Echoes of the Heart (18 page)

It was done. She’d agreed to be his lover, now she was free-falling and she prayed he’d be there to catch her. Butterflies beat their wings in her stomach. She swallowed and steeled herself to say what must be said. ‘There are other things you need to know…’ Her words trailed off.

Jake stilled, watching her closely. ‘I’m listening.’

She shook her head. ‘No. Not here. The things I need to say to you about my marriage to Lloyd must be explained in complete privacy.’

His expression was tense. ‘Shall we go, or do you want dessert?’

‘Let’s go now and talk all this through, Jake.’ She couldn’t let indecision swamp her any more. In order to go forward and seize a chance at happiness with Jake, she had to break the vow she’d made to Lloyd. Once they left the restaurant, she would explain about her marriage. She owed Jake the truth.

Stress caused her stomach to churn because she’d guarded the secret of her marriage for so long. But, the marriage bargain had been made under duress, before she knew Lloyd’s true character. She convinced herself she didn’t owe any loyalty to the man who’d exploited her and made her life miserable. As for Irene’s future, Jake could be trusted with the truth.

‘Let’s go then,’ Jake agreed. Amanda’s unease was palpable. The quicker they got home and talked everything out, the better.

Before they could move, Jake’s phone rang. One look at caller ID and he took it straight away.

‘Sophie. What is it?’

‘Trouble is brewing. You need to get down to the office straight away. I’ll explain when you get here.’

He looked across the table at Amanda and told Sophie, ‘I can’t make it.’

‘You have to make it.’ Every word was urgent. ‘An emergency meeting of the Board of Directors has just been called by Whitby. He’s moving a no-confidence motion in your chairmanship.’

Whitby. The man had been a pain in the ass for as long as Jake could remember. Why the hell he was moving against Jake at this point was a mystery when everything was going so well. Jake had just sealed the biggest deal in the history of the Formosa Corporation. Whitby was committing corporate suicide to move against him now.

‘I’ll be there,’ he told Sophie and ended the call.

Amanda’s face fell at his words.

Jake reached across and took her hands. ‘I’m sorry. There’s a problem at the office that I have to deal with. I’ll drop you home, and then I have to leave. We’re going to have to postpone our talk until I get back.’

‘That was Sophie.’ Her voice was small, each word flat.

‘Yes. She took her grandfather’s place on the board of directors when...’ He saw the uncertainty on her face. ‘It’s business, Amanda. Nothing more. As soon as possible, I’ll introduce you to Sophie then you’ll see for yourself that there’s nothing more than friendship between us. Believe me, this is urgent or I wouldn’t be leaving.’

‘Okay,’ Amanda answered, but it wasn’t okay. Not really. She was poised to tell Jake really important things and he was running off as soon as his ex-wife called. It didn’t do anything for her self-confidence. ‘I’ll grab a taxi. There’s no need for you to take me back and then have to come back into the city.’

‘You take the car then, and I’ll grab a taxi,’ he insisted.

Jake’s arm was around her waist, holding her securely at his side as they walked through the restaurant. They’d been one of the first couples to arrive but now the restaurant was packed. General conversation lulled as they made their way past tables, causing Amanda to feel conspicuous and self-conscious. She tried to ignore the looks that were directed their way, but her eyes wandered to her left and connected with those of her former sister-in-law.

Fiona Bennett.

Amanda’s heart skipped a beat and her stride faltered. Fiona, who was seated at a table with several friends, looked just as shocked as Amanda felt.

‘Amanda?’ Jake questioned as she slowed beside him. He followed the direction of her gaze and he drew her closer as he saw Fiona slowly rise to her feet.

His action was pure protection, pure possession, and Amanda loved it.

‘It’s okay, sweetheart,’ he murmured close to her ear. ‘I’m with you every step of the way.’

Surely Fiona wasn’t going to cause another public scene? Amanda took courage from Jake’s support as her nerves went haywire.

‘Amanda.’ Fiona called, moving around the table to stand directly in front of her.

Was it Amanda’s imagination or did the other woman seem hesitant?

‘Fiona.’ Every syllable Jake uttered was laced with warning, but Lloyd’s sister barely spared him a glance as she focused on Amanda.

