that she couldn’t realise her dream of establishing a small business and supporting herself.
That dream had kept her going through the cruel years of marriage. It had given her hope. It was too precious to give up. Yet all she could do now was pray her uncle’s deal went through and, miraculously, Damon rejected his matchmaking.
She stumbled to a stop as realisation slammed into her. Only Damon’s money could save her plans for the future.
Thank God he had no idea. He was unscrupulous enough to use her vulnerability against her.
The sound of weeping interrupted her thoughts. Following it, she came to a secluded grove. There, to her dismay, she found Angela huddled on a bench, shoulders hunched.
Callie froze, memories swamping her.
Déjà vu. Seven years ago she’d come here to sob out her broken heart when the love of her life betrayed her. She’d thought nothing could eclipse her pain and disillusionment.
How naïve she’d been. That had just been the beginning.
‘Angela! What is it, sweetie?’ She hurried forward and wrapped an arm round her cousin’s unsteady shoulders.
‘It’s Papa,’ she sniffed. ‘He knew I’d been talking to Niko. He was furious.’ She slumped and Callie drew her close.
‘He’s forbidden you to see Niko?’
Angela nodded.
‘Go on.’ Callie’s heart was leaden. She’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this.
Her uncle had let slip last night that Damon hadn’t yet agreed to the marriage.
‘He won’t listen, doesn’t care that Niko and I love each other.’ Angela wailed. ‘He says I have to save the family and the company.’
Callie’s arm tightened.
‘I tried to reason with him.’ Angela’s voice was ragged and Callie’s chest squeezed, knowing what it had cost her cousin to stand up to her bullying father. ‘I said Damon wouldn’t be interested in me. I’m not glamorous like you. That only made him angrier. He said Damon wanted children with someone obedient and docile. Someone from a good family to connect him with the right sort of people.’
Callie cringed at her uncle’s prejudiced views. As if Damon needed marriage to secure his place in society! His authority and massive wealth gave him entrée wherever he cared to go. Her uncle was a troglodyte.
But in one thing he was right: men still bartered wealth to possess women. Her uncle had cashed in on Alkis’ obsession with Callie to shore up the family coffers last time he’d mismanaged the company. Callie had been naïve enough to fall in with his wishes, for the good of the family. She’d thought her life over at eighteen and hadn’t realised the yoke she’d put around her neck, marrying a man as cruel and controlling, and as insecure as Alkis.
‘Papa said a man took a wife to bear children and make life comfortable.
That Damon would look elsewhere for…for…’
‘Shh, Angela. It’s all right.’ Bitter fury surged in Callie’s veins at her uncle’s callousness, treating them like pawns. At the ruthless men who joined his devious games.
‘But it’s not. If I don’t obey we’ll lose everything. The house. Everything.
And Mama is so sick, more than Papa realises. If she needs treatment…’
Angela sat up, breaking Callie’s embrace. Her face was pale and set, despite the tears tracking down her cheeks.
With a last hug Callie let her arm drop, watching Angela’s drawn face with foreboding. Despite her quivering mouth there was resolution in the tight angle of her jaw.
‘You’re not alone, Angela. Remember that. I’ll help.’
‘But what can you do? What can either of us do?’
Callie stood and reached out a hand. Angela let Callie pull her up.
‘Don’t give up yet. We’ll find something.’
Whatever it took she’d find a way to save her cousin.
She couldn’t let Angela endure what she, Callie, had. She’d walk over hot coals to prevent it.
Callie’s lips thinned in a grimace of determination.
She’d get down on her knees and beg
That dream had kept her going through the cruel years of marriage. It had given her hope. It was too precious to give up. Yet all she could do now was pray her uncle’s deal went through and, miraculously, Damon rejected his matchmaking.
She stumbled to a stop as realisation slammed into her. Only Damon’s money could save her plans for the future.
Thank God he had no idea. He was unscrupulous enough to use her vulnerability against her.
The sound of weeping interrupted her thoughts. Following it, she came to a secluded grove. There, to her dismay, she found Angela huddled on a bench, shoulders hunched.
Callie froze, memories swamping her.
Déjà vu. Seven years ago she’d come here to sob out her broken heart when the love of her life betrayed her. She’d thought nothing could eclipse her pain and disillusionment.
How naïve she’d been. That had just been the beginning.
‘Angela! What is it, sweetie?’ She hurried forward and wrapped an arm round her cousin’s unsteady shoulders.
‘It’s Papa,’ she sniffed. ‘He knew I’d been talking to Niko. He was furious.’ She slumped and Callie drew her close.
‘He’s forbidden you to see Niko?’
Angela nodded.
‘Go on.’ Callie’s heart was leaden. She’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this.
Her uncle had let slip last night that Damon hadn’t yet agreed to the marriage.
‘He won’t listen, doesn’t care that Niko and I love each other.’ Angela wailed. ‘He says I have to save the family and the company.’
Callie’s arm tightened.
‘I tried to reason with him.’ Angela’s voice was ragged and Callie’s chest squeezed, knowing what it had cost her cousin to stand up to her bullying father. ‘I said Damon wouldn’t be interested in me. I’m not glamorous like you. That only made him angrier. He said Damon wanted children with someone obedient and docile. Someone from a good family to connect him with the right sort of people.’
Callie cringed at her uncle’s prejudiced views. As if Damon needed marriage to secure his place in society! His authority and massive wealth gave him entrée wherever he cared to go. Her uncle was a troglodyte.
But in one thing he was right: men still bartered wealth to possess women. Her uncle had cashed in on Alkis’ obsession with Callie to shore up the family coffers last time he’d mismanaged the company. Callie had been naïve enough to fall in with his wishes, for the good of the family. She’d thought her life over at eighteen and hadn’t realised the yoke she’d put around her neck, marrying a man as cruel and controlling, and as insecure as Alkis.
‘Papa said a man took a wife to bear children and make life comfortable.
That Damon would look elsewhere for…for…’
‘Shh, Angela. It’s all right.’ Bitter fury surged in Callie’s veins at her uncle’s callousness, treating them like pawns. At the ruthless men who joined his devious games.
‘But it’s not. If I don’t obey we’ll lose everything. The house. Everything.
And Mama is so sick, more than Papa realises. If she needs treatment…’
Angela sat up, breaking Callie’s embrace. Her face was pale and set, despite the tears tracking down her cheeks.
With a last hug Callie let her arm drop, watching Angela’s drawn face with foreboding. Despite her quivering mouth there was resolution in the tight angle of her jaw.
‘You’re not alone, Angela. Remember that. I’ll help.’
‘But what can you do? What can either of us do?’
Callie stood and reached out a hand. Angela let Callie pull her up.
‘Don’t give up yet. We’ll find something.’
Whatever it took she’d find a way to save her cousin.
She couldn’t let Angela endure what she, Callie, had. She’d walk over hot coals to prevent it.
Callie’s lips thinned in a grimace of determination.
She’d get down on her knees and beg
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