A Fragile Heart (BBW Billionaire Light Romance) by Juliet Michaels
Authors: Juliet Michaels
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spied on and their activities reported back to Guy's mistress. The situation was just unbelievable. She’d trusted Guy and he had hidden the truth from her.
Elena pulled open the drawers in the dresser and flung open the doors to the wardrobe. There they were, all the designer clothes she’d brought from the boat. For a moment she trailed her fingers through the expensive materials – she would leave them all here at the hotel she decided.
Next she checked the safe to make sure the money was still there and opened the exquisite leather box to see that the gold torque still nestled in its bed of red velvet. That too would stay.
She put her passport into her handbag and checked that she had her purse and credit card. After a last look round the room, she noticed the coral bracelet lying on the dresser, and for a moment she hesitated. Then with a shiver of sadness she pulled the delicate circlet onto her wrist.
My only memento of Italy , she thought.
As soon as she managed to get her tears under control, Elena went down to reception and asked for a taxi to be arranged. The receptionist smiled and asked where she wanted to go.
“Naples, the Museum,” Elena replied.
When she got into the taxi, she leaned forward as the driver pulled slowly out into the Piazza.
“Take me to the airport,” she said.
Chapter Seventeen
As she let herself into the tiny apartment, Elena looked around with dismay. There was no sign of Josh, but the place was in total chaos: unwashed mugs and plates, clothes and lager bottles on the floor, drawers pulled out as if ransacked. It was more than she could face right now, and Elena went to the fridge to find a bottle of wine still half-full. She poured herself a large glass and drank it down quickly, followed by a couple of headache tablets.
Her bedroom was still as she’d left it and had escaped the mess of the living area. Although it was still only early evening, Elena rummaged in her chest of drawers, pulling out a pair of warm pajamas. The flat felt cold and damp after the sunshine of Italy and she crawled into bed sadly, pulling the duvet over her. At last, completely on her own, she could let her emotions take over.
She cried as she thought how her life had been turned upside down since she’d met Guy. It hurt to think of the gradual trust and understanding that she’d believed was developing between them and the growing love that she’d felt for him. And all that time he had been keeping the secret of Chiara, just a few miles away in the Italian countryside.
Why did he take me there , she wondered, so near to that beautiful and accomplished woman.
Was there some perverse thrill he got from comparing Elena, with her pale skin and extra-rounded curves with his slim, svelte mistress?
It was all coming back, Elena realised: her lack of confidence in her looks, and her total distrust of men.
She pulled the duvet over her head and cried herself to sleep, relieved that Josh had still not appeared and glad to be alone.
She woke again in the early hours, still not quite daylight, and went to the tiny bathroom to take another two tablets. She caught a glimpse of her pale face, shadowed eyes and wild hair in the mirror. Against her better judgement she found the rest of the wine and drank it down. Feeling slightly shaky she tumbled back into bed. There was nothing to get up for; she would sleep for the rest of the morning.
§
Elena was woken by a loud noise coming from the living area of the flat. She took a few moments to take in her surroundings and realised that someone was hammering on the locked door. Josh must have forgotten his keys again. She stumbled from bed, still sleepy and rumpled in her old pajamas, and opened the door.
Guy pushed his way into the room, slamming the door behind him and leaning back against it, his arms folded tightly against his chest and anger radiating in waves from him.
“What the hell are you doing Elena?” he
Elena pulled open the drawers in the dresser and flung open the doors to the wardrobe. There they were, all the designer clothes she’d brought from the boat. For a moment she trailed her fingers through the expensive materials – she would leave them all here at the hotel she decided.
Next she checked the safe to make sure the money was still there and opened the exquisite leather box to see that the gold torque still nestled in its bed of red velvet. That too would stay.
She put her passport into her handbag and checked that she had her purse and credit card. After a last look round the room, she noticed the coral bracelet lying on the dresser, and for a moment she hesitated. Then with a shiver of sadness she pulled the delicate circlet onto her wrist.
My only memento of Italy , she thought.
As soon as she managed to get her tears under control, Elena went down to reception and asked for a taxi to be arranged. The receptionist smiled and asked where she wanted to go.
“Naples, the Museum,” Elena replied.
When she got into the taxi, she leaned forward as the driver pulled slowly out into the Piazza.
“Take me to the airport,” she said.
Chapter Seventeen
As she let herself into the tiny apartment, Elena looked around with dismay. There was no sign of Josh, but the place was in total chaos: unwashed mugs and plates, clothes and lager bottles on the floor, drawers pulled out as if ransacked. It was more than she could face right now, and Elena went to the fridge to find a bottle of wine still half-full. She poured herself a large glass and drank it down quickly, followed by a couple of headache tablets.
Her bedroom was still as she’d left it and had escaped the mess of the living area. Although it was still only early evening, Elena rummaged in her chest of drawers, pulling out a pair of warm pajamas. The flat felt cold and damp after the sunshine of Italy and she crawled into bed sadly, pulling the duvet over her. At last, completely on her own, she could let her emotions take over.
She cried as she thought how her life had been turned upside down since she’d met Guy. It hurt to think of the gradual trust and understanding that she’d believed was developing between them and the growing love that she’d felt for him. And all that time he had been keeping the secret of Chiara, just a few miles away in the Italian countryside.
Why did he take me there , she wondered, so near to that beautiful and accomplished woman.
Was there some perverse thrill he got from comparing Elena, with her pale skin and extra-rounded curves with his slim, svelte mistress?
It was all coming back, Elena realised: her lack of confidence in her looks, and her total distrust of men.
She pulled the duvet over her head and cried herself to sleep, relieved that Josh had still not appeared and glad to be alone.
She woke again in the early hours, still not quite daylight, and went to the tiny bathroom to take another two tablets. She caught a glimpse of her pale face, shadowed eyes and wild hair in the mirror. Against her better judgement she found the rest of the wine and drank it down. Feeling slightly shaky she tumbled back into bed. There was nothing to get up for; she would sleep for the rest of the morning.
§
Elena was woken by a loud noise coming from the living area of the flat. She took a few moments to take in her surroundings and realised that someone was hammering on the locked door. Josh must have forgotten his keys again. She stumbled from bed, still sleepy and rumpled in her old pajamas, and opened the door.
Guy pushed his way into the room, slamming the door behind him and leaning back against it, his arms folded tightly against his chest and anger radiating in waves from him.
“What the hell are you doing Elena?” he
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