‘It seems I owe you an apology,’ Fiona said with sincerity. ‘I thought…Well I didn’t realise…’ Her hands moved in front of her in a gesture of helplessness. ‘I’m sorry for the way I behaved at the funeral.’

It was just as well Jake’s arm supported her, because Amanda’s knees threatened to buckle from the complete turnaround in Fiona’s attitude. There had never been any love lost between them and she felt poleaxed by the apology.

‘It’s only today that I’ve learnt the whole truth of your marriage,’ Fiona continued. ‘I honestly had no idea, and I didn’t know where to reach you to explain what’s happened and to apologise.’

Amanda’s body jarred and she felt Jake tense beside her. Just how much did Fiona know and how had she found out? Amanda opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. What could she say? This was not the time or the place to ask questions.

‘Can we talk sometime soon?’ Fiona pleaded.

Still confused, Amanda gave a slight nod of agreement.

‘Excuse us, Fiona,’ Jake interjected.

‘Wait a second!’ Fiona dashed back to the table, retrieved her handbag and opened it to get out a business card. Handing it to Amanda she entreated, ‘Please call me. Soon.’

Amanda nodded, mutely. Before another word could be exchanged, Jake marshalled her away.

‘That was cryptic,’ Jake commented dryly. ‘I take it Fiona was referring to whatever it is you want to talk to me about?’

She gave him a small nod. Her hand started to tremble.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked her.

‘Yes,’ she managed in a shaky voice.

‘Why am I not reassured?’ He pulled her into a secluded area of the restaurant, away from prying eyes and anyone who might overhear them and looked at her intently.

‘Truly. I’m okay. I really appreciate your support.’

‘Sweetheart, you’ve just agreed to move in with me. It’s my right and responsibility to provide you with any protection or support you need.’

The wealth of caring in his voice and the gentleness of his touch as he reached up and stroked her cheek with his fingertips was almost her undoing.

‘Clearly you’re rattled by your encounter with Fiona,’ he continued, ‘and I can’t tell you how much it affects me to see the vulnerability in your expression right now. I want to go straight home with you. I would if this wasn’t urgent.’

‘We...we really need to talk, Jake. I’m not sure how much Fiona knows, but you need to know it all.’

‘Let’s go.’

He settled the bill quickly. All the while, he held her close to his side, his left arm encircling her waist.

‘The car should be waiting to take you home. I’ll be there as soon as possible and then we can say all we need to say to each other.’

She realised her anxiety must be clouding her expression but was unable to shake the dreadful sense of foreboding—the worry that just when it seemed there was hope that they might be able to build something worthwhile together, it was all about to come crashing down because she’d failed to confide the truth of her marriage to him. Would Lloyd come between them again even from the grave?

‘Whatever is you have to tell me, Amanda, it won’t diminish my need for you.’ He brushed his lips briefly against hers. ‘After we talk I intend to take you to bed, and this time it will be very different between us. I want to make love to you.’

Her heart somersaulted in reaction to his promise.

‘It will be good, Amanda.’

‘Go to your meeting, Jake, then we’ll talk and see what happens.’

He smiled at her before he kissed the tip of her nose. ‘You worry too much, Amanda. You don’t need to anymore. It’s your turn to be taken care of and I’m more than ready for the task. Trust me.’

If only it were so easy.

Amanda was restless as she waited for Jake to return from sorting out whatever problem it was that had arisen. The fact that he’d left as soon as Sophie phoned was unsettling but she tried to put her insecurities aside and trust him.

Uncertain as to how long it would be before Jake returned, Amanda made a cup of tea and sat on the couch to watch the late night news. She needed to get her mind off the conversation that they were about to have.

The bulletin about the latest political scandals in the country didn’t interest her. Instead she mentally rehearsed all she had to say—until a picture of Jake flashed up on to the screen.

‘Jake Formosa, media tycoon and head of the Formosa Corporation, is fighting for his right to remain as Chairman of his Board of Directors this evening. An emergency meeting was called by Sean Whitby who has moved a no-confidence motion against Mr Formosa.’

