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a government permit,” Damon smiled, though his eyes didn’t. I was shocked to hear him speak up; normally, he was so withdrawn from conflict.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.

every battle

learned to dress without the maid’s assistance, I wanted to shout. Instead, I gritted my teeth as the group laughed.

sent Damon a glance, the gleam in her eyes unsettling. It felt like she was looking at a particularly juicy piece of

Chapter 7

gripped my wrist under the table, wanting to smack her upside the head, but Damon didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was hardly paying any attention

onto my plate. I

I hated

peppers.

he didn’t glance at anyone else, simply ignoring them coldly like he couldn’t be bothered. I playfully nudged his

Corinna sent me an ugly glare. I met it cooly and smiled. She would

the bald man

yes,” Corinna’s face morphed so quickly that it gave me whiplash. She gripped Ashton’s arm. looking up at him like a loving fiance

we’re trying for a

sip of my water at the same time. I choked as it hit the back of my throat and pressed my napkin

patted my back, looking just as shell-shocked as I was.

her eyes as she pretended to be sympathetic, “I know it must be shocking, but you don’t need to be rude to our guests.”

sounded all wrong, like someone trying to gurgle shards of glass.

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

model. A child, how could it be? Let alone Grandma despised surrogacy deep heart

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

was able to fake that well, I thought. The joy was plain

his glass of wine, “To Corinna

men raised their glasses, happily

to Damon who gazed

were we

going to take everything.

was silent, awkwardly so. The only sound was the tires crawling

before we did, they’d

Chapter 7

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

return.

time one of our baby cousins came to visit, he puked all

massive fit.

a mother? Forget it.

to mention

I needed the bringing a child into this world because

money, but

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