Dirty Aristocrat

Something made me hold back in the corridor.

‘No, she doesn’t know and I want to keep it that way. For this plan to work she must be kept totally in the dark.’

There was a silence, then he was speaking again.

‘Absolutely. More than a hundred million is at stake. You have to come up with a foolproof plan to eliminate her. A way that cannot be traced back to anybody. Especially not me.’

Of their own volition my hands flew up and covered my gaping mouth as if to stop myself from screaming, but it was not me that was screaming it was my very soul. I just stood there in

the dark frozen with shock and horror.

There was another pause and then his voice came back, urgent and hopeful.

‘Are you sure?’

Another long pause while the person on the other end probably explained something. Then came Ivan’s voice, ghoulishly excited.

‘Yes, yes, that might work. Run it by them and see if they are happy to go ahead with it. The sooner the better. I can’t stand this waiting anymore. I need to know it is done.’

‘Right. I got to go, but thanks for all your help.’

Very quietly, I tip-toed back to the bedroom and got under the covers. I was trembling. I knew without a doubt that he was talking about me. Who was he talking to? He must be in cohorts

with my stepchildren. There could be no other explanation. What was it he wanted me to be kept in the dark about? Was the foolproof plan to eliminate me? Was this my worst fear? Was Ivan

plotting to kill me and share my money with my stepchildren?

It seemed impossible. He didn’t need my money. He was a billionaire. It made less sense than a bull with tits, but no other explanation would fit.

There was a sound in the corridor.

I turned on my side, closed my eyes, made my breathing deep and slow and pretended to sleep.

Ivan came in, got into bed, kissed my forehead and lay beside me. After a few seconds his hand came to rest lightly on my hip.

‘Mmm,’ I said sleepily and curled further into myself.

His hand slipped away. For a long time he did not sleep. Finally, his breathing became deep and even. I turned over and watched him. He looked peaceful and prettier than a Tennessee

Bluetick Coonhound. I felt confused and scared. I couldn’t understand what was happening. Nothing was as it seemed. Even now how I longed to reach out and stroke his thick, silky hair,

but I did not. I simply watched him in wonder until dawn lit the sky.

How did it come about that unnoticed I had slipped into my enemy’s bed.

Very carefully, with my eyes fixed on Ivan’s sleeping face, I inched out of bed. Once out I stood looking down at him. I was still shell-shocked. It was incredible how completely he had

fooled me.

With cat-like quiet, I lifted my tracksuit and running shoes out of the wardrobe and dressed quickly in the living room. Without making any noise I let myself out of the apartment. While

I ran I tried to think. I really, really did. For a whole hour I tried, but my mind wouldn’t function properly. I kept wanting desperately to believe that I had made a mistake. There was

no motive. He didn’t need my money.

He had a private plane for God’s sake.

Besides, I trusted Robert and he told me again and again that Ivan was the only one I could trust. Another voice in my head said, Robert constructed a will that left me open to Ivan’s

total control. If he had not made me Ivan’s ward I would never be here and married to Ivan.

By the time I returned I was no less bewildered or shocked. Ivan was already out of the shower.

‘Good run?’ he asked, and for the first time I saw him without my rose tinted glasses. He was hiding something big. He had been for a long time, but I was so caught up with him not

finding out my secrets. I never took the time to examine the things that didn’t sit right about him. It was always there, in the background and almost undetectable, but there all the

same. Even now I saw it. The only time it was not there was when we were in bed having sex.

‘Yes, thank you.’ I even managed a smile. ‘Want some coffee and some toast?’

‘Yes, please.’

I nodded and went to the kitchen. I was arranging the slices of toast in the toast rack when he appeared, knotting his tie in the doorway.

‘I’ve got to run. Something’s come up,’ he said.

‘No breakfast?’

‘I’ll just take that coffee.’

I carried the mug and held it out to him.

He took a sip. ‘What will you do today?’