Free Her Perfect Revenge by Anna Mara

furniture, gold-gilded mirrors and more priceless antiques. This room was called the salon and it reeked of taste and wealth.
    "Would you like a martini, my dear?" he asked, as he walked to a drinks trolley where a prepared martini shaker sat.
    "Yes, thank you." Christina looked around at her opulent surroundings. This was all so strange—so very strange.
    William turned to her. "Please Christina, sit." He indicated the elegant settee couch in front of her. "I want you to consider this… your home." He turned back to pouring out the drinks and he smirked to himself as if enjoying a private joke.
    Christina sat gingerly on the love seat and admired the exquisite paisley-print fabric. This was nothing like her charity shop, orange couch. And her entire dumpy apartment could fit in this one room alone.
    William handed her the martini. "Being a photojournalist must be very exciting." He sat down on the couch opposite to hers.
    Christina was surprised. "How do you know what I do?"
    "My son told me."
    "He did?"
    "Of course, why wouldn't he?"
    Christina thought about it for a moment. "Well, I guess he would. I mean you'd have to know if you're worried about the money."
    William laughed out loud. "Well, you don't pull any punches. Direct and honest. I like that." He took a sip of his own drink. "When you're as rich as I am, Christina, you're always worried about 'the money'.
    "Let me reassure you, William that I'm a hard-working, responsible person who always pays her debts. I'm not a deadbeat."
    "Unlike my son," William mumbled under his breath. He looked up and smiled at her. "So tell me then. What do you think of pre-nuptial agreements?"
    Stunned, Christina paused a moment. What did pre-nups have to do with accident claims? "I… think they're a good idea, if you're the one with the money."
    "And if you're the one with no money?"
    "Then they're a good idea after you've seen a good lawyer."
    William laughed again. He was certainly enjoying himself. "Beautiful and smart." He looked beyond Christina's shoulder as he watched Bill enter the room. "I can see why my son wants to—marry you."
    Christina, who'd been in the middle of sipping her drink, suddenly choked on hearing his words and spluttered alcohol all over her dress. She lapsed into a coughing fit.
    What the hell had he just said?
    "Oh my." Smirking, William launched to his feet and handed Christina a napkin. "Are you all right, dear?"
    Christina nodded. "Fine. Th…thanks." She tried to clear her throat.
    Angry, William glared at Bill who was approaching them. "It's about time you showed up. Lost your watch?"
    "You said dinner was at 8:30 and I'm on time so…" His words faded as he spotted Christina on the couch. His face, suddenly, turned white—deathly white—and he froze in shock.
    Christina returned the stare. Billy Havenwood! She was finally meeting him again. The flip-flops in her stomach returned. Or was that the martini hitting the spot? No, it was him. Her breathing instantly picked up speed to match her racing heart. But wait! She wasn't going to be intimidated by this creep ever again. She'd made that promise to herself and she was keeping it. Slowly, she forced herself to stand up, prepared for an attack.
    Her eyes never left his face.
    Nor his, hers.
    Christina raised her chin. "Hello there," she dared him.
    The room went silent as all three of its occupants stared at each other—Bill with shock—Christina with wariness—and William with humor.
    Bill, suddenly, let out the breath he'd been holding in a single whoosh mixed in with, "What the…" He stopped as he noticed his father watching the proceedings like a vulture about to swoop in on a corpse. He quickly regained his wits and smiled at Christina. "Christina, this is a surprise. What are you doing here?" God, what did the old man know, he thought to himself? Had he found out about the lie? Were the big guns trained on Bill now?
    "Your father invited me. I thought you knew." Christina was taken aback.