“My father is put out with me,” Giovanni said, carrying the plates into the kitchen and placing them in the sink while Sabrina washed Olivia’s face and hands.“Why? You seemed to be getting on quite nicely the other night,” she said, lifting the child from the highchair. She set her down and watched as Olivia hurried to the pile of new toys her father procured from their stay at Disneyland.“For all other reasons, we were, but he’s angry that I haven’t spent much time working on the woman who claimed to have Silvano’s son. He’s very happy that you and I are back together, nearly as much as your family was to hear we’re getting married. Unfortunately, he feels like I’ve wasted a lot of time trying to get you back, and not enough on the reason I am in France.”“Oh, you know, that reminds me. I did get an email from my client, Dora Jordan, who works for the registrar’s office. I’ve been so busy with everything else, I completely forgot about it.”“Did she say if she found anything?” he a
Giovanni watched as they walked into the bathroom, smiling as Sabrina held down a full conversation with the little girl discussing princesses and fairies like a pro.The water to the tub began to run as he kicked off his shoes, getting comfortable in his new surroundings. Once they arrived back at the flat in Versailles, he gathered together their belongings and moved in with Sabrina while the flat below her was being remodeled. Anna was still with Aryana, helping with her three children while Daniel was out of town, which gave Sabrina a chance to get to know the child who would soon be her daughter.He smiled as Olivia began giggling. The sound of water splashing out of the tub and Sabrina’s laughter echoed through the rooms. He had bathed his daughter often enough to know exactly what she was doing, and how difficult it was to hold her still long enough to wash her little body. He chuckled as he started to review the papers, thinking about the mess that would need to be cleaned up
Giovanni had sent a messenger to Rosetta asking to meet her at a sidewalk café near Sabrina’s new office, then helped Sabrina move her designs over. The construction and décor were complete, allowing her to set up the store with her mannequins. He watched as she instructed Marie and Babette on where to put everything, then arranged her new designs on a rack ready to be taken to Chang’s studio for photographing. He was proud of all she had accomplished in her career but couldn’t get Rosetta off his mind. He was certain it was the same woman, but what kind of game she was playing was beyond him. So many questions had to be answered before he would tell his father. Was she playing a money game, collecting on one child while she basically sold Olivia? Had she known him when they first met, or was it just a coincidence that they were in Africa at the same time? Was that why she married him? In hopes of getting her hands on the Vigano fortune.“Monsieur Vigano,” a male voice said from the
Giovanni sat at a table under the canvas covering of the patio, waiting as patiently as possible for his guest to arrive. He watched the faces of every woman who passed on the street beside him, ignoring the flirtatious smiles he received from those who caught his eye.He could not remember a time when he was more nervous. He was certain this Rosetta was the same as the one who gave birth to Olivia. Was it possible she plotted to take his money at a point in his life when he was incapacitated and unable to think clearly? Yes, she was a very beautiful woman with dark hair and hazel eyes, a body to stun most men into submission, but once you got past the exterior shell, she had nothing to offer another living creature. She was mean-spirited, bitter and demanding. She had no compassion, no love, and no conscience. Her acts were based solely on her own desires.Checking his watch for the third time in five minutes, he looked up as a very attractive blonde-haired woman walked onto the pati
“Her water broke two weeks early when she was having sex with a man she met at the club. He took her to hospital and called me. When I got there, she was in a full rage, screaming at the nurses for pain medication, cursing the baby and Silvano. When she saw me, she began yelling even louder. She blamed me for everything that was happening to her. She said she hated me, and she hated the baby.”Giovanni lifted his drink to his lips to fight the anger burning inside him. It was the same story as when Olivia was born, and he could see it as clear as if it had just happened. “I always heard women did strange things in labor,” Fontanna continued, “but she was hateful. Even the man who brought her in left out of fear. She was like a demon, like nothing I had ever seen before. When our son was born, she refused to look at him, refused to acknowledge him, and did not want to hold him. I did not understand it. This was what we wanted, what we spent three years trying for. We went home with th
Sabrina paced her office silently. Marie and Babette were busy working in the next room, assembling the stacks of fabric and the mannequins that displayed the many designs she had spent weeks working on. The delivery truck would be there any time to pick up the dresses, and they had to be checked for any loose seams or minor alterations before being taken to the studio where they would be photographed for the upcoming event’s brochures.Her nerves had been on edge all day. Between the show next week, and Giovanni’s meeting with his former lover, she was certain she would go mad by the end of the day. She wanted the best for Silvano’s son, but she was afraid of what Giovanni would do when he confronted the woman who abandoned him and Olivia.“Hey, got a minute?” Marie asked stepping in the door. “The truck is here. Did you want to supervise the move?”“Yes, I do, thank you.” “May I ask you a question? I mean, you haven’t really said a lot since coming back from your brother’s party. I
“How do you feel about all of this?” Sabrina asked later that evening as she and Giovanni sat in her office discussing the outcome of his meeting.“I was pretty put out at first, until I saw a picture of her son. He looks like Olivia. I don’t need a paternity test to tell me who his father is.”“So, you’re going to give her what she wants?”“I already have, or at least a portion of it,” he said with a smile. “She’s really poor, sweetheart. The only reason she sent that letter was because she’s broke. She spent all her money on legal fees. I took her back to the hotel she’s staying at, mainly to see if she was telling the truth. When I saw the condition, she had my nephew living in, I made her pack their belongings. She’s currently staying at the Mandarin Oriental, in Paris, and I gave her enough money to get the boy some new clothes and some toys. She has enough to feed them for a few days, as well. By then I’ll have the paternity results and I’ll arrange permanent living accommodatio
Sabrina heard the ghastly sound and frowned as Giovanni staggered toward her. His eyes rounded as he reached out for her arm, then crumpled on the floor beside her. She stared at him with disbelief then back to Andre who began to laugh, a small black pistol held tightly in his hand. “I think it’s time to see how immortal love truly is,” he told her, raising the gun level with her forehead. “Clark, where are you?” Creighton asked over the receiver of his cellphone.“We’re about to land now, what’s up?” the man asked.“Security reports a problem with the system at Sabrina’s shop. The power went off and the backup didn’t engage like it was supposed to.”“I’ll check it out as soon as we land. It shouldn’t take me more than half an hour and I’ll call you back.”“I’m sure it’s just a faulty battery, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. I think I’ll call Irena. She and Peter are still in France and they can drive by and check on things.”“Sounds good,” Clark said. “I’ll call as soon as I fin
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
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
“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
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.
“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
“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
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
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
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.