THE BILLIONAIRE'S LOVER

33| IN WHICH SHE MEETS THE OTHER WOMAN

The doorbell rang and Malora started with surprise.

There was always somebody Mika's door wanting to borrow a hairdryer, a pen, red lipstick, a sparkly handbag, or something. Mika was out getting groceries, and Malora was home alone. She wondered about who was at the door.

Malora walked to the door and looked out of the eyehole.

There was a woman standing outside. She looked to be in her early twenties. Her skin was very good, her lipstick was pale, and her golden blonde hair was held back by a large, black velvet clip. She was dressed as if she was going to a lawn party. In an elegant linen dress and black pearls.

Malora knew who she was.

She opened the door and, oddly, noted that that would never have thought to combine black pearls with such an outfit. From every pore of her flawless skin she exuded good breeding and finishing school class. She was pure style.

You could live in a fine home, wear the right clothes and even go to the right parties but you would never be one of us, her very being seemed to say.

Her mouth curved into a smile. 'Hello, I'm Aimee. May I come in?'

Malora could stop staring at her. So this was the woman that Titan was going to marry. This was the woman who would have his babies and live with him.

'Please,' she said.

Malora opened the door wider and stood back.

She entered and looked around the room curiously, but refrained from commenting. Malora preceded her into the living room and turned around to face her.

'You are prettier in real life.'

Malora didn't know if she should acknowledge the compliment. In the end she didn't. It was not sincere.

'May I sit?'

She nodded and she perched at the end of a sofa. Her movements were all dainty. She transfered the small pink purse from her hand to her lap and crossed her slim ankles.

Then she looked at Malora and smiled again. 'Will you sit too? You're injured.'

Malora flushed and sit. This was not the woman's territory and yet it seemed she had somehow taken charge.

'I know you are shocked to see me here and even more shocked to see that I neither hate nor feel angry with you. You see, our ways are different. You'll probably never understand so I won't try to explain too much. Suffice to say that I don't think it is ideal, especially from the women's point of view, but I am willing to concede that men must sow their wild oats before they settle down, so I allow it.'

'You do?'

'Yes.' Meredith's lips parted. 'I know what you are hoping for.'

She made a strangled sound in her throat. 'Really?'

'You are hoping for exactly the same thing that every woman who has signed one of these sordid agreements and who then falls in love dreams of. You want Titan to fall in love with you and marry you. Then have mini Titan's running around your mansion while you worry about what the guests would eat at the dinner party your husband would hold after every successful meetings and business contracts.'

Malora could not help it, wild color rushed up her throat.

Meredith's eyes flashed. 'But he never will. Men like him have been taught since they were knee high how to take, how to have their cake and eat it in every situation without making a mess out of it.' She stopped to make a little face. 'Marrying you or staying with you will not be that. This agreement with you, until he gets bored, and then, marrying me, will be the option most desirable to our men. And that is what Titan will do too.’