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Walking home from the Law
Courts after tendering her resignation, she glanced idly at a newsstand
she was passing. To her astonishment, there was a big photograph of
Zale on the front page of the Daily News.
There was also a smaller inset photograph of a dark woman.
Apprehensive, she bought a copy.
Underneath Zale’s photograph, the paper
trumpeted the news that Zale’s grandfather was announcing with great
pleasure the betrothal of his beloved grandson to Penelope Ekonomides.
The wedding would take place immediately. There was some blurb about
them being childhood sweethearts. Livia knew that to be untrue, but
there were the two photographs, the announcement of the betrothal and
the wedding.
A dry sob escaped her. She had
implored Zale not to underestimate his grandfather, and now she was
proved right. While she and Zale were talking, his demented grandfather
was arranging to force this marriage on Zale and that woman.
Dear
God, please help me…
Her cell phone burred, but she did not
hear it. When she got home — or what she had thought of as home until
now, she reflected — the telephone was ringing. It stopped; Nell
must’ve picked up. Soon she heard the click of the connection being
broken. Moments later, she heard Nell’s footsteps on the parquet
floor, coming nearer, entering the living room, a telephone message slip
in her hand. When she saw Livia, she started.
“Ms. Hamilton, I didn’t know you were
home this early. I’m so sorry. I told Mr. Giannis you were still at
work. He asks you to call him the moment you get in. If you are
concerned about his grandfather, please don’t be. He said everything
was under control. He would come back tomorrow instead of Wednesday if
you wished. There was nothing for you to worry about.”
“I’ll call him in a moment, Nell. Thank
you.”
Nell nodded politely, leaving the room.
Livia thought, Call Zale back,
listen to him explain why he’s going along temporarily with his
grandfather’s insane machinations? No way.
She went to her walk-in,
packing her things, leaving the designer clothes and all the sexy
lingerie Zale had
bought for her.
Trying not to cry, she went to
his library and put the Daily News
on his desk, taking off her engagement ring and placing it on top of his
front-page photograph.
She
dug her cell phone out of her purse, punching in the number of her
sister Hilary in Ocean Breeze, Florida.
“Elliott.”
Her brother-in-law. Holding on
to the last shreds of control, Livia whispered, “Adrian? Is Hilary
there?”
“No, honey, she’s at the
supermarket. Anything I can do?”
Livia shrugged despondently.
“Adrian, something dreadful has happened and I need to leave New York
right this minute. Would you guys be willing to have me stay for a few
days? Only until I find a job and a small apartment to live in?”
“Of course you’re welcome to
stay with us as long as you want. Livia… You want to find a
job here? Is something
wrong between you and Zale?”
Unable to hold her tears back
any longer, Livia sobbed, “Oh yes, Adrian, so very wrong. His
grandfather has forced him to marry some Greek heiress.”
It was a measure of Adrian’s
astonishment that he remained totally quiet for some time. At last he
found his voice. “Are you sure, Livia? I seem to recall you telling us
he detests that woman his grandfather is always trying to force on him.
And Zale is a strong man. He doesn’t seem the type to give in cravenly
to an old man’s mania.”
Livia tried to control her
sobs. “That’s what I thought too, but the text underneath his photo was
explicit. So I thought I’d start driving south right now.”
“Are you sure you’re not too
upset to drive? Hilary could fly up and drive you back?” Adrian
sounded deeply concerned for her.
Livia shook her head, realizing
belatedly that Adrian could not see it. She assured him, “I’ll be fine
once I get started, Adrian. Please don’t worry. You’ll see me in a few
days, then. I promise to stop driving long before I’m too exhausted to
see straight.”
“You better,” said Adrian.
“I’m quite fond of my sis-in-law, you know. Please, drive carefully. I
want you to arrive here in one piece.”
“I will… Bye.” Livia
disconnected.
She dragged her wheeled
suitcase and an overnight tote to the front door, locking it carefully
behind her. She put the key in the envelope she had ready, sliding it
underneath the door for Nell to find and place on Zale’s desk.
She went to the elevator. One
of the bodyguards got up from the security desk to help her. “Can we
drive you anywhere, Ms. Hamilton?”
She shook her head, trying for
a casual attitude. “No, thank you – just some things I have to take to
my sister’s.”
“Mr. Giannis would want one of
us to go with you, Ma’am,” said the bodyguard. His name was Chris, she
suddenly remembered.
“Thanks, Chris, but I think he just meant
for you to guard the penthouse, and me when I’m in it. Mr. Giannis
should be back in a few days.”
The elevator arrived, and Chris
stepped back. “As you wish.”
“Thank you, Chris. You have an
uneventful time.”
“That’s how we prefer things,
Ma’am. Good bye.”
Livia stepped into the
elevator. The doors closed. She leaned against the wall, dizzy and
almost sick with unhappiness. Well, now she knew how a broken heart
felt.
Zale – how could you do this
to me… To us? |
