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a government permit,” Damon smiled, though his eyes didn’t. I was shocked to hear him speak up; normally, he was so withdrawn from conflict.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

seat, completely insulted. Insulting Damon’s intelligence, who only won against every battle of

he’d learned to dress without the maid’s assistance, I wanted to shout. Instead,

Damon a glance, the gleam in her eyes unsettling. It felt like she was looking

Chapter 7

but Damon didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was

Damon said as he placed more of the vegetables onto my

I hated

peppers.

else, simply ignoring them coldly like he couldn’t be bothered. I playfully nudged his arm

desired response from Damon, Corinna sent me an ugly glare. I met it cooly and smiled. She would never have

the future?” the bald man asked Corinna and

it gave me whiplash. She

we’re trying for

part that I’d taken a sip of my water at the same time. I choked as

looking just as shell-shocked as

Corinna looked concerned on the surface but I could see the delight in her eyes as she pretended to be sympathetic,

her mouth sounded all wrong, like someone trying to gurgle shards of glass. I got myself under control,

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

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

can’t wait to have a little one of our own.”

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

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

their glasses,

sent a side glance to Damon who

What were we

going

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

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 inheritance they didn’t deserve. They’d squander it

Chapter 7

only would it ruin her career, and at least momentarily, her

return.

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

massive fit.

mother? Forget it.

to mention Ashton.

needed the bringing

money, but

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