Scandal and the Runaway Bride (Heirs to an Empire 1)

The question was delivered with a sharpness that stole her breath. Still, she deserved her father’s anger and disappointment and so told them everything.

Silence fell around the table when she was done. Lucia’s mouth had dropped open and Massimo’s brows were pulled together so tightly they nearly met above his nose.

She couldn’t stand the silence so she carried on. “Papa... Baresi is everything. I wanted to do this so the legacy wouldn’t be threatened. But it was the wrong thing, and I couldn’t do it.”

“Thank God for that,” Lucia murmured.

“Did you not trust me to make sure the company was in good hands?” Massimo asked, and it killed Gabi to hear the hurt in his voice.

“Of course I trust you! Papa, you have never let me down. I was just so scared. When the doctor said it was cancer, all I wanted to do was look after this for you. To make sure Baresi flourished so it would be waiting for you when you were better.” Her eyes burned. “I was so afraid of messing up and not being up to this challenge. You put your faith in me to step in but I’m not sure I can do this.”

Will’s hand still rested on her shoulder and she reached up and clasped it briefly. “I’m sorry, Papa. I lost my head for a while and made some stupid decisions. But I’ve got it back on right now. Tomorrow you’re going to have your operation and I’m going to make sure the company thrives, even without Aurora’s backing. It’s time for me to step up and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure I don’t let you down.”

“Gattina, why did you not talk to me? To your mother? We would have worked through this together.”

Lucia leaned forward. “You didn’t have to take this all on yourself. We’re a family.”

“I thought you had enough to worry about. I didn’t want to be a burden.” She sniffed now, as relief at unloading the secret started to creep in. “Papa, I wasn’t going to tell you the truth because I didn’t want to upset you before your operation. But today I realized...it isn’t right to have lies between us. I failed but I won’t again, I promise.”

Massimo’s eyes softened. He got up from his chair and came around the table, and Gabi rose and went into his arms. His safe, warm, strong arms that had always been there for her since the day she was born. A bit weaker now, certainly, and she tried not to let the fear take over.

“Gabriella Angelica Baresi, you have not failed anyone. I believe in you. I should have told you this before, but I didn’t want to add any pressure when you were planning a wedding.” He laughed a little, and stepped back so he could look into her eyes. “You know I made all the necessary arrangements at the office for the month I am recovering. I also had papers drawn up. If anything does happen to me, Gabi, the company is yours. You might be a numbers woman, but you’re smart and resourceful and you love what I’ve built. I trust you to look after your mother and sister. And I didn’t tell you because I felt it would be a huge burden on your shoulders while you were on your way to marry Stephen.”

“You said you were glad I’d be taken care of.”

“It put my mind at ease. I knew if anything happened and you took over Baresi, Stephen would be able to look after you. I was never expecting him to look after my company. You might not have faith in yourself, but I have faith in you. And you could not let me down. Ever.”

She put her shoulders back. “I can look after myself.”

“She sure can.” Will finally spoke.

Massimo looked over Gabi’s shoulder. “And what’s your part in all this? You’re Stephen’s brother. You said you were here to check on local business interests and to escort Gabi home until Stephen could join her. Clearly that’s not true, either.”

Will shook his head, but Gabi admired his calm. “No, it’s not. Well, some of it’s true. I did escort Gabi home, at my insistence, not hers. And I have been checking up on local interests. Baresi is one of them. Initially I took on the role of damage control after the wedding didn’t happen. Giulia helped me find Gabi, and then we went to the family château in France to wait out the media storm. Over that time I’ve come to see how stupid my brother has been, both in suggesting such an arrangement and—”

It was if he’d suddenly realized he’d said something wrong. Will pursed his lips and frowned.

“And?” Lucia prodded him.

“And I like your daughter,” he said, almost as if daring them to defy him. “She’s a good person who wanted nothing more than to take care of her family, and she was willing to do it at her own personal cost. While the idea was flawed, her loyalty and love were not. I presented my brother with a proposal to partner with Baresi, something that would benefit both you and Aurora. He turned it down, because of his pride. But if there is anything I can do to be of help, I will. I won’t go against my family, but as I told Gabi before this conversation, I’m definitely willing to help a friend.”

His gaze went to Gabi’s. “And despite the unorthodox circumstances, I do believe we’ve become friends.”

She nodded, overwhelmed by his speech. “Yes, we have. Thank you, Will.”

“You’re welcome.”

Will looked up at Massimo. “Signore, if there is anything at all you need, I hope you will ask. My brother is head of acquisitions, but I’m the head of my division, and I’ll do what I can to ensure Aurora’s relationship with Baresi remains intact.”

“I appreciate that.”

“And your daughter can come to me at any time for help if she needs it.” He glanced at Gabi and grinned, shooting a dart of sunlight into her soul. “Though she probably won’t. She’s smart and she’s stubborn. And hopefully she now knows that she’s worth more than anyone has ever given her credit for.”

Oh, dear heavens. It was like he’d been dropped, completely perfect, into her lap. Once again, she was reminded of the fact that she never seemed to meet the right guy at the right time. Either the timing was wrong or the man was. Having him on her side but not being with him was going to be torturous. And yet she wasn’t in any position to turn him away. He was too valuable an ally, in business but mostly in friendship.

Gabi hugged her father again. “Are you angry with me, Papa?”

He chuckled. “I don’t know what to say. It seems so unreal and... I don’t know. But I’m not angry. I’m sorry you ever felt you needed to go to such lengths.”