Teresa would find distressing.’ He paused imperceptibly. ‘Not to mention you.’
‘Oh, please.’
She was no longer the emotionally vulnerable young woman of three years ago. Yet his gut instinct warned he implement precautionary measures.
Sierra was unpredictable at best. A disturbed young woman who had played a deliberate game to which only legal action had brought surcease…by which time his marriage had been in tatters and Gianna had retreated to the other side of the world.
Sierra had been very clever, ensuring that while she skated to the edge of harassment she didn’t cross it, choosing instead to use her family connections to gain invitations to social events he attended on the Velez-Saldaña conglomerate’s behalf, thereby providing a visual taunt he was powerless to prevent while she abided by the terms of the restraining order. She didn’t call, contact or approach him in any way.
She didn’t need to, he reflected bitterly. The damage had already been done.
‘Miguel or I will accompany you. Choose.’
Gianna didn’t hesitate. ‘Miguel,’ she nominated sweetly, and glimpsed his faint smile as she turned to exit the office.
Working out helped ease some of the built-up tension, and when she was done, showered, changed and had alerted Miguel via cellphone that she was ready to return to the villa, she felt refreshed, alert and on top of her game…whatever her game happened to be.
Staying abreast of Raúl had to figure in there somewhere.
Let’s not forget Sierra whose presence in Mallorca seemed to indicate she maintained a close eye and ear on every detail regarding Raúl.
Not exactly difficult to do, Gianna had to admit, when he regularly appeared in the news media, having successfully closed another deal, or attending a social event. Therefore it seemed feasible word had circulated that Gianna was also in residence at his mother’s villa.
A young woman who had regained her emotional and mental strength…was healed, confident and strong.
So why did she feel emotionally connected to Raúl when she’d mentally confined him in a locked box and thrown away the key?
Sure she had. During the daylight hours.
It was the dark night hours when his image intruded into her dreams…taunting, haunting in a way that made for restlessness and little sleep.
It was almost frightening that she could still be attracted to him when he’d betrayed her with Sierra.
She had the proof…didn’t she? Even though he’d denied the affair.
Except since spending time with him again in Mallorca a glimmer of doubt had intruded, causing her to re-examine for the umpteenth time the facts as she knew them.
Sierra visiting Argentina at the same time as Raúl had been in Rio on business. Coincidentally staying at the same hotel or so she’d said.
When Gianna had called him, it had been Sierra who had answered the phone in his suite.
But had Sierra arrived uninvited on some pretext or other as Raúl had assured her?
Had he, in fact, been taking a call on his cellphone, unaware Sierra had picked up the landline on the first ring?
Had Sierra dismissed the call as being in-house…as he had said?
Gianna had accepted the evidence as being conclusive proof…sure in her mind at the time that it was the truth. Except she’d been experiencing depression over the loss of their babe, vulnerable, sensitive and susceptible…and Sierra had been so convincing in her intention to wreak havoc.
Oh, God… What if she had been wrong? What if the entire debacle had been a deliberate attempt on Sierra’s part to cause trouble?
Should she have believed Raúl’s denial? Trusted in him? Seen the situation for what it was?
The thought she might have played into Sierra’s hands sickened her now, as it had then. Dammit, she’d loved Raúl with every cell in her body, her heart, all that she was. Believed in him, them, the sanctity of their marriage.
Had he been faithful to her since they’d first met as he’d assured her?
Think, she cautioned. Only there was danger in too much thought.
She had a life in Australia, a home, business, friends…plans.
Yet the lingering doubt persisted, brought to the surface by Cristina’s confidence, and no matter how hard she tried it wouldn’t go away.
CHAPTER EIGHT
IT WAS during breakfast that Teresa mentioned a soirée to be held that evening in a friend’s villa in the hills overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
‘It will be a pleasure to represent you,’ Raúl assured her gently, in a bid to minimise Teresa’s voiced regret at not being able to attend.
‘Ana is incredibly generous in opening her home to host these occasions. My help is minimal in comparison.’
Yet Gianna recalled with ease the number of times Teresa had opened her Madrid home to host various fundraising functions. The expense of doing so gifted without question.
Devising interesting functions in order to raise funds for deserving charities required experience, imagination, and above all, organisation. Committees were formed, women volunteered their time, expertise and even their homes in a bid to host a successful soirée to benefit a children’s hospital wing with equipment, toys, digital televisions, DVDs. The list was endless, the functions many. Some were elaborate annual events; others by select invitation only.
Gianna had always respected the time and energy Teresa devoted to causes close to her heart, and knew the sadness Teresa must experience now at being forced through illness to take a much less active role.
‘Gianna, are you sure you don’t mind partnering Raúl?’
Excuse me? Since when was it assumed she would partner Raúl? Surely there was someone else he could call on, even at such short notice?
Except how could she say she had other plans when all her plans centered around Teresa’s welfare?
‘Of course not,’ she assured her with a smile.
‘Thank you. I’m very grateful.’
And that was sufficient. After all, attending a function supporting a good cause was no big deal. It wasn’t as if it was a new experience, given she’d attended similar functions in the past.
It was likely she’d be able to touch base with a few people she hadn’t seen in a few years. Appearing at Raúl’s side didn’t make it a date. It just so happened she was visiting Teresa at the time.
Choosing what to wear posed no problem as she instinctively selected the lilac gown with its crystal beading.
The
