Page 34 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

She stilled, torn between minding her own business – like she should – and risking getting caught eavesdropping to find out the truth – like she also should.

“Don’t talk about her like that!”

Mairi made an about face. She was definitelynotminding her own business. That was just another term for being selfish and ignorant of other people’s needs anyway. She was just being her caring self by wanting to play mediator between mother and son if their argument escalated.

Tiptoeing her way down the staircase, Mairi peeked from behind the midsection post of the balustrade and saw that Damen and Esther had already moved out of the hallway. She ran down the rest of the stairs and she only heard the muted sounds of their voices by the time she reached Damen’s study.

She pressed her ear to the door.

Esther released a scoffing laugh. “You are seriously reprimanding me for the way I treated your slut?”

A thousand ways to counter her words raced in Damen’s mind. It never failed to amaze and disgust him the way Esther could act like a self-righteous bitch when everyone in Greek society knew the truth about her.

But at the end of it all, Esther was his mother and honor and duty both demanded that he treated her with respect, or at the very least civility. However, although he could not and would not publicly disavow her, that did not mean he would follow the same rule in private.

He was the sole reason their fortune was still intact even after the scandal Esther and his father were embroiled in. It would not do her any good to forget that.

Esther began to feel unnerved at the way her son continued to stare at her so coldly. Why oh why couldn’t he be as biddable and as easily manipulated as his sister? Her life would have been so much more different if he was.

When Damen still did not say anything, she said defensively, “You cannot blame me for thinking she’s your slut! She’s here, alone in a man’s home and wearing your clothes. What do you think the Kokinis would say if the paparazzi manage to take a photo of the two of you and it’s printed for the world to see?”

“I will say this one last time, Mother. You are not to call or think of her as a slut. If you do, then you will regret the consequences.”

Fury made her grip the handles of her designer handbag tightly, the only thing she could do to keep herself from giving Damen a much deserved slap the way she had been able to when he was young. But of course she could not do that anymore. It wasn’t just because he was a grown man. Damen also happened to control the purse strings, and in her world, that man was god.

“Why did you come here?”

“The Kokinis want to meet tonight instead of next week.”

“No.”

Esther swallowed. “I have already accepted the invitation and told them you are eager to meet with them as well.” She tried not to flinch when Damen cursed. “It will be the height of discourtesy if you cancel at such late notice—-”

Damen laughed bitterly. “You dare lecture me on manners?”

Esther colored at the pointed barb. Pretending she did not hear his words, she continued, “The Kokinis want to set a date for the wedding and I agree. The girl has waited long enough – she would be a laughingstock if you keep her dangling.”

“She is only twenty.”

“But you have been her betrothed since she was fifteen.”

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