Princess's Pregnancy Secret

Chapter one

Damon Gale Stalked the perimeter of the crowded ball-room, dodging another cluster of smiling women whose feathered masks neither softened nor hid their hunger as they stared at him.

He shouldn't have discarded his mask so soon. Turning his back on another wordless invitation, he sipped his champagne, wishing it contained a stronger liquor.  Women wanted more from him than he ever wanted from them.  Always.  While they agreed to a fling --fully informed of his limits when it ended , recriminations and resentment came.
You're heartless.

He smiles cynically as the echo rang in his head . His Last ex had thrown that old chestnut at him a few months ago.  And, yes, he was. Heartless and happy with it. And what did it matter? For tonight business, not pleasure, beckoned.  Tonight he was drawing a line beneath a decades-old disaster and tommorow he'd walk away from this gilded paradise without backwards glance.  Just coming back has Madd old wounds hurt like fresh hits. But for now he'd  endured the outrageously opulent entrance, navigated his way up the marble staircase and walked through not one but five antechambers.

Each room was larger and more ornate than the last, until finally he'd reached This gleaming monstrosity of a ballroom.  The internal balcony overlooking the vast room already brimmed with celebrities and socialites eager to display themselves and spy on others.

Palisades palace was designed to reflect the glory of the royal family and make the average commoner feel as inconsequential as possible.  It was supposed to invoke awe and envy . Frankly all the paintings, tapestries and gilded carvings exhausted Damon's eyes.  He itched to ditch his dinner jacket and hit one of the trail runs along the pristine coastline that he far preferred to this sumptuous palace, but he needed to stay and play nice for just a little while longer.

Gritting his teeth, he turned away from the lens of an official photographer.  He had no desire to feature in any one's social media feed or society blog.  He'd been forced to attend too many of these sorts of occasions in years past, as the proof of the supposed strength of his parents union and thus to maximize any political inroads they could make from their connections.

The bitterness of their falsity soured the champagne.  Fortunately his career wasn't dependent upon the interest and approval of the wealthy and powerful.  Thanks to his augmented reality software company, he was as wealthy as any of the patrons in attendance at this palace tonight. But even so , he was here to make the old school grace and favor system work for him just this once. Grimly he glanced over to where he'd left his half sister only ten minutes ago.

The investors he'd introduced her to were actively listening to her earnest, intelligent conversation, asking questions , clearly interested in what she was saying. That introduction was all she agreed to accept from him. She'd refused his offer to fund her research himself and, while it irritated him he didn't blame her.

After all,they barely knew each other and neither of them wanted to dwell on the cancerous and numerous scars of their parent's infidelities. She had her pride and he respected her for it. But he'd been determined to try to help two decades of hurt and heartache caused by lies and deception, even in some small way, given his father's total lack of remorse. From the intensity of that discussion it seemed his job was done.