Horrified, Amanda only just had the presence of mind to place the cup on the coffee table before she tipped the contents everywhere.

An image of another man replaced Jake. The caption on the screen identified him as Sean Whitby, a member of the Board of Directors.

‘Mr Formosa is no longer an appropriate Chairman for the corporation,’ Mr. Whitby told the reporters. ‘Recently, he’s been more occupied with personal matters than company business. He left a meeting in the middle of critical negotiations to be with his lover, Amanda Bennett, then cancelled all his business obligations for a week, to spend time with her.’

The reporter interjected. ‘Viewers will remember that Amanda Bennett is the widow of Lloyd Bennett—lawyer to several underworld crime figures. Mrs Bennett was recently interrogated by the police over her husband’s apparent suicide.’

She gasped as she saw pictures of her face flashing up on the screen in quick succession. There was a picture of her at Lloyd’s funeral, then video footage of her at Jake’s side arriving at the Circular Quay restaurant that evening. She hadn’t even been aware of the media’s presence.

‘Mr Formosa has lost his focus and credibility,’ Whitby continued. ‘I believe the board should sanction his removal as Chairman quickly and decisively at this evening’s meeting.’

The hateful image of Mr Whitby was replaced by a picture of the reporter standing outside the head office of the Formosa Corporation.

‘Has media mogul, Jake Formosa, been bitten by Lloyd Bennett’s black widow?’ The news presenter asked. ‘The Board has convened as we broadcast, and the corporation could well have a new Chairman by the time the meeting ends.’

The report continued—full of malice. Every nasty rumour about her marriage to Lloyd was raked up. The story put a seedy slant on Amanda’s upbringing and the reporter questioned whether board members would accept Jake continuing as Chairman of the Formosa Corporation now that he was besotted with a faithless gold-digger. A financial analyst predicted share prices for the Formosa Corporation would plummet.

Her heart clenched in despair. Every hope drained from her as she listened to the negative predictions for Jake’s future in the corporate world.

That was why Sophie had called.

Jake’s problem at the office was a full-scale battle and it was all because of his association with—she shuddered as she thought of the title the press had given her—Bennett’s black widow.

As much as she loved Jake, she couldn’t stay with him if their being together turned his life upside-down. She pressed her lips together to prevent a cry of gut wrenching sorrow escaping.

Forcing herself to put Jake first she took a deep breath. This was no time to think of herself. Jake must be facing his own private hell. Fight as he might to retain control of his company, it wasn’t fair to put him in that position. She had to think of a way to spare him the public backlash of his association with her.

As far as she knew, they’d only been photographed together once. They could issue a statement denying any relationship. Nobody knew about his proposal that they live together. He could still emerge from all this bad press unscathed if he denied involvement with her.

It was the cruellest torture, but she would find the strength to walk away from Jake for his own good. She had to. Besides, he wouldn’t want to stay with her in a relationship, when his corporate reputation was at stake.

Fiona Bennett’s image on the screen captured Amanda’s attention. The story switched to an upcoming court case to contest Lloyd’s will. Amanda sat in shocked silence, shaking uncontrollably. Her head spun as she realised the truth of her marriage was out.

What would happen to Irene now?

An incredible sense of powerlessness engulfed her. A sick, rolling tide of nausea swelled in her stomach. Before she could listen to the full story, she had to dash to the bathroom where she was physically ill.

Irene! She had to get to Irene and try to explain things. Her aunt had a television in her hospital room and, being unable to hold the newspaper, she usually watched the news on television—the morning edition and this evening bulletin.

There was no time to lose.

Fifteen minutes later, a taxi arrived to take Amanda to the hospital.

***

The meeting was over. Now, Jake wanted to get back to Amanda. Security guards accompanied him down to the car park. He’d been informed that a pack of reporters and photographers were crowded outside the front of the building. He had no intention of being swooped on by the starving vultures that were on the scent of carrion. Many of them would be loving the fact that there’d been an internal challenge to his position. Rival newspapers, jealous of his success, would be rubbing their hands together and trying to find the seediest slant possible to the story. He knew they would do anything they could to discredit him and throw fuel on a fire hoping that his company would be reduced to ash around him.