ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO THE BILLIONAIRE SINGLE DAD (Gabrielle and Damon) novel Chapter 23

GABRIELLE’S POV

ONE WEEK LATER

65 vouchers

A scream woke me up from my nap.

I rushed out of my bedroom and down the stairs to the source and found Lila with Damon sitting in the living room.

It was the first time I’d seen him since our conversation that night. He left for a business trip before I woke morning.

And that had given me enough time to think and process everything.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Lila was standing on the couch, pointing at the TV with her mouth wide open.

“Gabrielle! He’s on TV!”

up

the next

I turned and saw Damon sitting there, arms crossed, and looking like he regretted being born. On the screen, a reporter was saying his name with way too much excitement.

“What’s going on?” I asked, walking closer.

Lila bounced on her toes. “They said Daddy has a secret wife! Is it you or another one?”

I nearly choked. “What?”

Damon pinched the bridge of his nose. “Turn it off, Lila.”

‘But they showed a picture!” she said, pressing the volume higher instead.

The photo popped up–a horribly edited image of Damon beside a random woman in a wedding gown who was supposed to be me. The photo was taken at the bar where we met.

Lila gasped dramatically. “She’s not even pretty! Why would they say Daddy married her when he already has you?”

If only she knew it was me and not some other woman. I pressed my lips together, trying not to laugh. Damon glared at the TV like it personally insulted his ancestors.

“They said she’s a princess,” Lila added helpfully.

I folded my arms. “A princess? Wow, Damon, congratulations. When were you planning to tell your actual wife?”

He gave me a flat look. “Don’t start.”

“Too late,” I said, smirking. “Does the princess know you hate photos? Or that your tuxedos only come in black?”

Lila giggled and climbed onto the armrest beside him. “Daddy, can I be the flower girl for your next wedding?”

He exhaled slowly, like patience was something he was borrowing and it was about to expire.

“Yes, Lila,” he said, “Now, go play upstairs.”

1/5

1:01 pm

Chapter 23

have been having nightmares of me trying to kill myself.”

He turned fully now, his brows knitting together. “You what?”

55 vouchers

“I mean–me, but not me,” I said, waving my hands around. “It’s like… there’s this version of me that keeps trying to strangle the other version. I wake up sweating, my heart pounding, and then I look in the mirror and-” I exhaled sharply, “-I don’t even know who I’m looking at.”

Damon was silent for a moment, just watching me. His hand brushed his jaw, and I could tell he was trying to decide whether to comfort me or call a priest.

Finally, he said quietly, “You’ve been through a lot. It’s normal.”

“Normal?” I repeated, incredulous. “Having a doppelgänger in my dreams trying to murder me is normal?”

“Better than in real life,” he muttered under his breath.

My jaw dropped. “That’s your idea of comfort? You forget I have an identical twin out there who swore to make my life a living nightmare.”

He shrugged, turning up the stairs again. “You said you wanted honesty.”

“I wanted empathy, not… sarcasm,” I said, following him.

“I can’t feel emotions, remember? So I can’t give you that. Even if I could it won’t help,” he said without looking back until he got into his bedroom. “You make jokes to deflect.”

“And you disappear to deflect!”

That stopped him again.

I smirked. “See? Got you.”

“Why are you telling me this now?” he asked.

I stepped closer. “Because I want to show you how easy it is to open up.”

He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing. “You’re really not going to stop, are you?”

“Not until you admit you’re just as emotionally unstable as I am.”

“I’m not unstable.”

“You literally ran away after an argument.”

He let out a low sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re exhausting.”

“Thanks,” I said sweetly. “I try”

He took off his suit jacket and shoes, pretending I wasn’t standing there behind him

“All I’m trying to say is that you’re not alone, Damon. Maybe if you talk about it you won’t want to whip yourself anymore,” 1 said softly.

He turned to me as he unbuttoned his shirt. “You’ve done enough, Gabrielle. And I’ve told you enough.”

3/5

1:01 pm

Chapter 23

ཅ་ས་ {

E55 vouchers

My mouth watered at the sight of his chest and abs. My hand itched to feel them and my tongue salivated to lick every-

He snapped his fingers at me. “My eyes are up here.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify