Cathy was right, Lia realised. David did condescend. He was doing it right now.
Her fingers itched to wipe the mocking smile off his lips.
When had she developed these violent tendencies?
She had never struck anyone in her life until she’d lashed out at Gregorio in that restaurant. Now she wanted nothing more than to slap David too.
Was it because she knew, deep down, that Cathy’s comments about him had been correct? That Gregorio’s suspicions about David’s involvement in her father’s downfall might also prove to be correct...?
‘I’m a hotel receptionist.’
The words instantly made her think of the morning she had just spent, working in Gregorio’s penthouse suite.
The suite was furnished differently from the others Lia had been shown around on her first morning—it was part of her job as a receptionist to know exactly what each of the rooms had to offer people wanting to stay at the hotel. And the office was definitely personal to Gregorio, indicating that he really did live there all the time.
It made a certain sense. Gregorio had all the conveniences of the hotel—like room and laundry service, restaurants, a spa, et cetera—and none of the inconvenience that came along with owning his own house or apartment.
Even if it had seemed a little strange to know that his bedroom was just down the hallway from where the two of them were working...
‘How the mighty have fallen,’ David sneered.
The gloves really had come off today, hadn’t they?
It made Lia feel slightly foolish for not having seen David’s true nature before now. No doubt he had hidden the worst parts of himself from her while they were dating and then engaged, but even so Lia had always believed herself a good judge of character. Obviously she had been wrong.
Had she been wrong about Gregorio being the bad guy?
She’d already acknowledged that might be the case.
Now she was convinced of it.
Quite what she was going to do about it, she had no idea. Gregorio was...overwhelming. Forceful. And he made no secret of his desire for her.
At least he hadn’t...
But the way they had parted last night, and the stiltedness between them this morning, seemed to indicate he might have put that feeling behind him and moved on.
Could she blame him?
He had been very polite and friendly with Cathy and Rick last night—she was the one who had been rude and dismissive towards him. In front of the other couple. No wonder Gregorio had been so angry.
She owed him an apology, Lia realised.
‘Lia...?’
She narrowed her gaze on the man sitting opposite her. ‘Did you ever love me or were you just using me from the start?’
David looked taken aback by her direct attack. ‘The niceties are over, I take it?’
‘Very much so.’ She nodded abruptly. ‘So answer the question. Were you using me, and my father’s name and wealth, right from the start of our relationship?’
His scowled. ‘I only agreed to meet with you today because you said you had some papers you needed to discuss with me.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘There are no papers, are there?’
‘No.’
‘Damn it.’ He swore softly under his breath. ‘I have no intention of hashing over ancient history—’
‘It’s only been a few months, David,’ she snorted. ‘I would hardly call that ancient anything!’
Their conversation stopped briefly while the waitress put their drinks down on the table. Lia shook her head when the young girl asked if they were ready to eat yet. Lia very much doubted they would get as far as eating anything. Just the thought of food made her feel nauseous.
David leaned forward across the table once the two of them were alone again. ‘I don’t appreciate being spoken to by you in this insulting manner.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘And I don’t appreciate learning that I was going to marry a dissolute gambler!’
David reared back, a look of total shock on his face. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
But he did, Lia realised. The truth was there in his guarded expression and in the way his face had paled.
‘Let’s not play any more games, David,’ she scorned. ‘Your parents can’t possibly know about your gambling, or they would have done something to help you.’
She had always liked the couple she had believed would one day be her in-laws, and knew that Daphne and Alec Richardson would be devastated to learn the truth about their only child.
‘Are you threatening me?’
Lia felt a shiver down the length of her spine at the underlying malice in David’s tone. It reminded her of something her father had once told her: a cornered animal almost always attacked. The look of rage on David’s face said he was getting ready to do just that.
‘Not at all,’ she assured him smoothly. ‘I was merely thinking how disappointed they would be if they knew the sort of man you really are.’
‘Stay away from my parents!’ David grated.
‘I intend to. Oh, I almost forgot.’ Lia turned to search through her handbag. ‘You might want to give this to the next unsuspecting idiot.’ She placed a ring box down on the table in front of him. The engagement ring inside had belonged to his grandmother. ‘Or perhaps you could just sell it to pay off more of your gambling debts? But then, you don’t need to, do you?’ she continued in a hard voice. ‘Not when you have the money you stole from my father’s company stashed away in an offshore account.’
‘You don’t... I didn’t... You can’t possibly know...’ David’s face was now an ashen grey rather than just white.
‘I do know. And, yes, you did do exactly what I’ve just accused you of doing. I don’t have all the proof as yet, but I will. Believe me, I will,’ she assured him vehemently.
She would never wish to harm Daphne and Alec deliberately by revealing the truth about their son, but neither could she allow David to get away with having destroyed her father.
‘I don’t think so,’ David sneered as he recovered quickly. ‘You’re no longer the privileged daughter of the wealthy and powerful Jacob Fairbanks. Now you’re just Lia Fairbanks, who has to work for a living. You have all the power and influence of a toothless dog.’
‘You—’
‘Sorry I’m a little late, Lia.’
Lia had recognised Gregorio’s voice the instant he spoke, but that
