Secret Billionaire’s Contract Bride: Marrying My Enemy’s Lover

Chapter 7

I poked uncomfortably at the fish dinner on my plate, not even hungry anymore as I sat down at dinner.

I didn’t realize that when Damon meant dinner, he meant with the Steyns. I wished his grandparents were here. They’d always been kind to me.

But instead, we were joined by the three most boring old, balding political men I’ve ever met, Damon’s father, and of course, Ashton and Corinna.

Even the normally cool-headed Damon was irritated. I tried my best to keep a stoic expression on my face. They didn’t deserve to see my emotions.

“Absolutely ridiculous, this new tax reform needs to be halted in its tracks,” one of the men with a patchy beard said firmly.

“I

agree. The tax exemptions have always kept good companies like ours out of the hot water but they want to steal our money? Raise taxes on the middle class for goodness sake! They don’t need money, anyway,” another who was clearly wearing a wig said.

“I completely agree, sirs,” Corinna giggled to the men’s delight. They preened under her gaze. “Good men like you definitely deserve more recognition for your contributions.” She smiled at them all, making them feel important.

I tried not to roll my eyes and looked at Damon instead. He wore the same displeased expression as he had when he arrived.

“Oh-ho!” the man with the patchy beard grinned, “You’ve got such a delightful daughter-in-law on your hands, Dalton. I wish I could steal her away from your son.”

“I’m afraid she belongs all to me, sirs,” Ashton said charmingly, wrapping an arm around Corinna. Dalton, however, sipped his wine without saying a word.

I sent the men fawning over Corinna a nasty look which went ignored, but Damon’s smile was harder to ignore.

“Tax exemptions are meant for good, hardworking people who keep the economy stable, not hoarders with a government permit,” Damon smiled, though his eyes didn’t. I was shocked to hear him speak up; normally, he was so withdrawn from conflict.

“I beg your pardon?” the man with a curly mustache said with a frown.

“Then beg.” Damon chuckled.

Damon raised his glass to his father’s political friends gracefully, and I almost wanted to applaud him if I didn’t remember that he belonged to a family of ‘hoarders with a government permit

“Damon!” Dalton scolded sharply. He turned to them with an apologetic look. “I apologize for the rudeness of my son.”

“My brother is simply not as… educated on these matters.” Ashton smiled at the men, sending a mocking look to Damon. Damon’s smile of disdain in response knocked the preening from Ashton’s

face.

insulted. Insulting Damon’s intelligence, who only won against every battle of wits we’d ever had, was insulting me. Damon was smarter than Ashton by

be a jerk, but at least he’d learned to dress without the maid’s assistance, I wanted to shout. Instead, I gritted my teeth as

in her eyes unsettling. It felt like she was looking at a particularly juicy piece of meat and not a man she’d dumped

Chapter 7

her upside the head, but Damon didn’t seem to mind.

Damon said as he placed more of the vegetables onto my plate. I glared at the roasted bell peppers

knew I hated

peppers.

corner of his lips tilted upward in response, but he didn’t glance at anyone else, simply ignoring them coldly like he couldn’t be bothered. I playfully nudged his arm with my elbow and responded, “No, thanks,

ugly glare. I met it cooly and smiled. She would never have

about you two? Any plans in the future?” the bald man

it gave me whiplash. She gripped Ashton’s arm. looking up at him

we’re trying for a baby.”

at the same time. I choked as it hit the back of my throat

just as shell-shocked

in her eyes as she pretended to be

shards of

seems so sudden,” I laughed awkwardly. “You’re not even married

be? Let alone Grandma despised surrogacy deep heart

one of our own.” Corinna giggled, as Ashton wrapped his arm

course, Cori,” Ashton smiled like a man truly in love. He was able to fake that well, I thought. The joy was plain on his

his glass of wine, “To Corinna and Ashton on expanding

glasses, happily enjoying their

a side glance to

were we

were going to take everything.

silent, awkwardly so. The only sound was the tires crawling across the pavement and wind flying by us

out the car window, wondering what on earth we were going to do. If they had a baby before we did, they’d gain control over an

Chapter 7

make a good mother. Not only would it ruin her career, and at least momentarily, her figure, but she also couldn’t stand babies and they hated her in

return.

time one of our baby cousins came to visit, he puked all over her dress, and she’d thrown

massive fit.

mother? Forget

to mention

I needed the bringing a child

money, but