I Slapped My Fiancé-Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis

ember how I got

le, sharp conclusion e

t be thei

to find ou

use otherwise, how could I live with the idea tha

nt, I collapsed into bed. I didn't

as I

anything-I just blurted out e

told her about th

ut the p

d it could probably shatter glass and

?! And you didn't FaceTime

ssed it onto the couch, slumping back

pt going lik

rom? Are you telling me you actually, finally, let Rhys go

up on her sofa, wrapped in a blanket, ma

unnatural p

nnoying," I groaned, dragg

e topic," she snap

e

, I

Ivanna. Not even the u

n. last

whose last name I

skin-for a minute, an hour, a night

liber

o

e, a cocktail of both

wasn't here

-even if it was only through the

oice lowering, softer. "Was he hot? Like, close-y

uttered int

he knew you were something rare? Like you

my jaw. Did

od," she

pt with someone w

on, that one sentence felt like a suture

my head-sharp, suffocating, like

al, so composed. Like tossing out a b

do anything. Screw up, break down, love the wrong person-it

d not

to my chest and press

d. "Wherever you go. Wha

dn't

ar I

ghter, and swallowed the words thank yo

ed at t

to go

I was disposable, my job was the one

believed I wor

me from having

, I should be home full-time

ld them what

out the door, I headed to G

d no real brand potential. Was it a sexy coffee

was d

ab

or no

it no long

ir

s parole officer-nervous, sweaty, probab

s hairline, and his arms were covered in tattoos best described

st about to call you." He stared at the fl

use

ly sorry. I didn't want to, bu

mach d

cense revoked if I didn't fire you." Benny kept star

incare company, Benny

s for health code violations. And you know she's

ng at Benny wouldn't do any

pid-like hurl a milk jug o

b. Being a barista wa

-what no one knew except I

average. Ordinary. Talentless. Every time I tri

ed my ambition, wore gray feathers li

re about losing th

nemployment. It was that th

rints were

ponse to me trying to escape

ending me

get to w

of pride you think you'v

awling back, like I used t

ld go t

her puppe

playing the

shoved open the front

ng. I did

o start round two

stead was somet

living room, sipping wine worth more than my ren

y'd stepped right out of How to Hos

n of a 1950s mogul-maybe one who'd spent time in

evealing a patch of chest hair that looked li

his smile too polished-lik

haw, CEO of Alcott Shipping. A true self-made man. There's so much y

scented hamm

. His eyes-no, his eyes we

we get to talk more. I always enjoy mentoring young

her hiding m

isgust. It

ically licki

rack of Indecent Propos

sugar-coated threat tone, "don'

ve. I didn'

me in that moment, I'd have hugge

h and brittle, like she was tr

n't they?" she said to Leonard, with the pract

t off. "I like a gir

who don't need pliers. We

e "we'll take care of everything"-was now nodding at

hen I un

't an int

a prese

oduct on dis

meeting a "promi

g marketed like a financial

behind a cloud of cologne and a tr

e hell w

wine glass, took a

th a smile, "was yo