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Chapter 288
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TRUST ME Chapter 289
Sabrina stepped out of her shower and onto the soft rug, thankful for the time alone to concentrate. The fashion show had been a huge success. Two more shows were scheduled before the end of the summer, as well as a full layout for three of the most exclusive fashion magazines in France. Everything was going so well for her that she was able to afford two new assistants and had placed an offer on a building she could call her own. As much as she loved working at New Hope’s French headquarters, she really wanted to prove she could stand alone, away from the shadow of her very wealthy brother. Sabrina looked at the reflection shining back at her through the mirror. She was proud of all she’d accomplished over such a short time, and yet she couldn’t forget her conversation with Sandra. A part of her knew her sister-in-law was right. She still had deep feelings for Giovanni. He had been a part of her life since they were small children, but nothing ever really developed between them un
TRUST ME Chapter 290
Giovanni sat at his desk in the quiet room of his London flat. He had received the plans for Olivia’s nursery and was trying to decide whether to alter them or not. It was, of course, princess related with pink walls and hardwood floors. The room was three times the size of any flat they had lived in since her birth, but she would find use for every corner. He smiled, thinking of all the toys she would have, all the clothes and the friends she would make. She had Aryana’s three children to grow up with. Dantae was the eldest, just two months older than Creighton’s son Brandon, and the twin girls, Elina and Mia who were very close to the same age as Olivia. Demarco and Demetrio would start having children, so she would have a number of cousins to keep her occupied. Perhaps in time, he would find a good mother for his daughter. He had always wanted a large family and who knew what the future would hold. Perhaps one day he’d be able to hold onto hope and move forward, but he doubted th
TRUST ME Chapter 291
Twenty minutes later the story was finished, and the child was sound asleep on her father’s lap. He set the book aside and switched off the light, snuggling the child to his heart as he breathed in the clean fragrance of her damp hair. Life may not have turned out the way he had once dreamt it would, but he knew he wouldn’t have changed having this little girl. She was his pride and joy, his life and his salvation. She was the only thing that made facing a new day worthwhile.“I promised my family you would be there,” Sabrina snapped, as she paced the floor of her office. “I don’t know why you can’t spend time with them. They are my family and we are very close.”“I didn’t say I wouldn’t spend time getting to know them, I just don’t want to waste four days in an amusement park with a bunch of screaming children.” Andre crossed his legs as he sipped his cappuccino. The argument was an old one and he was growing tired of having it every time they got together. “You better get used to
TRUST ME Chapter 292
Seven fifteen, Sabrina thought as she looked at her watch. She promised Andre she would meet him and his client for supper at seven and she was not only late, but she hadn’t taken the time to freshen up. Her design was finished though, so there was some progress made that afternoon, but not the kind that would satisfy her future husband.Sabrina pulled her purse out of the bottom drawer of her desk. She touched up her lipstick and ran a comb through her long dark hair before powdering her nose to dim the shine. Not horrible, she thought, but she could do with a fresh outfit. The one she was wearing was wrinkled from the long hours of sitting and kneeling at the feet of mannequins. Fortunately, she had several designs that had just been turned into three dimensional products. Even though she was not quite ready for the public to see them, she really didn’t have much of a choice. She hadn’t anticipated meeting Andre’s client for supper and hadn’t considered packing a bag when she left
TRUST ME Chapter 293
Sabrina’s head was pounding, nearly as loud as her heart, as she waited under the covered partition for her car. Three arguments in one day. That had to be a record, even for them, she thought. The closer she came to making wedding plans with the man, the further away she pulled. Deep down, she knew she wasn’t ready for any of this. They were complete opposites and had nothing in common whatsoever. How was she expected to spend the rest of her life with a man who refused to let her have a career, refused to allow her to have an opinion, denied her time with her family, and only wanted an heir as opposed to children?The young valet arrived with her car, and smiled, as she slipped him a folded bill before climbing behind the steering wheel. So many questions echoed in her mind as she drove to Creighton’s flat in Versailles. A large glass of wine, a hot bath and nobody around to fight with was exactly what she wanted, after the kind of day she had had.Those thoughts kept her company a
TRUST ME Chapter 294
After warming the water up once again, she sunk down beneath the steam and closed her eyes. Memories of Giovanni fought their way into her mind and she unwillingly surrendered to them. A smile curved her lips as she thought of the times they came to this very flat between breaks at school, unknown by its owner or their families. In fact, it was here, after soaking together in this very tub, that they had become lovers. Visions of romantic suppers and long walks along the Seine, drifted around her as she breathed in the warm fragrance of the bathroom. They had been the perfect couple. Everyone who knew them, thought they would be married by now, with at least one child…and not an heir. She fought the giggle that threatened to steal her composure at the thought of their love life, and the awkward way they moved past the first stages of intercourse.Susan Griffin, Sabrina’s best friend at Oxford, had drug her to what she called a specialty party, where she was subjected to an eye-openin
