Page 12 of Modern Romance October 2025 5-8

He couldn’t possibly be serious. She had stubble rash between her thighs. Her mouth was swollen from the roughness of those kisses, she was sure her face was flushed and she could hardly breathe, let alone figure out what to do. But one fact cut through her shattered emotions. Ares wasutterlycontrolled in this moment.Helooked utterly unaffected—as if those moments in his office—when his mask had dropped—had never happened. How could hepossiblybe calm right now? His remote demeanour was so unfathomable that an outlandish suspicion occurred to her—had he stopped the elevator on this floordeliberately?

Already beyond stressed in the last twenty-four hours, she now felt anger unlike any other brew within her. But there were too many people around to cause more of a scene. She had no idea why there were at least sixty people present, all in sharp cocktail attire. It had to be a celebration—perhaps of their latest billion? Another massive boat deal? But whatever it was, they didn’t give a damn about it now because whispers rippled the length of the impeccably decorated room. She didn’t need to speak the language to understand, shesawthe wide-eyed speculation and knew several clearly recognised her. She’d walked into a hostile environment and faced whispers and condescension like this before. The flashing memory of high-school bullies didn’t hurt today, indeed she could almost appreciate that relentless, horrible experience because it meant shealmostdidn’t care about these people doing the same now. She was only interested in understanding the enigma that was Ares. If he’d done this deliberately,why? What was he playing at?

But she couldn’t ask, he’d already been collared by two tall, loud men who were quickly telling him something terribly serious-sounding in Greek. In a second he’d effortlessly slipped into the CEO persona she’d never really seen in action before.

Keeping her head high, she lifted a glass of champagne from the tray a waiter offered, but downed it too quickly as she walked further into the crowded reception room, fuelling the angry fire she needed to face so many curious, judgemental stares. And suddenly it wasn’t only anger hurtling through her, but jealousy too.

Sophia Dimou stood ten feet away. The woman Ares was meant to have married was everything Bethan wasn’t. Tall, willowy and from a family already connected to the fine and mighty Vasiliadis dynasty. When Ares had turned up in Athens after a two-week break with Bethan as his bride, shock waves had shuddered through the city and beyond.

Bethan had tried not to care about the opinions of those strangers, but she’ddesperatelyyearned to be welcomed into hisfamily. Because her family were the ones who’d held her close and made her feel safe. She’d ached to find that same from Ares’s family, given her own were gone. So she’d wanted to make a good impression. But she’d had no idea what they were like and Ares hadn’t warned her. They werecoldand haughty. And perfect.

Gia Vasiliadis, Ares’s stepmother, approached her now. Beautiful, powerful, utterly intimidating. Just over two years ago Bethan hadn’t just been apprehensive, she’d also been a push-over. Too eager to please, too earnest in her attempt to fit in. So she’d listened toeverythingGia had said. This time, she wasn’t going to be as easily affected. She wouldn’t let this womanmatter.

‘I didn’t realise you and Ares were still so intouch.’ Gia unsubtly emphasised that last.

Bethan knew it looked as if they’d been intimate in the elevator and it had to be obvious she’d been kissed to within an inch of her life, given her mouth was throbbing with the bruising from the passionate kisses she was no longer used to. And Ares had that arrogant aura of a man who’d gotten what he wanted. So there was no point in trying to deny anything. Besides, the malicious tone in Gia’s question set Bethan’s teeth on edge. She’d lost everything here once before. She would keep her dignity this time.

‘Ares and I prefer to keep our relationship private,’ she answered softly.

‘You call that private?’ The man who’d accompanied Gia smirked.

Dion was Ares’s father’s cousin. Now Gia’s partner. They did like to keep things in the family here—given Sophia Dimou was Gia’s niece.

‘You’re back together?’ Gia asked before Bethan could comment on his quip.

Bethan allowed a Mona Lisa smile to curve her lips. She wouldn’t be that naïve girl who was too open with these people again. That had made her too vulnerable. She wouldn’t give Gia or Dion anything to hurt her this time.

‘You’re not wearing your rings.’ Gia frowned.

‘They’re at the jewellers. The diamond setting needed tightening and it was an opportunity to have both cleaned.’ Bethan tried to sound calm even as she babbled.

Sophia stepped closer—unashamedly listening. As she lifted her glass to her mouth, Bethan saw the huge emerald adorning her finger. It was definitely an engagement ring. Bethan’s jealousy sharpened. Wasthiswhy Ares wanted to finalise the divorce now? Had he finally proposed to Sophia as he should have years ago? She was horrified. ‘I—’

‘Bethan was just telling us about your relationship,’ Gia interrupted loudly. ‘I didn’t know you were back together, Ares. That’s a surprise.’

Ares’s heavy arm landed along Bethan’s shoulders and squeezed her close. Chagrined, Bethan stared at Gia. She hadn’t said they were back together—she hadn’t actually answered! She looked down into her empty glass. Ares had been right. She should have eaten more today. She might have made better decisions.

‘Oh?’ Ares queried coolly.

Bethan tilted her head back to meet his eyes and didn’t deny it. What was the point in contradicting Gia now? She saw fury flare before he damped it down—back to that calm, arrogant, smooth man in a heartbeat. She blinked. He was soverygood at masking his true emotions in public. She’d just seen it twice in the space of twenty minutes. Masking lust. Masking fury. Those were strong emotions, so he was well practised. Now, at the worst time, for thefirsttime, she wondered why and how he’d become quite so good at it. Why had he never warned her about his family? Why was he now as cold and as remote as he’d turned when they’d finally been alone again after meeting his aunt, that moment when Bethan had asked if he even loved her? And now his stormy grey gaze met hers briefly then his grip on her tightened and he pulled her right against his taut body, stopping her from thinking at all.

‘What makes you think we were ever apart?’ he drawled.

Gia’s and Dion’s jaws dropped simultaneously. Another round of whispers rippled around the room, worse, from the corner of her eye Bethan saw a couple of people actually had their phones out. Were theyfilming?

‘Just because we live in separate countries doesn’t mean we’re actually separated,’ Ares added quite audibly.

Whywas he saying this? Why go along with such an outrageous fiction? But his hold on her was too strong to escape and suddenly she remembered the threat he’d made to her yesterday.

‘Bethan is here to support the Melina Foundation.’ Ares smiled.

Gia stiffened.

Bethan had no idea what the Melina Foundation was, but it clearly bothered Gia. She should have made it clear that she was here only to formalise their divorce. Instead she’d let embarrassment silence her.

Gia’s frown deepened. ‘I don’t understand—’

‘Our relationship has always been different,’ he interrupted Gia bluntly. ‘Always very special.’