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Willem forced himself to meet the other billionaire’s gaze. “If you think you have to.”

“I think I must,” Mykolas acknowledged grimly, “if only for your sake.”

“Proceed then,” Willem murmured ever so politely.

Mykolas glanced at his wife. For one moment, he remembered the agony he had felt when he realized how much he had wronged his wife. He remembered the crushing fear, thinking he had been too late and he would not be able to win her back again.

He would not wish that on his worst enemy, and although the Dutch billionaire was arrogant as hell, Willem de Konigh was not his enemy, and he definitely did not deserve to live in hell.

“My word of advice then, de Konigh.” He paused before saying with precision, “Idiot. You are an idiot for turning your back on the person who’s likely your other half.”

“Haven’t you heard what I said?” Willem hissed explosively under his breath. “It was nothing at all like what you had with your wife. It was nothing at all like anyone—-”

“You don’t know anything about love, do you?”

If not for Velvet’s saddened voice, Willem would have probably felt offended. As such, he could only shake his head wearily. “You are an American, so you probably have not heard of my parents. But in their youth, they had been considered one of the most wildly romantic couples of their generation. You only have to read the numerous articles written about them in their time. All of it would say that my parents were very muchin love.” Willem did not notice the way his voice filled with contempt at the last two words, but Velvet and her husband did, leading her to blink bemusedly while the Greek billionaire’s expression turned thoughtful.

Velvet was shaking her head back at the Dutch billionaire. “You’re right. I don’t know your parents. And maybe they were in love like you said. Obviously, I don’t know much about you, but I’m telling you right now, and I believe this with all my heart – you don’t know as much as you think you know about love.”

She looked at her husband in quiet appeal, and Mykolas, unable to refuse his wife anything, found himself doing something he had thought unimaginable for someone like him: dispensing love advice.

“I do know of your parents, de Konigh, and I am aware of their reputation—-” He paused then said evenly, “Then and now.” When the Dutch billionaire’s jaw hardened, Mykolas knew his words had struck a raw nerve, just as he had intended.

Taking his wife’s hand under the table, Mykolas attempted to find the right words to best explain the feelings he had for the woman beside him. “Itwasinstantaneous between Velvet and me. And based on your account, it had been the same thing for your parents. But it is not the only form of love that exists.” Tightening his hold on his wife’s hand, he said quietly, “If you ask me, I think you are the luckier one. You met the woman you were meant to be with at an earlier age. You had more years to spend with her, more years to love her. And yes, it might not have been instantaneous, but it doesn’t mean you didn’t – you don’t – love her. It could only mean that the love between the two of you grew gradually, but it doesn’t make the feelings any less powerful.” Mykolas’ voice became quiet and almost regretful as he voiced what he knew could be the Dutch billionaire’s greatest mistake. “It could be there was no spark – no bolt of lightning, no instantaneous attraction – simply because what you had was already more than it. What you and that girl had was love already at its deepest and purest form.”

****

WILLEM WALKED ALONGthe shorelines of Mageia’s private beach. Dawn broke overhead, its bright colors streaking the skies and clearing away the darkness. He walked and walked, blind to the beauty surrounding him, deaf to the sound of the serenade of the gently lapping waves of the sea.

He walked to escape the memories that wanted to break out of its cage, but it was impossible. They drove him to his knees, and when he was down, his head bowing at the weariness of his empty life, the cage holding his memories back broke down as well.

They surged into his mind, and suddenly she was all the billionaire could see, hear, and feel.

Serenity.

His Sere.

His engel.

He saw her at fourteen, wide-eyed and wary the first time they had met.

He saw her the first time they had met in her school, and he had come to accept that she was, for better or for worse, going to be a permanent fixture in his life.

Was that when it had started,Willem asked himself numbly.

Maybe. Maybe not. But what was clear now was that Mykolas Sallis was right.

It was love, still love, between him and Serenity.

Love at its deepest and purest form, and now that he realized how stupid and stubborn he had been, it became so damn clear.

Only two people who loved could understand each other with a mere look, a mere touch, without a single word being spoken.

Only two people in love could be so devoted to each other, with the way Serenity bowed to his every command, and he had sought to do everything to protect her.

He had loved her, and she had loved him.

But he had pushed her away.