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

Chapter 10

POV: Damon

I smirked, enjoying the sight of Adelaide turning bright red-just like an apple. Turns out that nickname wasn’t so wrong after all.

“I–uh–It’s nice to meet you,” she stuttered out, awkwardly, attempting to compose herself and smiling,

“You’re Adelaide Hildebrand, right?” Kathy asked as she approached. She wrapped her arm around her wife, reaching her other hand out for Addie to shake.

Addie took it eagerly. “Yeah, I am. You’re Kathy Bishop, right? The talent manager?”

“That’s right,” Kathy nodded. “You’re the director for Noonrise right?”

Addie grinned. “That’s right. You’re the one who suggested Gabriel-”

I tuned out of the conversation, letting Kathy and Addie talk about their work. I glanced at Lacey, meaningfully, and she took the hint.

“I’ll be right back, babe.” She kissed her wife on the cheek and followed me a bit of distance away. I kept one eye on Addie, who was excitedly waving her hands about the project. It made me happy to see her so happy about something, I didn’t even care what it was.

“How did you hear about us?” I said, bluntly to Lacey making sure to keep my voice low.

She didn’t even blink, too used to my personality by now.

“How could I not?” she scoffed, placing a hand on her hip. “The press has your brother and his new fiance all over the tabloid covers. It was quite a shock to me. I thought you and Corinna were in a relationship. But turns out, you’re with Adelaide.”

“We were,” I said curtly, making sure to keep my face neutral.

“Then why is she marrying your brother?” she asked, incredulously. “Did something happen?”

“They decided it on their own,” I shrugged, not caring why they decided to do it. It fit into my plans, and that’s all that mattered. I wasn’t exactly upset over losing her.

Let them dig their own graves faster.

“I know you didn’t love her, but I thought you would care at least a little bit,” Lacey sighed. “Looks like I was wrong.”

H

“Don’t say anything to Adelaide about the business,” I changed the topic hurriedly. I needed to keep that a secret for as long as possible.

She looked taken aback for a moment, but then her eyes narrowed on me. “Why?” she asked suspiciously, “I understand your father but-”

“Ashton is up to something.” I glanced at Addie, the joy in her eyes having a way of making even the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant seem comfortable. I couldn’t help but smile to myself.

blinked at me in rapid succession,

smile off my face in a hurry, but Lacey was always quicker

she looked at Addie and then at me.

“Oh, I see.”

want her to get hurt,” I snapped, crossing

Chapter 10

believing a single word I

one side of her face to the other. “I can’t believe you’re finally growing up. You’re

done?” I rolled my eyes, impatiently

in the least,” she smiled. “Honestly, though? I’m happy for you. You deserve someone great, and I can already tell

off her hair, her eyes sparkling like they always

said, roughly, burying my emotions as

hide it too long. Lies aren’t a great way to start a

late for that, I

other as easily as they breathed. I envied that about them. Hoping beyond hope that one day it would be like that for Adelaide and me.

have an event to attend,” Kathy told Addie.

I should get going too.” Addie smiled, and I could see her fondness for

could make friends with anyone. People just gravitated to her, and she had no clue. Her cluelessness made her even

looking at her wife. She reached into her purse and pulled out

it to Addie. “If you need anything, just give me a

Addie took it gratefully, stars in her eyes as she grinned at Kathy and Lacey. I was glad I could introduce them to one

we’ll be fast friends. If Damon ever bothers you, you

bells ringing in the air. If joy had a sound, it would be her laugh. A smile crept over my

do,” Addie grinned, stepping back.

a kiss as she and Kathy headed back into the restaurant, laughing at one another.

turned to Addie with a smirk. “You were jealous.”

could see the slight blush across her cheeks. “I was just concerned about what the press might say if

grinned. I couldn’t help but tease her when it made

her smile

pulled our phones out of our pockets. No new messages on

and instead of the smile 1 expected, her lips were drawn into a

Chapter 10

look in her eyes. “What’s

back in her pocket as she shook her head. “Nothing. I have to

“Where?”

of your business,” she snapped, and I knew something was

supposed to be partners in this. If something’s wrong, I need to know,” I told her, firmly, crossing my arms as I leaned on her car

at me and

She sighed.

the set. One of the actors is ill. I

a good liar.