Phantom Marriage

‘She has pneumonia?’

‘Not yet. But it’s heading that way if she doesn’t rest.’

‘I see.’

‘I’m sorry to disappoint you, Leonardo, but it’s a case of family first. My flight leaves on Wednesday morning. Anyway, it’s not as though we were going anywhere. It was just a fling, as you very well know.’

‘No, I do not know,’ he bit out. ‘Maybe it was to begin with but I thought… I hoped…’

He actually sounded upset.

Too bad, Veronica thought angrily. The man was a bastard. And a liar. The only thing he hoped for was more sex.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said with little apology in her voice, ‘But I did warn you. Now, about the villa…’

‘You want to talk business with me?’ His astonishment was obvious.

‘Why not? You still want the villa, don’t you?’

‘I don’t feel like talking business with you right now,’ he said coldly. ‘I will contact you via email after you arrive home. Goodbye.’ And he hung up.

Veronica blinked at the abruptness with which he’d ended the call, all her anger dissipating in the face of the reality that it was over. Never again would he kiss her. Never again would he hold her in his arms. Never again…

Before she could work out her emotions, she threw herself down on the lounge and wept long and hard.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

IT SEEMED TO take for ever for Tuesday to come. On the Monday Veronica bit the bullet and walked down to the Hotel Fabrizzi, repeating her lie about her mother’s illness and saying her goodbyes, as well as quietly reassuring a worried Elena that she hadn’t mentioned anything to Leonardo about the photos she’d shown her. All the Fabrizzis seemed genuinely sorry to see her go, which made Veronica feel even worse than she was already feeling.

Later that day she rang her mother and did her best to sound composed.

‘I’m coming home even earlier than I said. My flight leaves Rome on Wednesday morning.’

‘Oh, that’s a shame. You really needed a long holiday.’

‘Perhaps. But not here.’

‘I see,’ she said with a wealth of knowingness. ‘Have you taken the second test yet?’

‘No. I’ll do it when I get home.’ If by some awful twist of fate it was positive, she didn’t want to be here when she found out.

‘Right. Do you want me to meet you at the airport?’

‘Heavens, no. That madhouse? I’ll catch a taxi home.’

‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ she asked, sounding worried.

‘I’ll survive, Mum. See you on Wednesday. Take care.’ And she hung up before she could burst into tears again.

When Veronica finally came to pack the second pregnancy test, she stared at it for a long time. Then curiosity—or maybe it was masochism—got the better of her. So she carried it into the bathroom and did what she had to do.

Afterwards, she put the stick down on the vanity and walked out, unable to stand there waiting. Was it her imagination or were her breasts suddenly tingling? Surely fate couldn’t be that cruel? She paced around the bedroom for the required time then charged back into the bathroom, snatching up the stick.

‘Oh, no!’ she cried when she saw the result. ‘It can’t be!’

But it was. It very definitely was. She was pregnant with Leonardo Fabrizzi’s child.

Her stomach suddenly heaved and she only just bent over the toilet in time. After flushing away her dinner, she washed out her mouth and returned to the bedroom, where she collapsed on the bed. Her head continued to whirl and she could hardly think straight.