BOUGHT BY THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE

JEALOUSY HAS A NAME

CHAPTER 9: Jealousy Has A Name

The entire ballroom went silent when she entered.

Valentina Croft. Ethan's ex-fiancée. More beautiful in person, in a tight red dress that screamed money and power.

She walked straight to our table.

"Ethan, darling," she kissed his cheek, her eyes never leaving mine. "You didn't tell me you replaced me with a charity case."

Ethan's arm locked around my waist. Tight. Possessive.

"Valentina. I told you not to come back to Lagos."

"And miss meeting your new wife?" She smiled at me, but it was pure poison. "Hi, I'm Valentina. I was engaged to Ethan for three years. Until I found out he only wanted a woman who could breed him an heir."

My stomach dropped.

"How do you know about..."

"About the $50,000 contract?" She laughed. "Darling, everyone in our circle knows. Ethan Blackwood doesn't marry for love. He buys a womb. He bought me, and now he bought you."

I felt tears in my eyes. I looked at Ethan. "Is that what you told people? That you bought me?"

"No," Ethan's jaw was stone. "She's lying."

"Am I?" Valentina leaned closer. "Then why did you tell your grandfather you needed a fertile, desperate girl? A girl who would do anything for money?"

The whole table was watching us. Whispering.

I tried to pull away from Ethan, but he didn't let me. Instead, he did something that shocked everyone.

He grabbed my face and kissed me. Hard. Deep. Claiming me in front of his ex and all of Lagos.

When he finally broke the kiss, I was breathless and shaking.

He stared at Valentina.

"She is my wife. Not a contract. Not a purchase. My wife. And if you ever speak to her like that again, I will destroy your family company."

Valentina's face went white.

"This isn't over," she hissed and stormed out.

Ethan turned to me, his forehead touching mine. His voice was only for me now.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded, but I wasn't. Because for a second, when he kissed me, I forgot it was all fake.

And that was the most dangerous part.