His Merciless Marriage Bargain

“How do you know?”

“He left her his entire estate. His homes, his assets, his stock in Marcello SpA. All of it.”

“What?”

“He didn’t leave her penniless. He left her a very wealthy woman, setting her up so that she could raise his son properly, wanting his woman and his child provided for.”

Rachel wanted to move but her legs wouldn’t stand. She sat, hands clasping the box, heart on fire. “I don’t understand. But she received nothing. She didn’t know—”

“She was never told.”

“How? Why not?”

“I took legal action when his will was revealed, petitioning our courts to investigate the legality of the document.” Gio stood before her, handsome in his tuxedo, but utterly unrepentant. “He had an inoperable tumor in his brain. He was dying. His behavior had become increasingly erratic. I was concerned he was being played, or coerced, and so I asked the courts to intervene—”

“Causing my sister’s death,” she interrupted hoarsely.

“Your sister didn’t want his money, she wanted him.”

“How do you know?”

“She refused it. She rejected every bank wire he sent her. Finally, near the end of his life, he simply changed his will.”

“And you knew all of this, the entire time?”

“I’ve learned bits and pieces over time, but yes, I’ve known since his will was read last June that he left her virtually his entire estate.”

Rachel rose, legs and body trembling. She was shaking from her head to the tips of her white silk high-heeled shoes. “You’ve known since Michael’s birth that Antonio wanted to provide for his child, and indeed, tried to provide but you interfered. You withheld support, and not just support, but love.”

“I did what I thought was right,” he answered tersely.

“But it wasn’t right, and you…you don’t know the first thing about love. You have no idea what love means, or you wouldn’t have worried more about your Marcello stock and investments than your late brother’s child!”

“I was wrong, Rachel.”

“You….you…” She shook her head, eyes burning, chest so tight she couldn’t breathe. “You’re not just wrong. You’re not even the man I thought you were, Giovanni. You’re not at all the man—” She turned away to cover her face with her hands. She pressed her fists against her eyes, holding back the scalding tears, and the grief, and the pain.

Gio had lied to her. Lied. Nothing about their relationship was true. He was false, and selfish, and incapable of caring for anyone but himself. Incapable of loving.

“Thank God you told me now,” she said, choking on a muffled sob. “Thank God I found out before it was too late.”

“We’re still going to marry, Rachel. We still need to protect Michael.”

She nearly lost it then. “You’re the last one I’d trust to protect Michael! You’ve done everything in your power to punish him—”

“I had to be cautious.”

“Of course you’d see it that way. I don’t. But what I do see is the light, and the truth, and the exit, because I want out. I’m not going to do this. I don’t have to do this with you, not anymore. You see, Gio, I don’t benefit from marrying you. I don’t win anything. I just lose. I lose out on the opportunity to be cherished and loved. And it’s not worth it—”

“What about Michael?”

“I love Michael, and will always love him, but we don’t need you. We don’t need your help. I don’t want anything to do with you. Keep your precious Marcello stock. Keep your Marcello name.” She glanced down at the huge yellow diamond weighting her hand. She’d thought it absolutely beautiful when he’d put it on her finger but now it symbolized all that she hated. Rachel tugged the ring off and dropped it on the bed, next to the antique wood box. “And your Marcello jewels.”

“You don’t mean that, cara.”

“Oh, but I do.” Hands shaking, Rachel took off one earring and then the next and tossed them onto the bed, too. “I’ll take Michael back to Seattle with me, and I shall raise Michael myself, and he’ll be a Bern, and he’ll be loved and we might struggle, but at least we’ll struggle with love, away from your contempt, and condemnation, and judgment.”

Gio crossed the room and caught her by the arm, pulling her toward him. “I understand why you’re upset. I was upset last night, too—”

“For different reasons, I imagine.”

“No, for the same reasons. My brother loved your sister, and they had a tragic love story, and a tragic ending, but we are not going to continue the tragedy. It ends here. It ends now. Michael was a true love child, and he shall be brought up with love, not fear or shame.”