Page 218 of Modern Romance September 2025 5-8

‘Let me put it this way,’ Lottie continued. ‘What do you think he’ll do if he gets married before me?’

Jane stared across the room in silence.

‘Do you think he’ll give one iota of thought about me?’

Jane scrunched her eyes closed.

‘Of course he won’t. He’ll take his triumph, his ownership of all things Papandreo, and that will be the end of it.’ Lottie’s voice stung, and Jane understood why. This was about so much more than the company. Lottie had been wronged her whole life by these people, even though Jane couldn’t have said with certainty if Zeus had even known about her. The effect was the same. Lottie had grown up believing herself to be a shameful secret, seeing hurt in her mother’s face and heart, knowing herself to be, in some way, an instrument of that. And if, or rather when, Zeus married, he would, Jane had no doubt, shut down any legal recourse Lottie had to staking a claim on the business.

‘I’ll stay for a week,’ she said on a soft, tortured sigh. ‘One week, to give you a head start. After that, I’m leaving Athens, and Zeus, and I don’t ever want to hear his name again, okay?’

‘A week?’ Lottie groaned but quickly cut herself off. ‘A week,’ she repeated with much more strength. ‘Okay, okay. I can work with that.’

Jane grimaced. ‘Lottie…maybe there’s a way you can have some of the company, but not all.’

‘Are you actually suggesting I compromise with those bastards?’

Jane sighed softly. She had been, but she should have known better. She’d witnessed the hatred Lottie felt for them—up until very recently, Jane had felt it, too.

‘No.’

‘Look, take care of yourself,’ Lottie begged. ‘I know I’ve asked you to do a lot. I know how hard it is for someone like you to be, I guess, kind of ruthless, but for me, can you justtry?’

She nodded unevenly, then remembered Lottie couldn’t see her. ‘One week,’ she promised, and disconnected the call with a thud in the region of her chest.

One week was a slight head start to Lottie, but not a huge disadvantage to Zeus, either. And it did give her the safety to see him again, without worrying about how to extricate herself. She flicked her phone screen to life and loaded up Zeus’s text messages.

How about dinner tonight? I can come to you…

CHAPTER SEVEN

He’dchosenanotherglamorous restaurant, absolutely packed to the rafters with stunning A-listers, and it was clear that Zeus was well known here. Not because he was Zeus Papandreo, but because he was a regular at places like this, in this scene.

Jane regarded him across their small table, her head tilted slightly to the side, her heart in her throat. Maybe Lottie had been right. Maybe Zeus was just like they’d always thought, and it was Jane who was layering more humanity and decency over him than he actually possessed. But the way he’d kissed her forehead the night before and crept out, rather than trying to push his advantage and hop into bed with her, had been nothing if not chivalrous. Not to mention the way he’d made her feel…

‘I have to tell you something,’ she blurted out. He leaned closer, eyes boring into hers, making every part of her feel seen and exposed.

‘That sounds ominous.’ His voice, though, was relaxed. Casual. Easy-going. As though he didn’t care, one way or another. About her, or whatever she was about to say. Jane frowned. Was it possible she’d been wrong about the intensity of this? She’d slept with one man, once. She’d been celibate ever since. Suddenly, she’d met someone who made her feel as though her knickers had caught fire; maybe it was the most natural thing in the world that she’d overlay those feelings with something more.

Something more than just casual attraction.

‘Oh, it’s no big deal.’ She tried to mirror his tone. ‘I’ve just had a change of plans. I’m heading home next week.’

Something flashed in his eyes. Something that she could have sworn was an emotion, but what? It didn’t last long enough to even try to analyse it; a moment later, he was all suave and in control once more. ‘What changed?’ Casual enquiry, nothing more.

‘A job,’ she lied. ‘I got an email today, so I’m heading back.’

‘Another charity?’

She thought quickly. ‘One I’ve worked at before.’ God, she hated lying to him, though. In fact, she hated lying in general, but to Zeus, it felt like an awful betrayal. Still, this was how it had to be. She needed to put an end to this without letting Lottie down completely. A week was the best compromise she could offer.

‘Okay,’ he replied, nodding. But then his eyes sparked when they met hers, and he leaned across the table. ‘Do you get seasick?’

She stared at him, the question coming completely out of left field. ‘Erm, not that I know of.’

‘What do you say about a week on my yacht, then?’

Her eyes widened. ‘What?’