Page 55 of Hayes

Pushing away his bowl, he leaned forward, his expression one of eerie calm. "Listen to me and listen well. I am a very powerful man who can make your life a living hell.

I don't give a damn about that piece of note from some obscure doctor. I looked into your father's finances, and you are both drowning in debt. If this is a ploy to gouge money from me–"

"It's not!" she cried softly. "Look at me, Hayes. I have been sick for days. Do you think I don't realize who I am dealing with? I am pregnant, and I am scared. I have no one to turn to. Daddy is furious with me and is threatening to take away my allowance." Pressing her lips together, she took a shuddering breath. "I had no one else to turn to."

She held her breath as he continued to stare at her for what seemed like ages until he pushed back his chair.

"You are leaving?"

"I am running late for an appointment," he said grimly.

"What are you going to do?"

"Deal with this at a later date. I hope you don't mind if I keep this?" He picked up the envelope.

"No, of course not. But why?"

He gave her a derisive look. "You don't honestly think I am going to just take your word for it, do you?" he asked sardonically.

"I am a very wealthy man, Simone, and women are always trying to trap me. I have not reached where I am by not exercising caution. I am with the woman I have loved since I was a child, and we are getting married, as I am certain you have heard about it.

I have waited all my life for this moment with her and I am not going to allow anything or anyone to get in the way of that. If this is a ploy to get money out of me, you should have simply come to me and be honest. I would have helped in any way I could. If I find out that this is a trick, I am not going to be very forgiving."

Simone felt the fear clawing in her throat and almost suffocating her, and for a minute, she thought about confessing, but she had gone too far to turn back now.

"I am telling the truth." she whispered, managing to force a few tears.

"Then I guess we'll just wait and see. I will be in touch."

Pushing the bowl away, she took a deep breath, realizing that she had made a very powerful enemy, and when he found out the truth, it was not going to be pretty.

*****

He couldn't concentrate, and the envelope was boring a hole in the pocket of his suit jacket. He had contemplated calling Camilia while he was on his way back, but a phone conversation was not going to cut it. He could not deal with this right now. He was in the middle of overhauling and firing several employees from the newly acquired airline.

He was anxious about Camelia being pregnant and wondering if this was going to be too much for her. Then there were the plans for the wedding. And he was also afraid that she was going to be upset when he told her what was happening to Simone.

He didn't believe her, not for one second. It was a ploy, had to be. It was her chance to get back at him and perhaps try to get money out of him. Camelia had told him that she had taken the news too calmly, there was no way she was okay with it.

He would call the damn doctor himself, and if he had to go and find him and wring the truth out of him, he was prepared to do so. But first, he had to tell Camelia what was going on. They had made a vow to tell each other everything, even the painful bits and he had been the one who insisted on it.

"You left without telling me what Mother said to you, and all the pain and grief could have been avoided. No more." He had been firm on that. Too much had happened to tear them apart, and he was not going to risk anything like that again. Not anymore.

"Give me a full ten minutes without interruption, will you?" he ordered as he moved past his assistant's desk, stopping her as she was about to hand him several messages. Without breaking stride, he marched into his office and closed the doors behind him.

Going straight to the liquor cabinet, he splashed bourbon into a glass and took it with him to his desk. Taking out the envelope, he stared at it distastefully before sliding out the note. Reaching for the phone, before he could change his mind, he dialed the number, surprised when it was answered by a professionally sounding female voice.

"Dr. Glendon's office. How may I direct your call?"

"What kind of doctor is he?" Hayes asked abruptly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"What kind of medicine does he study? I need to know if I am calling the right place. I am looking for a specialist for my wife."

"Dr. Glendon is an obstetrician."

"How long has he been practicing?"