Page 5 of Modern Romance October 2025 5-8

Didn’t he want to be rid of her as quickly as possible too?

‘Maybe it’s been convenient for me to be married,’ he purred, still holding her close.

Oh. Of course. There was the unvarnished truth. Their marriage had always and only been about a convenient benefit for him. It had never been an emotional decision—no love match. But that was what he’d allowed her to believe. And she’d been so infatuated she’d not questioned him as she should have. She’d not stood up for herself and what she deserved. That would never happen again. She was independent and whole. She knew what she wanted. And she would never settle for less ever again. Nor would she ever suffer loss. No more heartbreak. She’d had enough.

‘Well, you’re not staying married to me,’ she snapped. ‘We’re divorcing and you can’t stop it. Go find yourself a new fool.’

‘Because you’ve “wised up”?’

‘Absolutely,’ she shot back. ‘And gotten what I want and need elsewhere.’

‘You sure about that?’

His hold on her hadn’t tightened any, yet somehow she feltcaged. Heat overwhelmed her from the inside out. They were barely touching yet they might as well be naked for the fire now scurrying along her veins.

‘Let me go,’ she breathed. ‘Now.’

He immediately dropped his arms and those treacherous cells within her screamed with disappointment. How could she be so weak?

She dragged in a difficult breath. ‘I’m not letting you turn my life upside down again.’

‘Is that what happened?’ he muttered dryly. ‘Or was it my life that was wrecked?’

No,hedidn’t get to act as if he’d been at all bothered by her departure.

‘I wrecked nothing. You just can’t stand that I walked out on you—that the great Ares Vasiliadis was humiliated by the clueless bride he’d thought was infatuated with him. You thought that you could have your cake and eat it too.’ She laughed bitterly. ‘It’s your fault for stringing me along, you know wenevershould have married.’

She wasn’t in his league. He didn’t just have money, but power and the status of theelite. School had taught her how poor outsiders to that level of society fared. Those flush snobs bitchily believed in their superiority. She would never fit in that world—but the worst thing was Ares had known it, he’d planned tousethat fact.

‘So come to Greece,’ he said harshly. ‘Get this done and then we’ll never have to see each other again.’

So he’d not meant that threat to argue against the divorce?

‘How long will it take?’ she asked.

‘You’ll only need to be there for the declaration then you can leave again right away.’

One night. Perhaps two. A short stay in an Athens hotel would be expensive but no way was she staying anywhere near him. She’d use the savings she’d been slowly accumulating with her broadening work portfolio but it would be worth it to be free of him at last.

‘You want rid of me, right?’ he growled.

Desperately.Her awkward date tonight had made it crystal clear. She needed to sever all ties to Ares Vasiliadis. She needed to be free.

‘Then come with me now.’ He was callous and clearly impatient and his eyes glittered. ‘Or are you too scared to spend a mere twenty-four hours with me?’

‘Can’t you come up with a better tactic than some schoolboy challenge?’ she jeered back, then lied through her teeth. ‘You don’t scare me.’

He shot a disbelieving smile down at her, then bent so his hot whisper brushed the top of her ear. ‘Iterrifyyou.’ He stepped back and sighed, his mouth a thin line. ‘Rest assured the feeling’s mutual, sweetheart.’

Oh, please. She didn’t terrify him, she was nothing more than a minor irritant. But while she’d been putty in his hands over two years ago, she wasn’t going to be as malleable this time. The only reason she was considering this was because, in this moment, they wanted the same thing.

‘It’s really very simple.’ He inhaled sharply and braced, legs apart, hands on his hips, every inch a Greek warrior. ‘Get your passport. Now. I’m leaving nothing to chance until we’re absolutely over.’

Chapter Two

Ares remained tense, determined to stay right where he was until she agreed to come with him. It wasn’t unreasonable. Naturally he couldn’t trust that she wouldn’t disappear on him again.

She resisted a few seconds longer then sighed frustratedly. ‘Give me five minutes.’