Chapter Seven

IT WAS SOMETIME AFTER lunch that the deliveries started coming, all of them already paid for and addressed to her and D. Betsy had no idea at all what to expect as she opened the first one, but delight filled her as soon as she realized what it was.

Oh my goodness.

Tears pricked her eyes.

A high chair with all the bells and whistles she could ever want for her son!

She would never be able to afford this in a lifetime, and Betsy could only close her eyes as gratitude overflowed from her heart.

Thank You, thank You, thank You.

D joined in after that, and mother and son had the most wonderful and exciting time as they opened package after package. A solar-powered mini car that also came with a matching racing outfit. A set of remote-controlled toys. Clothes for every season, occasion, and activity, ranging from winter wear to whimsical costumes to mini uniforms for just about every sport.

Betsy had just finished assembling D's train set when her boss came home from work, but Lukas stopped her from getting to her feet.

"It's fine." Lukas surveyed the scene before him with satisfaction. He had a feeling Betsy's son would enjoy playing with these trains, and it felt extremely good to know he had gotten this right.

"The most amazing thing happened this afternoon, Mr. Tsaldaris!"

Lukas suppressed his smile. "Is that so?" He normally had no patience for women playing coy, but it seemed as if this woman could do no wrong in his eyes.

"It was like Christmas all of a sudden," Betsy gushed. "We got package after package, and it just meant everything to us! I've always wished I had the means to spoil D. But no matter how hard I tried, it was as if life just kept getting harder and harder. Until now. Until—"

Me, Lukas thought.

"Charlotte came along—"

Did she just say...Charlotte?

"And changed my life completely. It feels so much like she's my heaven-sent gift from God, you know?"

She thought these gifts were from Charlotte?

Betsy noticed the disbelief on her employer's face. "You think I got it wrong?" she asked hesitantly.

"You truly think Charlotte is the one who sent you all of these gifts?"

When he said it that way, she suddenly didn't feel that certain about her earlier assumption. Charlotte was kind, yes, but for someone to go this far—

Betsy let out a gasp. "You're right, of course, Mr. Tsaldaris."

Lukas' irritation faded as she looked up at him in wide-eyed wonder.

"The gifts were all chosen with care and thoughtfulness. They had to be from someone who cared about D and me. Like, a lot."

Lukas nearly jerked. Should he tell her she got it all wrong? He was only concerned about the scarcity of her son's possessions, that was all. And since it just so happened he had money to burn—

"This had to come from the man Charlotte's chosen to be my husband," Betsy exclaimed. "And I would never have realized it if not for you."

Un-fucking-believable.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Tsaldaris!"

His first instinct was to strangle her for being so damn dense, but when she threw her arms around him once again, Lukas' vengeful side immediately gave him the idea of how to better punish her instead.

Lukas pulled her close as soon as she tried taking a step back, and he lowered his head to purr straight into her ear.

"You're welcome, my Betsy."

The words had their intended effect, with her body buckled against his in shock.

That should teach her.

But just as his arms loosened around her, it was then Lukas felt her nipples pebble against his chest, and his plan immediately turned into a double-edged sword.

Fuck.

Both of them jerked away from each other at the same time, and as Betsy bent down to scoop her son off the floor, it was then her gaze clashed with the huge, huge bulge behind her boss's pants.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Betsy found herself babbling all of a sudden. "I...um...emergency...D." She knew she wasn't making any sense, but she also knew she had to get as far away as possible from the billionaire.

You signed a contract to marry another man, Betsy Lark! So stop playing the harlot!

Betsy struggled to keep her tears in check even when she was already in the safety of her bedroom.

The bond between mother and son was such that Betsy truly believed D would feel whatever it was she was feeling. So what kind of parent would she be if she were to allow her one-year-old son to share in her heartbreak?

How do I solve this, God?

Not even for D's father had she felt such powerful attraction, and the way her body instantly and uncontrollably reacted to him terrified and shamed her.

She knew she should kill such feelings immediately, but how was that possible when even now her mind continued to torture her with memories of what she had seen...and what it meant?

Lukas Tsaldaris wanted her.

And the knowledge made her body burn hotter with desire and shame.

That such a man wanted her - a single mother who was a broke college dropout - made Betsy's head reel, and oh!

Was that the answer to her prayer?

Did these feelings for her boss only exist because the idea of him being attracted to her was good for her still-fragile ego, which had taken a huge beating after being dumped by the boy she had thought was her first love?

Your pride is just making you think you want him, but you really don't!

You love D, not him!

And as D's mother, there is only one right thing to do.