Somewhere behind them, they could still hear Esther screaming.

“You probably never thought it would end up this way, did you?” she asked wryly.

“Never,” he admitted.

She nodded, saying knowingly, “God works in mysterious ways.”

“Or,” he countered, “it just so happens you have me wrapped around your little finger. So when you told me to stop...”

A flash of a smile. “That, too,” she acknowledged.

“I guess it means I’m afraid of you.”

“Afraid of me?” she echoed, astonished.

His turn to nod. “Because...you’re very fierce.” He surprised her by mock-clawing at her face. “Rawr.”

She turned red. “Damen!”

Epilogue

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAMEN!” The resounding cheer came from his wife as she jumped out of her hiding place, which was behind the sofa in the darkened living room, giving Damen the fright of his life. A second later, all lights were switched on, and party poppers exploded, showering the air with confetti and leaving the bodyguards in a colorful mess. And still, the Great Dozen, as Jane liked to call them, remained stoic-faced.

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