SERAPHINA'S STOLEN HAPPINESS

PERSON

m leather seats, still struggling to f

t. But the longer she looked around, the more she

ging to him and the other supposedly hers. I

towards h

than I expected. I honestl

r with an amu

ecessarily difficult. J

like

we're

y had never been in question, but sometimes his gifts left her feeling as tho

table commitments. With a private aircraft at her disposal, travelling to fundraise

what this

reconnect. Instead, she was beginning to feel that even their

, making an effort to sound

spond, but the phone in h

glanced at the s

me a m

tioning towards the

around. I'll

s he disappeared t

losed behind him when

s happ

se, you ha

nish name was considerably longer, and most people in the family ha

at the urgenc

u calling me from

rong, sir. Mrs Rose

do you

pause, followed by

e. Mr Dominic went away with he

ared at t

her w

. The fir

ssuming she had misu

ve a first wife. He

woman. The first wife is still his wif

vanished from

this woman you'

doing those... how do you say? Very sex

singly uncomfortabl

owing things around and has dismissed the entire staf

ned agains

s unbel

e was always composed, impeccably dressed and careful about how she conducted herself in public. Even

around the mansion was difficult

d enough to convince him t

Dominic?

ing him, sir. He

ou trie

imes. N

expressio

y calm. I'll se

ly, sir. I cannot

hand

and stared at the

a dis

t time arranging Seraphina's anniversary surprise, and he had bee

to turn the occasion i

cket and began considering who could

who could handle almost any domestic emergency, but sending them to Dominic's residence would be

. Dismissing everyone meant she wanted them gone, and n

r would have a

ame to mi

k, and he wasn't exactly known for his patience. Besides, Michael had never concealed his

r possibility, but that

new how deeply she disapproved of the marriage. In fact, her dislike had once extended to something as harmless as

reaction, but it revea

lef

sed a frustr

o create a scandal, he had ch

he couldn't ignore what Wasp had told him. Rose was family,

came before personal convenience. Whatever disagreements existed between t

iderably more serious than

equences could be devastating. Rose might have discovered that her marriage was not

d take the news p

ed the back

ld take Seraphina along, bu

ach other. His sister had once suggested that Seraphina's r

understood th

. That had been her decision, and he had accepted it. He had no reason to resent her for it, nor

involve Seraphina in an un

ld go

urs to reach Dominic's residence, perhaps another twenty minutes to underst

be a cl

t wrong, he could still

vening belonged to them, and he had

emian opened the cockpit do

the seating area when Isab

only moments earlier, but now her t

uldn't shake the feeling that she should have done

e prepared

grand eatery and

jet, it suddenly seemed al

round wealth, influence and expensive tastes. He was accusto

ive to think a romantic

the luxurious f

ve planned so

ght irri

n, perhaps something more substantial than dinner. But she had spent so much time looking for

aphi

's voice

tu

's wr

thi

are filling up. Don't tell me you're

m n

hat's g

ay, hoping to hide the mois

as. The last thing she wanted was for Demia

worlds. He could buy her an aircraft without thinking twice, while she was still

ioning whether she ha

a moved

e pregnancy makin

gave a s

ay

self. You have enough t

l that Isabella had

self. Demian would be back soon, and she didn't want him to

pit door

something different about his expression. He looked distracted, a

noticed im

ething

esit

step out fo

before she c

re le

as come up that n

waiting for him t

id you were

intention of spending the day wit

essed her li

lso wanted to remind him that it was their anniversary, that she had spent the morning getting re

, she h

y else who can

ut more disappointe

looked

be going if

t want to appear demanding or make him feel

it h

believe that, for once, work would not come between them. Now, b

er eyes briefly bef

ake it back

ame without hesitation. "

d to bel

rig

ser and brushed hi

to you. We still

d, forcin

a safe

nal squeeze before tu

steps and crossed the hangar. She watched until he was

and expensive. The gift hadn't changed. Neither

oped to spend the day

n another grand gesture. She had wanted to feel that, for once,

lised that the evening she had been looking forward to