Page 16 of The Greek Billionaire's Email Bride

"It's fine," Colin said curtly.

Was it just her or was he in a bad mood?

"Is something wrong?" she asked gently.

A muscle started ticking in his jaw.

"Is it Princess? Is she in trouble—"

"Stop being so nice about her."

Her eyes widened, but she was more surprised than hurt by the sharpness of his tone.

"I'm not blind," Colin gritted out. "It took me a while to see the truth, but I know she was deliberately trying to cause trouble between us yesterday."

"I never said—"

"It was just one mishap after another," Colin said with a curl of his lip. "Only an idiot wouldn't have realized what was happening after the fourth or fifthincident."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm the one who should say sorry," Colin said grimly.

Oh no. Here he goes again.

"I should never have left you—"

She cut him off and did her best to keep her voice steady as she reminded him, "We talked about this, remember? You were very clear about what you wanted from this marriage. And I was just as clear when I told you I was fine with it. So please stop apologizing for something we both signed up for."

"And that's all our marriage is to you, isn't it? A business arrangement."

"There's no need to test me like that" she said lightly. "You're making it sound like you want this marriage to mean something to both of us. But we both know that's not true. So please just take my word for this: I don't have any designs on your fortune. And that won't ever change. What you've promised me once this is all over...it's enough."

Or at least it should be. It had to be. Because otherwise, losing Colin would kill her.

****

Colin guided Hope through the entrance, his hand warm against the small of her back. She felt the stares immediately—some admiring, others speculative, a few openly hostile.

They circled the room, exchanging pleasantries with Colin's former classmates. Hope maintained her role as the devoted wife, laughing at appropriate moments, touching Colin's arm with practiced affection. The performance came more easily now, muscle memory after days of repetition.

Too easily, a voice in her head warned.Remember what this is. Remember what it isn't.

"Colin!" A booming voice interrupted their conversation with a retired teacher. "Holding out on us again, I see."

Hope turned to find a tall, broad-shouldered man approaching, his grin wide beneath a carefully groomedmustache.Wilson, according to his name tag, and captain of the wrestling team, if she remembered correctly.

"Wilson." Colin's greeting was cordial but contained. "This is my wife, Hope. Hope, Wilson Bards."

The other man extended his hand to Hope, holding hers a beat too long. "This is quite the honor: to be in the presence of the woman who finally pinned down the unpinnable Colin Soukoulis."

"I, um, feel the same." She couldn't help but smile at his colorful vocabulary even as she carefully extracted her hand from his grip. She had no idea if 'unpinnable' was an actual word, but whatever. She smiled at Wilson, adding, "It's an honor to be in the presence of high school wrestling greatness."

Wilson immediately clutched his heart. "How unfair life is, to fall under the spell of a woman already taken." He then looked at Colin, asking dramatically, "Would you take pity on a poor soul and let me at least enjoy one stolen dance with your wife?" Wilson turned to Hope with a wink, saying, "For old times' sake."

Hope couldn't help laughing despite herself. "We didn't have any old times."

"Recollections can vary," Wilson said piously, "but I still stand by my words." He glanced at Colin then, asking, "It's alright, isn't it?"

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