Snatching up his passport, he jammed it into his back pocket and headed for the door.
And then he saw it. Kate’s wedding ring, lying on the glass table by the front door.
Nikos stopped, his heart pounding in his chest. She must have pulled it off just as she was leaving. He stared hard at the simple gold band, narrowing his eyes as if somehow it held the clue to their future. To everything.
Had Kate thrown it down, relieved that she no longer had to pretend to be shackled to Yhim? Or had she slowly, reluctantly eased it from her finger, experiencing at least some feeling of regret before placing it carefully on the table?
The ring wasn’t revealing its secrets, and in the end what did it matter? Their marriage was effectively over. They had both fulfilled their obligations to one another. As he had said to Kate last night—this was it...the end. And she had said nothing to dispute it.
Picking up the ring, Nikos held it between his thumb and forefinger, turning it to catch the light. He had been so near to asking her to stay. Teetering on the very brink of confessing his need for her, his love for her. Would it have made any difference if he had? Or would he simply have been laying himself open to more ridicule, more heartbreak?
He had been hurt so badly once by Kate, and only a fool would go back for more. But where Kate was concerned he was a fool. The biggest fool going. He had given her every opportunity to talk to him, to show him some sort of sign that she wanted to stay. They had shared the most wonderful night together.
And how had Kate rewarded him? By sneaking out of the house while he was still asleep. Without having the decency to even say goodbye.
Palming the ring, he closed his fist over it, watching the skin pull taut over his knuckles. Enough! He would not play victim to this woman any more.
Shoving the ring into his pocket without looking at it again, he turned on his heel and marched back through to the living room. Sliding open the enormous glass doors, he walked out onto the terrace, where the reassuring sound of the cicadas, the dazzling light and the sunshine twinkling on the broad expanse of water heralded another new day.
Nikos made himself stop and stare, forcing himself to be grateful for what he had—a wonderful home, a hugely successful business empire. And now he had guardianship of Sofia all his goals had been met. All except one.
There was still one thing he wanted in the world above all else. Kate. Without her there was a yawning chasm in his life—so huge, so wide, it could never be crossed. But he would not beg. Kate had made her decision. Despite every instinct screaming at him to go after her, he had to let her go.
Time passed.
Finding it impossible to settle to anything, Nikos paced around the villa, then went into the gardens, taking the steps down to the water’s edge and staring out to sea. Usually a source of solace, today it held no comfort for him. Even the thought of going out on his boat did nothing to ease his misery.
How was he going to live the rest of his life without her? It was unthinkable.
A dozen times he picked up his phone to call her, but a dozen times he put it down. He would not be that weak. He would not be that man. His heart might be breaking, but at least he had his pride. He would not let Kate take that away from him.
Eventually he ended up back on the terrace, gazing unseeing into the distance. Hearing a noise behind him, he stiffened. He had sent Agní home. And nobody ever visited his remote villa uninvited.
‘Nikos...’
Her soft voice floated towards him like a promise on the breeze. Kate. Nikos gripped the arms of his chair, fighting every instinct to leap up and go to her, to silence the madness in his head by taking her in his arms and never letting go.
With superhuman effort, he remained seated. ‘Did you forget something?’ He spoke over his shoulder.
‘In a way, yes.’
He heard her come closer, moving around the side of the villa.
‘Well, go ahead and find it.’ He kept his voice firm, harsh, still staring straight ahead. ‘Don’t let me stop you.’
‘I... I already did.’
He heard her falter.
‘I came back to find you.’
‘Me?’ Nikos started to turn, but she was right behind him now.
Kate’s hands came down on his shoulders, softly restraining him. ‘No, don’t turn around, Nikos. Don’t look at me. I can’t do this if your eyes are on me.’