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“Of course.” Stavros was swift to appear conciliatory. Cursing himself for his verbal lapse, he changed the subject and steered clear from talking about Serenity after that. After half an hour, Willem stood up to leave, and as Stavros walked his guest to the front door, he said quietly, “If it means anything, my wife and I are rooting for you.”

“Willow, too?” the Dutch billionaire asked skeptically.

Stavros smiled. “My wife won’t admit it anytime soon, but she’s already forgiven you.” The butler opened the doors for them, just in time for the two billionaires to see a sports car coming up the driveway.

“You should have told me you were expecting someone,” Willem told him.

Stavros was frowning. “Actually, I’m not.”

Both of them watched the sports car slow down, and one of the two security guards stationed outside Stavros’ home rushed to open the passenger door.

Slowly, a pale-faced Serenity stepped out of the car.

She was supposed to be in school, Willem thought with a frown.

The driver of the sports car also stepped out, and it was, of course, Acheron Simonides.

Ah.

He watched Acheron walk around his car, placing an arm aroundhisSerenity’s waist. He waited for Serenity to shrug the other man’s hold off or at least show any sign of shock or reluctance. But she did none of those. Instead, she allowed her Greek boss to draw her forward with him.

Ever the perfect host, Stavros greeted the newcomers pleasantly even though he also gazed at Serenity in quiet disapproval. It made her flush, but still she remained in the circle of Acheron’s arms, unable to make herself pull away.

Just an act,she reminded herself doggedly. It was all just an act, no matter what Willem had said.

Acheron was turning towards Willem now, forcing her to look the Dutch billionaire’s way as well.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you officially,” she heard Acheron say as he offered his free hand to Willem, “even though I’ve already heard so much about you from my intern.”

“Then I’m afraid I am at a disadvantage,” Willem answered with a brief smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “since Ms. Raleigh, on the other hand, has told me nothing about you at all.” The entire time the Dutch billionaire spoke, he did not look at Serenity’s way at all.

“She’s probably too shy,” Acheron dismissed easily. “Ne, koukla mou?” And as her Greek boss smiled down at her, that was when she saw Willem slowly, finally, look at her.

It was only there for a second, gone in the blink of an eye, disappearing so fast that she wished she could convince herself she had only imagined it.

But she knew that wasn’t true.

Heartbreaking bleakness in Willem de Konigh’s blue gaze, making Serenity feel even worse than the cheap, stupid whore Shane thought she was.

Just a lie,she told herself.Just a lie, just a lie, she chanted in her mind as she reluctantly raised her gaze to meet his.

“Ms. Raleigh.”

“Mr. de Konigh.”

He nodded. “It was nice seeing you.”

She watched him leave, her heart in her throat, hating the way he had made her feel. He had done worse, she reminded herself. So much worse, dammit. So why did she feel so damn bad?

Acheron left soon after, politely refusing Stavros’ invitation to come inside. When she was alone with the Greek billionaire, she could feel his disapproving eyes still on her, and she said stiffly, “You don’t understand.”

“Don’t I?” Stavros asked levelly. “I have only to look at my friend’s face to know that you lied—-”

“You don’t know anything,” she cried out, whirling around to face him. “You weren’t there when he made me—-” She choked back a sob. “He hurt me first!”

“For which you wanted to exact revenge?” Stavros was quiet for a moment. “I think you’ve had it today, Serenity. I think after this, he might have gotten the message perfectly, and he won’t ever see you again.”

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