TRUST ME Chapter 295
Sabrina turned and padded quietly back into the bathroom where she drained the tub and looked in the mirror. Much to her surprise, there were tears running down her cheeks. Five minutes talking with the man and years of confusion seemed to melt away. She turned off the light and walked into her bedroom, moving to the bed. She lifted the pillow he once laid his head and buried her face in it as she spread out across the mattress. She felt alone and sad and was actually missing his embrace. For the first time in many long years, Sabrina allowed herself to shed the tears of her heartache, as she sobbed uncontrollably into the pillow until sleep overtook her.Sandra listened to the click of the phone and the man on the other end whisper a quiet, I love you, before the line went dead. She smiled as she hung up the receiver. Sabrina hadn’t realized she didn’t hang up after their conversation but rather put them on a three-way call, allowing her to act as an unknown observer to the private
TRUST ME Chapter 296
“I know this is none of my business,” Marie said, as she stepped up behind her and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, “but if it were me, I’d keep my plans. Your family is expecting you and his mother doesn’t even know anything about the arrangements. That makes your family first in line for your attention.”“I’d better not,” she said sadly. “I don’t want to cause any more problems.”“To hell with the problems,” Marie said boldly. “You’ve turned your family down time and again, and for what? For him to tell you what a waste of time your hobby is. You have the world looking at you, waiting for your next show. Are you going to throw everything you’ve worked so hard for away, just because of a self-centered, egotistical…”“Hello?” a man’s voice called out from the outer office.“Man,” Marie finished as Giovanni stepped through the door. He removed his sunglasses to adjust to the dimmer lighting and smiled at the two women who stared at him blankly. Marie nearly choked as she tried to s
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Sandra hung up the phone with a slam, then glanced to her grandparents who were sitting at the kitchen table. She was starting to get angry with all the rejections and dead-end avenues. She called Davies and told him she wanted him to get the plane ready to go to France, only to be told the police had restricted his flying. They were concerned that whomever it was that had killed her husband would try and sabotage the jet.She was getting frustrated and felt like she was being held back. If she didn’t know better, she would think she was being placed under lockdown. She could understand the police’s concern, but she had more men around her then they had at Fort Knox, and she would be willing to take all of them with her if she needed to.“I can’t leave the house, I can’t go to France, I can’t even gather eggs,” she grumbled as she joined the older couple. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t sit here and wait until doomsday to find out what happened to my husband.”“Honey, you’re going
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The room was warm as the setting sun shone through the blinds. Two detectives sat on the sofa, watching as the man continued to pace the floor. Trying to keep him calm was growing increasingly harder with each hour.Creighton could only assume the horror his family was going through, not to mention Sandra. They had been having difficulties, but this made all of that seem trivial. He had to call her, he had to contact her somehow and let her know he was alive, but the police were refusing to allow him the chance. They had to keep him concealed for the time being, though it was steadily becoming impossible. The man was acting like a caged animal, anxiously trying to find a means of escape.“How much longer do we have to sit here?” he growled, looking to those gathered around.“We need you to remain patient for a little longer,” a bald-headed man told him. “Monsieur Ashford, we understand what you’re going through…”“Like hell you do,” Creighton snapped. “I have a pregnant wife at home w
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“I know she’ll be happy when it’s over,” Emma said, returning to the room, her eyes red from the tears she’d been wiping away. “She can’t let Brandon go to school, and she has to keep the children inside instead of letting them go out to play.”“I’m sure they are going stir crazy,” Cathy said with a frown. “Especially Grace. That little girl is used to having the freedom of the farm to run and play.”“The only good thing is the weather,” William told them. “It’s been really wet, and she doesn’t like getting her dresses dirty.”“Sounds like her aunt,” Andrew said with a soft chuckle.“Maybe we should take this meeting over to my sister’s,” Cathy suggested with a sideways grin.“Let me call Derek and Kristin,” William said, standing and walking to the phone on the wall. “They wanted to know what you found out.”“Just have them meet us at Sandra’s,” Andrew told him. “We can discuss this all there.”“I thought Sabrina and Irena would be here,” Cathy said, looking at Emma who was wrapping
TRUST ME Chapter 417
Parker and Harvey held off the reporters for as long as they could alone, then eventually had to call NHT’s security. Within a few short hours, there were enough burly looking men to scare off anyone trying to get near the house. Sandra kept her children inside, though it really wasn’t difficult. The rain had eased by supper, but just like the past several days, it picked up again this morning.Max growled as he laid of the entry. The noise of cameras clicking, and the soft hum of voices mingled among the breezes of the day. She had tried to watch television, but every station was reporting on the accident. Eventually, she had no choice but to surrender and put on Grace’s favorite princess movie. At least it kept them from listening to those who insisted that there was no hope in finding any answers this soon.Sandra drew a deep breath as she wiped the moisture from her forehead. She had decided to keep herself busy and baked two apple pies, along with nearly a hundred sugar cookies.
