Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
"Maturity isn't always about age, and being young doesn't automatically make one weak. Polly was only eighteen when I married her," Kyr reminded his friend sardonically, "but as the whole of Greek society knows, it was not her who had made the more foolish mistake in our marriage."
Lukas' jaw clenched as Kyr's words hit home. He had forgotten about the age gap between Kyr and Polly, and while he was willing to concede the possibility that Betsy would be more than capable of handling whatever society threw her way...
What of his own pride?
His own plans?
Was Lukas himself prepared to handle what the world had to say if, following his marriage to Betsy, they were to suddenly find out about his condition?
Chapter Ten
LUKAS CAME HOME TO the sound of Betsy practicing his native language with the help of an audiobook playing out on loudspeaker and the faint scent of his favorite Greek dishes wafting from the kitchen.
"Why are you studying Greek? And cooking Greek dishes?"
Betsy literally jumped in shock at the sound of her boss's voice, and her heart banged hard against her chest as she whirled around and found her boss standing by the doorway.
"Mr. Tsaldaris." Betsy hastily hit Pause on her audiobook. "I, um...welcome home?"
The billionaire only raised a brow, and Betsy belatedly realized he was still waiting for an explanation.
"I know this is going to sound overkill," she began sheepishly, "but when Charlotte told me my husband-to-be is Greek, I thought I'd surprise him with my mastery of all things, well, Greek."
A muscle started ticking in Lukas' jaw. So she now knew she was to marry someone Greek—-and it still had not occurred to her it could be him?
Betsy suddenly clapped her hands over her mouth. "Oh my goodness," she exclaimed. "I just realized you're Greek, too!"
Lukas nobly resisted the urge to say something sarcastic.
"Would you be willing to taste what I've cooked?" Betsy asked eagerly. "You can be as honest as you like, too. I love constructive criticism, and I'm a fast learner, too. I promise!"
Un-fucking-believable.
The word echoed repeatedly in his brain even as he spent the next hour helping Betsy with her language lessons and cooking.
Un-fucking-believable.
He was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world.
But Betsy had him working as an unpaid food tester.
And to make things a thousand times worse, the last hour also saw him feeling jealous of himself, with the way Betsy could not stop talking about the man she would soon marry.
I know I haven't seen him yet, but I'm just sure of this!
Once we're married, he'll make my heart race!
And it will always be so for the rest of our lives!
I know it's silly, but I also think D is bound to find him perfect.
Do you remember the gifts he gave D, Mr. Tsaldaris?
They're all perfect!
And that's because he obviously took the time picking them.
Lukas knew he should just stop her from talking and tell her the truth. His pride, however, rejected the idea. Had she stopped seeing him as a man? Or did she not see him as husband material?
Betsy firmly declined his offer to help her with the dishes. "I'd really like to earn my keep, Mr. Tsaldaris. You've already helped D and me so much."
Lukas watched her as she worked. Charlotte had given him two months. Not weeks, and certainly not two days. He had two months to make up his mind. He had every reason to take things so slowly, but because he had always been a man of action as well as one whose impatience was legendary among the people who worked for and with him—-
I'll take my chances.
And with that, Lukas rose to his feet and placed his hands around her waist before whirling her around.
A gasp slipped past Betsy's lips when she suddenly found herself in her boss's arms. Silvery eyes blazed down at her, and the heat in his gaze burned through her flesh.
She was terrified all at once but also confused and shamefully turned on. "S-Sir?"
"Call me by my name."
The thickness of his tone made her gulp even as her heart pounded hard at his unexpected command. "I c-can't—-"
"You can," the billionaire urged.
"I m-mustn't—-"
"You have to."
Those words.
And that tone.
And the way his hands squeezed her waist so, so hard as he said them.
It was all too much, and Betsy wondered dazedly if she was dreaming again.
"You have no choice to do so. You need to get used to it—-"
Why did she not have a choice about calling him by his name?!
"—-once we're married."
Chapter Eleven
BETSY DIDN'T EVEN THINK.
She simply planted her hands against his chest and tried with all her might to shove him away.
But her boss didn't move even a single inch, and her eyes burned hotter with unshed tears. "Please let me go."
"Not until you say you'll marry me."