Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 79061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Home.
Wherever Angelo was, that was home now.
She stepped out of the car.
And froze.
Her entire family was waiting by the front door, and one look at their faces told Lane that they knew everything about her and Angelo.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Signor Valencia, Attorney Morgan here.”
Angelo didn’t answer right away, making sure to double check with security that Lane had indeed left the premises before telling the receptionist to allow his lawyer in.
“Sit down, Graham.”
The lawyer nervously took a seat.
Ah.
He only had to read the expressions on the lawyer’s face to know that the worst happened, and Angelo inhaled heavily. He didn’t care how things would impact him, but he did care about how it would those people whose only crime were to allow someone like him in their lives.
“Give it to me straight,” he said quietly.
GRAHAM SWALLOWED. “SIGNOR Valencia, I am sorry. We were too late.” The attorney didn’t quite know where to look as he delivered his report. He knew his words were probably like a death knell to Angelo Valencia’s ears and could only hope that the Italian tycoon wasn’t the type to kill bearers of bad news.
Graham was good – damn good – at his job, but when one was up against a psycho – and his boss’ ex-lover was certainly one – it would always be like fighting a losing battle. The woman hadn’t cared about the legal implications of her actions, hadn’t cared that she would be heavily fined and sent behind bars.
All she had cared about was getting revenge, and that was exactly what had happened, Graham reflected grimly.
Every appalling detail of Anthony Carras’ sexual deprivation revealed to the media, together with lurid revelations about Angelo’s sexual preferences.
Margarita had made his employer sound like a deviant, a monster, and because Angelo Valencia wasn’t saying a thing to contradict it, Graham knew that it would soon be the whole world against him. It was always like that, he thought cynically, with people more inclined to gobble up gossip as truth rather than wait for facts.
“Graham.”
The attorney straightened, expecting the young tycoon to ask about the potential cost of damages or discuss potential strategies to mitigate the P.R. disaster he was unfortunately embroiled in—-
“How long before the media discovers the connection between my uncle and...Jaike Christopoulos?”
Ah. Graham mentally nodded to himself. He should have known his employer would be most concerned about that. It was a well-known fact that Derek Christopoulos’ wife also happened to be Angelo Valencia’s former fiancée...and first great love.
“My staff is hard at work blocking all possible trails that could reveal Mrs. Christopoulos’ involvement, but...” He cleared his throat. “Secrets like this are near impossible to bury at this point, signor. I would say, we may have at least until tomorrow, but after that...” He trailed off, knowing he didn’t have to specify all the worst-case scenarios that could result.
A long time after his attorney had left, Angelo remained in his office, silent as he brooded on what his next move would be.
Finally, he made a call.
Lane picked up immediately. “H-hey. I was just about to call you and—-”
She started to say something more, but he cut her off, saying grimly, “I need you to listen to me carefully, tesoro.”
Lane immediately quieted.
“Margarita has gone to the press, and anytime tonight news will come out about my uncle and his history as a sexual predator.”
Silence.
“There will also be revelations about my own...inclinations.”
He waited tensely for Lane to show her distress, waited her to ask what was happening or why, but when she finally spoke, Lane’s words were nothing he could ever expect.
“I’m sorry, Angelo.”
He could hear the truth in her shaken voice, knew that somehow she actually believed she was the cause for all of this.
“I wish I had known how to avoid her, and maybe—-”
He grated out, “Stop.”
Love threatened to choke Angelo, and he had to struggle to breathe.
Lane had the right to accuse him of possibly ruining her life, but all she was thinking about, all she was worrying about—-
Was him.
“There is nothing for you to apologize for, tesoro.” His voice was fierce. “Nothing. This is all my fault—-”
“You’re not at fault—-”
“It is,” he interrupted flatly, “if only for the fact that I was the one who chose to have something to do with her.” Sucking his breath, he continued tersely, “In any case, the damage has been done and all I can do now is to rectify what I can.”
Pause.
“You’re going to her, aren’t you?”
Lane’s jerky tone made his chest tighten, but he also knew that lying would only make it hurt worse. And so he said quietly, “Yes.”
Silence.
“As the head of the Valencia family, it is my duty to give our apologies – to beg her forgiveness for causing her life irreparable harm for the second time.” His grip tightened on the phone as he waited for her answer.