TRUST ME Chapter 416
“No, it’s about assuming you knew what I would want. You did this, claiming it was for us when it was for you. You can’t stand the idea that your little sister has something you never would. It was bad enough when I felt like I was competing with Creighton for your attention, but now I’m watching you compete with Sandra for the mother of the year award.”“Stop comparing me to Sandra!” Cathy screamed. “It’s not my fault she’s perfect. She’s always been everyone’s favorite. I can’t tell you how many boyfriends I’ve dumped after I found out they were using me to get close to her. I didn’t want Creighton, but after he chose her over me, it made me angry. I was competing with her again, and she was too stupid to realize it. He chose that simple, no makeup, no fuss girl over me. She shares his bed, when I’m a better lover then she would ever be. She has his money, his admiration, your parents’ admiration, even my grandparents enjoy spending time with her over me. She even has a perfect body
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“Maybe Michelle heard from him,” the boy said hopefully.“I haven’t spoken with her, but I want to call in the morning. She may know something more than the police do.”The two were silent for a long time as they considered their own thoughts, until Sandra realized the tea was gone. She looked to Brandon who looked like he was finally able to fall asleep, then stood and took the cups to the sink.“Come on, son,” she told him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. “Let’s see if we can get some sleep.”“Mum, can I come sleep with you?” Brandon asked once they reached the second floor of their house.Sandra smiled and hugged the boy, nodding as he looked up to her.“You can sleep on your daddy’s side,” she told him. “Just don’t tell him I let you in our bed. He may get jealous.”Brandon smiled as he walked with her into the bedroom. Sandra helped him between the covers and tucked him in, then left to check on Grace. The house was silent and soft snores of her little girl could be heard
TRUST ME Chapter 414
Sandra paced her bedroom trying to stop her mind from racing through the events of the day. Derek had come home after his mother called him, insisting on picking up Brandon from school. Sabrina called to say the reporters were going crazy with the news of the Tornado’s fire and that she and Giovanni would be home as soon as they could get there.Irena spoke with her parents and insisted on calling in a prescription for Sandra’s nerves, though she refused to use it. She needed to stay alert and concentrate in order to determine what was going on. The last thing she needed was to surrender to the effects of a drug.After speaking with Andrew, William informed the rest of the family about Cathy’s surgery, though he wouldn’t go into detail. He assured them he would check into the reports from his end and stay abreast of the investigation. Once Cathy felt like traveling, they would drive out to Yorkshire to be with the family.Nana tried to get Sandra to let her stay overnight, but she was
TRUST ME Chapter 413
Sandra opened her eyes and looked around. She was in her bedroom, yet she couldn’t remember laying down. The house was silent and the soft pattering of rain outside reminded her that the dog had made a muddy mess of the entry. Then she remembered her grandfather and William coming over, and slowly began to piece together the last thing she remembered.There had been an accident on the Tornado and three bodies were found. She knew in her heart it wasn’t Creighton. She couldn’t even begin to guess who would have been on their ship, or how it ended up at sea, but she knew her husband wasn’t the one killed. Now all she had to do, was convince the others into believing her.Sandra stepped down the stairs to hear Grace talking to her great-grandfather, the dog running from one room to another as he chased his rope and the smells of food drifting out of the kitchen. She stepped into the living room and saw Papa sitting beside Grace, one of her own books open in front of him as he listened to
TRUST ME Chapter 412
Sandra stared at the two men for a long moment as their words began to sink in. When she spoke with her husband earlier that morning, he was still at the hotel. He didn’t mention having plans of returning to the yacht. Why would he go back there when he told her he was packing to come home?Then she thought about the bodies found. One was female. Who was it? Did Creighton lie to her about not being involved with Garcon’s assistant? Had he gone there to meet with her, perhaps a final rendezvous before coming home to his family?“Did you hear what we said?” Papa asked her.“It’s impossible,” she began, her anger taking over her words. Sandra looked down at Grace who was trying to wipe the muddy water from her little dress. She hadn’t understood what her grandparents were saying. All she cared about was her soiled outfit.“Sweetheart, go upstairs and find a clean dress,” Sandra told the little girl. “Put that one in the hamper and warsh your hands. We’ll make lunch when you’ve finished.
