Chapter 55 Face To Face

Maria Victoria was different.

From the moment he placed her suitcase in the trunk of the car, he knew there was something upsetting her, but he didn’t quite know what it was. He had no choice but to leave her at his penthouse apartment, while he went and took care of some business.

While dealing with business, he had a couple of fashion boutiques deliver several evening gowns. He expected to keep Maria Victoria busy, trying to choose a dress for their engagement party. Most women loved to shop, or at least that had been his experience of women. When he returned home, he found Maria Victoria on the sofa.

All the clothes had been set up on rails for her to look through, but from what he could see, she hadn’t looked. When he asked her what she wanted, she told him to choose. He chose a dark red number, and she tried it on.

Now, as he stood at the hotel where he’d made the arrangements for this dinner party, with guests arriving and Maria Victoria on his arm, he realized what it was that