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

Chapter 46

Corinna paled as the crowd roared to life, every eye on him as the letter he’d shown me of their sur

gacy was revealed.

“Corinna and Ashton intended to use a surrogate to win our families’ inheritance. Unfortunately for them both, it did not turn out the way they wanted.”

Damon nodded to Peter, and a spotlight searched through the crowd before finally landing on a single woman hidden in the

back.

It was a brown-haired woman, one easily passable in the crowd, but everyone knew who she was.

The surrogate.

Nervously, she stood up from her spot, glancing at Damon’s cold look and sighing

“I was contacted by Miss Hildebrand and Mr. Steyn to become their surrogate, it is true,” she declared before everyone. “But Mr. Steyn came onto me, and I couldn’t say no. I became pregnant before the surrogacy, and he told me to stay quiet and pass it off as Miss Hildebrand’s.”

If I thought it was loud before, it was nothing compared to the sea of whispers after the confession we’d all just heard.

“But Ashton,” the woman cried among the noise, “He told me he’s planning on running away with me tonight! So we can raise the baby together!”

Damon smirked, fully satisfied now as the press surrounded the woman in full, questions pouring out of them and cameras flashing. The poor woman looked overwhelmed but also pleased to have all the attention on herself.

Damon glanced down at Corinna’s shell-shocked form, still on her knees and looking like the world had fallen to pieces around her.

“Game over, Corinna,” Damon said coldly and then stepped off the stage.

Relief poured through me as Damon made his way through the crowd, ignoring everyone who attempted to stop him.

He reached out for me, and I fell willingly into his arms, sheer relief overcoming me.

It was over. It was really over.

A finger pulled up my chin and I met Damon’s eyes, so full of happiness and love and that same relief I was feeling.

“Adelaide Hildebrand,” he declared in the middle of the crowd. “I have loved you for more than twenty years. You are the only woman I have ever loved and the only one I ever will.”

He cupped my cheeks in his hands and tears rolled down my face.

“Not because of status or money or fame,” he whispered to me. “But for you. The crazy, kind, stubborn, beautiful woman standing before me. My amazing wife.”

“You’re such a sap!” I hiccupped.

“But I’m your sap.” he grinned.

“All mine,” I whispered just before our lips met. Right before they touched, however, a scream burst out.

“NO!” Corinna screeched from the stage, tears pouring down her face as she stared at us in despair. “Damon loves me! He’s mine! He’s just tricking everyone!”

But no matter how loud her scream, the crowd had turned tides. Guests exchanged glances, but no one stepped up to take

her side like before.

“I have never loved you,” Damon said, his words like a final nail as she stared at us with wide eyes.

I sighed, glancing up at her in pity. Father looked away from her as if he didn’t know her, and her friends had fled long ago.

She was truly left alone.

She had earned this. I had given her every chance to turn a new leaf, and she had refused. She had chosen this for herself, and she must reap what she sowed.

“Where were we?” Damon turned back to me with a smirk, and I giggled.

“Right about here,” I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him into me as our lips collided in a symphony only we knew how to play.

He tasted like fireworks just before daybreak, like summer days spent lying next to the one you love, like the first snow of winter, like the rainbow that shined after a thunderstorm, and every I love you whispered between lovers.

like

as I glanced through the front page of the newspaper. “Though, I wish they had chosen a more flattering

argued, his arm around my waist as I sat in his lap. He kissed my neck, breathing in my scent

my

news. Luckily. Damon and I had been painted in quite a positive light. I couldn’t say the same

spit out my coffee all over the paper.

Dressed in a suit and looking like a million bucks, he was posing in front of a beautiful building.

the top?” I read aloud in disbelief. “You didn’t tell

Damon smirked. “There’s a special surprise on

him, but my curiosity won out as I flipped to the fourth page. On it

has been selected to build the new auditorium for UCLA?” I gasped then turned in his

“Surprise,” he chuckled.

back after a second, looking vulnerable as he confessed one

Adelaide

after

face which then turned to panic

sap!” I sobbed, burying my face into

long as I’m yours, Adelaide.”

head, sighing as he held

clutched his shirt, feeling truly

to do this. You

clutching the large white box in my

softly glancing over at my

sighed, brushing a hand across my cheek. “You’re too kind for your

you love me,” I grinned, leaning forward to kiss the tip of his nose. I opened the car door, dodging his hands with a laugh as I climbed

the guests to enter. Damon rounded the car and grabbed

turned to the Hildebrand Mansion. It used to scare me as

anymore.

was just a

stepped inside, it was abnormally quiet despite the supposed happy celebration. It was to be expected

taken a huge hit to their stocks over the last

in the backyard, I quickly spotted him among the entire family.

flower petals had been laid between sets

with only close family

were missing, but that didn’t surprise me in the least. I had been shocked when I’d received the new date for the wedding. After talking with my father,

take responsibility. They’d made their bed, and now

when I spotted my grandmother sitting quietly on one of the benches. I smiled up

my grandfather who, by the way, is

spotted the floral-patterned adorned old man. In his seventies and still rocking Hawaiian shirts. Damon kissed my cheek and reluctantly let go of

him finger guns as he approached, and I could see Damon dying on the inside.

toward my grandma, taking the seat beside her

stranger,” I smiled at her.

and sad but still happy to see me. “Hello,

knew she was still shocked and disappointed

invisible fuzz off

to be ready for this, but it must

didn’t tell you earlier,” I said, softly. “I wanted

Too many times you let her just take whatever she wanted from you. I’m glad you didn’t

I leaned my head on her shoulder, shutting my eyes as

Bittersweet

I smiled fondly, rolling my eyes as she glanced at me slyly. “When are you going to have a real wedding?”

“Grandma….” I warned.

mother’s dress outside of press photos!” Grandma

past her with

I spotted the groom walking up to the pedestal. His face was a mess. Despite the amount of makeup caked on. I could still see how crooked his

my Grandma’s

don’t have to stay, dear.” Grandma frowned. “I know what that boy did to you

here for him,” I turned to her, avoiding anything to do

the sexual assault charges, much to Damon’s ire. He

he was far away from me, that was all I cared about. I’d been angry enough for a lifetime. Now, I just

the inheritance to Corinna?”

I think you have too much of your mother in you, Adelaide.

grinned. “Is that really such a bad thing?”

dear.” Grandma threw her arm around me, pulling me close. “I’ll give Corinna the inheritance