Page 104 of Grumpy Boss of the Year

"And we see how long that lasted."

"So, whatever. You still get to keep a five-million-dollar pink diamond. You know what you can get for that if you have to sell it."

"Romeo, that makes me sound like a ho!"

"So? What's wrong with being a ho? We are all hos in our own way."

"I don't think nuns are hos."

"Okay, maybe not nuns, but you're certainly not a nun."

"Thank you very much, Romeo."

"What? I'm being honest. Were you or were you not the woman who called me sobbing one night after you had anal sex with that rando and?—"

"Oh my gosh, I'm not talking about this right now." I giggle. "Really?"

"I'm just saying. You're not like an innocent queen or a princess who's never been touched. You're not pure as white snow. You have a history, and let's be real, you were gonna fuck this dude anyway, so have fun and get what you can out of it."

"I don’t want him to think I'm using him."

"Elisabetta, you just told me that he did this whole thing so that he can get a business deal. Literally, who cares if he thinks you're using him?"

"But I just?—"

"I know, you're not like that. You're a good girl even though I've tried many times to corrupt you."

"I wouldn’t say I'm a good girl, but?—"

"But what? I know that you're obviously hurt and upset, and I get that, but what's the ideal outcome from this?"

"I don't know," I say, shaking my head. "I just feel like a loser."

"Why?"

"Because Dad had to set me up to get married. I have no one. The man I thought may kinda like me was only in it to make money off of Dad."

"Oh, so you had feelings for him. That makes sense."

"What do you mean, that makes sense?"

"Now I understand why you're not in the living room banging his brains out and celebrating the fact that you'll be married to him for however many years the contract says."

"What?"

"I'm just saying. The only reason you're not ecstatic that he's the one marrying you is because you're upset, and you wish he was marrying you because he was in love with you or whatever happens in those rom-com movies you love with Kate Hudson and Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Aniston."

"Really, Romeo?"

"What? I'm not dissing you. I love them, as well."

"Well, I was not hoping that he was gonna fall in love with me, and I just… I don't even know how I feel anymore."

"You only have a few options here, sis. You can come and live with me, and I'll support you, but Dad will still be up a creek without a paddle. I don't know if you care about that, but?—"

"I do care about that," I say. "I wish I didn't because it's not like Dad has really spent his years…" I pause.

"Hey, you okay?" he says softly, his voice lowering.

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