Secret Billionaire’s Contract Bride: Marrying My Enemy’s Lover

Chapter 86

“Corinna’

I grew up in front of the camera. I was comfortable in front of it. I knew how to turn it on and off. But as of late since the whole fiasco with that stupid husband of mine, I had been struggling mentally

The man was a hmatic. He was coming after everything of mine, including the inheritance that had only just now been given

to The

He needed my money for lux campaign to run for governor because he knew that no one wanted to back him. I was the only reason he had some kind of public Lavor They loved me, not him At first, I had been blind but now I had 20/20 vision. The man was nothing but a mampulative asshole who only cared for himself and nothing more.

1 had allowed him to take too much of my heart and I refused for him to get my money too. It was rightfully mine and I would fight tooth and nail in that.

The tabloids were horrendous when the news broke but I didn’t give a damn. They could throw as much dirt on his name as they liked. I never liked the Vegas crowd anyway-not that LA was any better Everyone here was just so fake a pretentious that it was nauseating Everyone was always trying to get a leg up and get their next big break. You didn’t know who was real and who was just out to use you

The best piece of advice Lcould give myself was to just stay away from them all. I needed to focus on my career and what I

needed

I looked at my done-up face in the mirror and calmed my mind. I was going to be doing a cover shoot for La Vie magazine and I was so excited. I had worked my entire life for a moment like this. I was finally going to be on the cover of a worldwide magazine. This was only the first step to a much larger and better career. Thit I needed to kill it today-this was my one and only shot

“You got this.” I gave myself one last pep talk before heading out of the room and toward the set. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

I was dressed in a paint-stained white ball gown. It was a take on my soi

sarriage.

As much as I didn’t want my business out there I also wanted to make that money, and if I got to dog on my ex along the way then why not?

I walked over to the photographer to introduce myself but then I stopped short when I noticed who it was.

Oh My God

They had gotten Daniel Peterson to come and shoot me? He was one of the most sought-after photographers in the world. He had shot almost all major celebrities and million-dollar galleries all over.

He must have felt my eyes on him because he lifted his gaze and looked up at me. His amber eyes connected with my hazel ones and all the breath in my lungs evaporated.

This man was gorgeous and I was just staring

I blinked and cleared my throat before offering him my hand. “I’m Corinna Steyn, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He arched an eyebrow. “You’re still going by your married name?”

“Oh um. yes, I don’t think I will be changing it back”

I had not given much thought to it but I didn’t feel compelled to change the name. 1 liked it and it meant that I got to leave the toxicity of my father behind me. I didn’t want anything attaching us together besides blood.

“Okay,” he nodded before turning to the woman who held his camera. “I think we can begin

This was it.

I turned to look at the grand set they had created. It was this forest-like place with grass and shrubbery and flowers all over. 1 knew right away that they wanted that whimsical aesthetic and I needed to deliver on that.

There were so many lights making sure to highlight my very best features or make sure my imperfections were magnified I was not an insecure woman-not by a long shot. But here I just felt so small. There was no other way to explain it.

The last visit I had from Ashton had really rattled me. He had said some things that I shouldn’t have allowed to get to me but I did. I allowed them to seep into my mind and make a home there.

“You are strong, you are capable, you are fearless.”

I chanted my affirmation in my mind willing the anxiety down.

With a roll of my shoulders, I was ready. I took my spot on the marked ‘x’ and hit my first pose. They got a few practice shots in to check the lighting and then it was show time. I knew I was being pushed far beyond my comfort zone with this.

This kind of shoot needed this inner kind of fairy to shine through and I didn’t have that. My inner fairy had her wings clipped and her heart torn to pieces. But still, I pushed on.

Daniel snapped the first few shots and looked down. My heart instantly dropped when I saw the frown on his face.

They were bad.

He lifted his camera and I tried again but he still had that same frown on his face when he looked down. My nerves were sceping in and I was allowing them to take over a little bit.

I needed to get out of my own head but the harder I tried the deeper 1 sank into my thoughts.

Before I knew it, I was breathing harder and faster. The corset of my dress started feeling much tighter than it had before and my heart pounded in my chest.

Get it together. I was trying to calm myself but no matter what I tried all I did was make it worse for myself.

Daniel dropped his camera on the table and walked onto the set. His large frame covered my smaller frame with ease. The concern was evident in his features.

“Hey,” he placed his hands on my shoulders. “Breathe. Don’t look that way, look at me. Right here, eyes on me.”

I did as I was instructed.

“Okay now breathe in like this.” He breathed in and I followed his lead. “And out.”

I let go of the breath I had been holding.

“Okay again, in and out.”

We repeated the movement a few more times until I felt my entire heart calm and I was somewhat feeling normal again. Embarrassment washed over me as I looked at the people who had all just witnessed my breakdown. They all were staring at me and some were even whispering under their breaths.

This was not what was meant to happen today. I had a plan and a clear-cut goal. But it looked like the world was working against me. Well, more so my own mind.

I had read somewhere once that your toughest opponent was your mind. If you allowed it to spiral it would take over bit by bit until you were left quivering in a corner. I had only been one step away from that before Daniel stepped in even though he didn’t have to.

He held my chin in his thumb and forced my gaze back to him. “Don’t pay attention to them. This isn’t about them, but you.”

“I’m so sorry

1-

“You have nothing to apologize for. You had a moment and now it’s over. Now, I need you focused, okay? We chose you out of hundreds of potential people. When I saw your name in the draw I knew I needed it to be you. You are phenomenal and you carry this energy that is addictive and enticing. It deserves to be captured.”

Hearing those words from him meant more than he would ever know or realize.

“You’ve got this, Corinna. This is your moment, own it.”

Filled with a new wave of confidence I brushed myself off and nodded.

This was my moment and I was going to shine the light my petty husband had tried so hard to snub out.