Chapter 8

• [Amanda]
• Before I knew what I was doing, I found myself slapping him. Hard. The sound was not a pronounced one, but my palm was stinging and his left cheek was red. My eyes widened as I realised what I had done. This was the first time I had raised my hand on anyone. Dominic looked shocked as well, his head still turned on the opposite side. 
• He finally looked at me, his eyes were now blank slates. Not giving away a thing. I was about to apologise when I remembered why I had committed such an act. My anger surged back up. I glowered, “How dare you ask me to be your mistress?” Now that he has become a star, a superstar; his pride and egoistic nature has expanded.
• He frowned at me. I griped, “You think, a forceful and uncalled for action will make me crawl back to you? That I will lap up the offer because what? You are rich now? That I will feel as if I am on cloud nine because Hollywood’s no.1 superstar is bestowing his attention on me?” 
• His lips tugged up slightly. “So you still keep updates about my life”, he concluded cockily. I gaped at him. Did the guy not hear anything else I just said? How can someone be so eccentric? 
• He sauntered back to the huge L-shaped sofa and plopped back, “You reacted before I could finish”. I scowled at him. It didn’t look like he was about to say more. He regarded me for some time. His brown orbs did not convey much. His face remained unreadable. 
• “Then kindly elaborate”, I said with the sweetest fake smile that I could muster. He huffed out a chuckle. “Take a seat”, he motioned towards another long white sofa. I hesitantly took up his offer. Standing wouldn’t do me any favour. 
• “Talk”, I said impatiently. The more I will stay near him the more he will try to ensnare me in this idiotic and atrocious offer of his and sadly maybe I will walk right into it. It’s my bad luck that he knew me so well, like the back of one’s own hand. However, I have changed. I am a different Amanda. But deep down, the old Amanda still resides, nursing a shattered heart. 
• “My family wants me to marry”, he began, and that was all it took to cease all my thoughts. 
• I let out a humourless chuckle, “Re-marry you mean?”  My heart gave a painful tug and I hoped the pain wasn’t visible on my face. 
• He pointedly ignored my jab and continued, “That woman you saw today ー Grace. She is an heiress and one of the prospective candidates. I couldn’t help but snort, “What? Is this some kind of contest?” He shot me a look, “Aunt has chosen them”. 
• Oh, that absolute monster of a woman. Never had she seen me as someone who deserved Dominic’s affection. I nodded anyway, not choosing to comment on her. 
• “So what does all this stuff have to do with what you just asked me to be?” I asked him, unable to hear him speak about his potential remarriage any longer. 
• “I don’t want to marry”, he shrugged, looking away. My heartbeat quickened. Why did he not want to marry? But before I could voice my question, he said, “I don’t want to marry because I am in love with someone”.