Chapter Sixteen

BETSY HAD NEVER THOUGHT of herself as shy. But it was what she ended up feeling as soon as she regained consciousness and remembered why and how she had passed out in the first place.

I can't believe that just happened!

A prude was another thing she had never considered herself to be, but when she thought of how her husband's chauffeur just had to know what they were doing in the backseat—-

I can't believe that just happened!

Betsy jumped out of the limo as soon as it slid to a stop, but her vague and admittedly silly plans of escape were immediately thwarted when the very source of her embarrassment insisted on accompanying her.

"You could just wait in the car," she ventured hopefully.

"I could," her billionaire husband acknowledged as he slowed down to match his long-legged pace with hers. "But I prefer otherwise."

And so it came to be, with Betsy ending up walking by her husband's side, and while she wished she could just savor the reality of being Lukas' wife—-

I can't believe I'm married to him!

—-this proved impossible since every step Betsy took was a tortuous reminder that she was in public sans her underwear, and making things a thousand times worse was how everyone they walked past ended up staring.

And why wouldn't they, Betsy thought ruefully. Aside from the fact that she was still in her wedding gown, Lukas in his dashing white tux was also literally causing traffic because of his sheer gorgeousness.

Betsy tried not to squirm when a lucky photographer passing by immediately snapped photos of her and Lukas. That she hadn't anything under her gown shouldn't be obvious. Right?

D's daycare was already up ahead, and Betsy determinedly pushed all such worries aside.

Elsa from 6/F had recommended the place for its "impeccable" understanding of what rich families needed, and Betsy realized this was true when the reception staff behind the granite counter greeted them as if it was completely normal for mothers to pick their children up in their wedding gowns.

"Welcome back, Ms. Lark."

Lukas curled an arm around his wife's waist upon hearing this. "It's Mrs. Tsaldaris now."

The other woman smiled. "My sincerest apologies, and our warmest congratulations to both of you, Mr. and Mrs. Tsaldaris."

Betsy couldn't help flushing with pleasure. "T-Thanks." It still felt surreal to hear people refer to her as Lukas' wife.

The staff led them to a private waiting room while another attendant went to check if D was already up from his nap. Betsy turned to Lukas when they were alone, but her husband beat her to speaking.

"I think they know," he said abruptly.

"Know what?"

"About what you're not wearing."

Betsy's mind went blank with panic, and she was about to start hyperventilating when she caught sight of Lukas' gleaming dark eyes.

"Has anyone ever told you you're mean?" Betsy cried out.

"Not to my knowledge."

"Yeah right!"

"I've been called 'evil', 'ruthless', and a 'heartless' bastard—-"

He had to be joking. Right?

"But 'mean'? Not that I recall."

Betsy bit her lip hard. He had to be playing with her sympathies. Right?

Silence stretched between them.

Oh no.

What if he hadn't been lying? What if it was the truth? How could those people be so, well, mean?

Lukas' lips pressed together in a straight line when his wife started shifting on her feet in obvious discomfort.

"I..."

"—-was kidding," Lukas finished pleasantly.

For one moment, Betsy could only stare at her husband in absolute shock. Had he just pranked her?

"You—-"

A sliver of memory flashed in Lukas' mind as he watched his wife's expression turn combatant.

If she is truly the one for you, everything you thought you knew will change.

It had been Kyr's last piece of advice, and only now was he starting to understand what his friend meant.

In the past, Lukas had been privately dismissive of the idea of women being more attractive when their tempers were ignited.

Selfish or not, he had not hesitated to dump any woman foolish enough to waste his time by throwing tantrums. And in the years they had been dating on and off, even Lydia had not dared to argue with him.

But his Betsy, though—-

Seeing his wife all riled up at him, Lukas could not remember seeing anything hotter in his life, and so he knew it was exactly as his friend said.

Everything he knew.

Everything he thought he knew.

Everything was no longer how it used to be.

Because Betsy was it for him.

The words hammered his brain as Betsy charged towards him, and Lukas' heart pounded even as his reflexes swiftly kicked in. He caught her wrists and had them locked behind her back by the time she realized what was happening.

"Let go..."

Lukas barely heard her, his gaze drawn to her heaving chest.

Betsy saw her husband's nostrils flare and was torn between shock and desire. Had he forgotten they were in D's daycare?

"L-Lukas—-"

His name came out in a whimper, the sound betraying her own need, and that was all her husband apparently needed to hear.

He hauled her close, and his mouth was already ravishing hers even before her body slammed against his.

Aaaaah.

The thought of resisting didn't even cross her mind, and all she could do was gasp as his mouth trailed down, and her head fell back as he began sucking on the side of her neck.

Oh, to have him mark her like this...

Yes, yes, noooo!

The sound of D's familiar voice as he called out excitedly for his mama from the hallway outside was like being struck like lightning, and Betsy reacted without thinking.

Lukas' back slammed against the wall as motherhood seemed to have imbued his wife with supernatural strength.

What the—-

Understanding dawned as the door to the waiting room opened, and Betsy's son came rushing in.

"Mama!"

The two female attendants hid their smiles when they saw the grimace on the billionaire's face followed by the guilty flush coloring Betsy's cheeks. The way Mrs. Tsaldaris was also covering the side of her neck was quite telling, but everyone's attention was called elsewhere when D, who was about to run straight into his mother's arms, finally noticed Lukas standing on the side.

Lukas' throat tightened at the way Betsy's son - no, their son - stared up at him with green eyes that were an exact replica of his mother's.

Another moment passed, and his heart pounded yet again when the boy's face lit up as if he had suddenly discovered something magical.

"Papa!"

Lukas was on his knees just as D launched himself into the billionaire's arms, and there was not a single dry eye in the room.