A Fragile Heart (BBW Billionaire Light Romance) by Juliet Michaels Page B

everything would go disastrously wrong. Still, she would like to know where he was, at least. There had been some talk of going with the band to some summer festivals, so that was almost certainly the answer.  
    She longed to talk to someone she could open up to, and after deliberating for a while she finally rang Yvonne, who agreed to come round for a talk that evening.  
      Elena handed out the glasses of wine as they settled themselves down on the sofa. Yvonne looked searchingly at her.
    “You look as though you’re in shock or something. What's all this about?”
    Elena knew she mustn’t hold anything back, and so she poured out her heart to her friend. She started by disclosing that Guy had been the donor of the large amount of money for the charity, then how they had met, gone on sight-seeing trips on Sundays when he wasn’t working, and then finally told her about the fantastic holiday.  
    Yvonne's eyes widened as Elena described the luxury yacht, and the hotel in Sorrento. She talked about Guy's background and his fabulous wealth, and then she came to the difficult part, the part about Chiara, but held nothing back.  
    Then to the end: how Guy had come to the flat, their argument, and how she’d pushed him away, telling him it was over.
    Yvonne sat back, saying nothing, seemingly stunned by the revelations. She took some time to think things over before asking if Elena wanted her opinion there and then, or would she rather not talk any more about the problem that evening.  
    Elena trusted her friend. She knew that Yvonne was mature enough to consider things from all angles and not pull any punches when she gave her advice.
    “Yes please,” she replied. “Just tell me what you think, right now. I'm all over the place, going over and over it in my head trying to pull myself together again.”  
    “Well,” Yvonne spoke in a soft, measured tone, nothing dramatic, just plain common sense. “Let me ask a question first, how old is Guy?”
    “Late thirties? Almost forty I think.”
    “What you have to remember, Elena, is that he’s had a very difficult time in the past. His mother deserted him, his father neglected him, and his wife aborted their child without telling him. No wonder he’s found relationships difficult and turned to working all the time as some sort of escape from real life. Then, he meets this woman, Chiara, some years ago. They have a bond as she’s also struggling with life and financial difficulties. He helps her out with investment, supports her mother and her child, and in return she travels and goes to functions with him as his partner. And occasionally they sleep together. You can see how it all came about; they needed each other. It seems to be quite an adult, understandable arrangement on both sides. Something that worked for them. I have to say, he sounds like a very generous person.”
    Elena listened in silence. Put like that it sounded so reasonable. But what about me , she wanted to ask. Where do I stand in this, What about my feelings?
    "Then, out of the blue,” Yvonne continued, “he meets you. A defensive, easily-hurt person, who’s also uncomfortable with her looks and size. You know it’s true, Elena. He must’ve felt that he needed to handle things very slowly and carefully if he was to find the right time to tell you about his mistress, and also to tell her about you. If he says he was going to talk about Chiara after the holiday, then I’d believe him. It's a difficult matter under any circumstances, and you have to admit, however you found out, you would’ve taken it badly ...”
    Elena had to accept that her friend was just speaking frankly. After all, it was the only way Yvonne knew how to be.
    “The only important thing to ask yourself is, are you still in love with him and did you really mean to finish it when you told him to go?”
    Elena admitted that she was broken hearted about how everything had turned out and that she was still in love with Guy,