Authors: Melita Joy
Vittorio dialled Leilani’s number; he wanted to be the one to tell her of the news. Hopefully, she wasn’t already watching it; the shock after everything else she’d been through would be too much for her. From his impression of her he knew she wouldn’t cope. He still didn’t understand why she’d needed to run and hide all the way up in Venice in the first place.
Renato had assured him that it was for the best and that he would sort it all out shortly. Having full confidence in Renato he left it in his hands. Having the boy married was still good for the company whereas a divorce was out of the question particularly so soon. Renato’s credibility would have been shot to pieces had they dissolved their marriage in less than three months. The scandal would have wiped out the deal that they’d been working on damaging over a year’s worth of negotiations, unthinkable.
With the situation as it was he would have to head the company once again for an interim period. There would be those that would think him past it, but he was still as sharp as a tack even if his body was slowly failing him. Boarding the jet he waited for take-off and continued to formulate a plan for the coming weeks.
Leilani left the privacy of the lounge area and headed for her boarding gate. People queued up waiting to board. She looked at the entry point for first class; there was no line up at all. With her head held high, she walked towards the gate and continued to walk past it. Her husband was dead, and she didn’t care what threats were out there. She loved him, and she would stay to see him buried. Leilani walked into a clothing store in the airport and bought a pair of sunnies, a cap and a loose fitting dress. Finding a public restroom she changed her outfit and tied her hair up in a ponytail that she let escape out of the base of the cap.
Feeling confident that she had disguised herself adequately she found a service desk and organised tickets to Venice. She just hoped that they had taken him to a hospital on the island; as his wife they wouldn’t be able to refuse her, and she wanted to say a proper goodbye to him. She wanted to see him one last time.
Getting off the plane Leilani called Vittorio but his phone was switched off. She decided to head straight for the Mestre Hospital, with any luck the press would be hanging around and give her the best clue to his whereabouts. She got out of the taxi and indeed spotted a media frenzy. Leilani thanked her foresight to change her outfit. Knowing that she didn’t look like anything special, she walked in and found the emergency department.
Quietly she passed over her identification with her Favalli name and asked if she could be taken through to see her husband. The woman looked surprised, and Leilani lifted her glasses up onto her head to show who she was. She followed the nurse to the critical care unit, they’d obviously not had time to take him to the morgue. Leilani wasn’t sure what to expect and asked for time to calm her nerves.
The nurse took pity on her, her English quite poor, she managed to articulate that it would be okay while giving Leilani’s arm a gentle squeeze. Taking a breath of courage she walked through the doors and into a private room. Renato was lying still, hooked up to a drip and other machines. His eyes were shut, his face bruised and bloodied, and the rest of his body hidden under the hospital sheet.
She walked over to the bed and dropped her head to his chest and cried a flood of tears pouring out, all her self-control gone she let her sorrow and grief take over. She felt anguished that her torment would never be over. Meeting Renato had been a glimmer of hope. Someone to love and the possibility of belonging. She couldn’t comprehend that the chance of happiness had been ripped from her. Surely, she deserved some joy in her life. With Renato she knew she could have had it.
CHAPTER NIneteen
She felt a hand reach out and touch her just a moment before she heard his voice, “Leilani.”
Her ears thundered, and a rush enveloped her body and from a distance she heard an ear-piercing scream before falling into darkness.
Leilani clawed her way back to sanity and heard the sound of Vittorio’s voice calling her to consciousness. “Are you alright,” he asked her with genuine concern.
She tried to sit up, but he held her still. “I,” he cut her off as she started to assemble the fragments of her mind.
“You’ve had a shock. Now stay still until the doctor comes in to check you,” she was still lying on the floor. “Leilani you hit your head on the way down so it’s best not to move until we can be sure there is no damage,” he urged her gently to stay where she was.
“Renato,” she whispered. She had felt his hand and heard his voice; she prayed it wasn’t just her imagination.
The doctor came in checked her movements and looked for signs of a concussion. She was moved onto a stretcher and taken out of the room. They wanted to do a scan as a further precaution.
Vittorio squeezed her hand, “You will be okay and when you come back from your scan you can see Renato,” he promised and before she had to ask, “He is alive and well. So don’t worry any further,” he demanded gruffly before the orderlies took her out of the room.
“How are you son?” Vittorio asked Renato.
“I’ll be better when I know Leilani is okay. I heard her head bang on the floor, and there was nothing I could do from here,” he clenched his fists, frustrated that he had not been able to prevent her fall.
“Do not worry. If they find a problem we’ll have the best surgeons flown in,” he reassured.
“It was as though she thought I was dead,” Renato had been taken aback by her reaction.
“That’s because she no doubt thought you were. The news has been buzzing all afternoon with stories of your horrific accident and your death,” Vittorio clarified. “I was surprised that she came here though,” he admitted.
“Why would you be surprised?” Renato asked.
“Because someone has leaked a story to the press that you were on your way to Venice to offer your wife a divorce,” he clarified.
“What,” Renato boomed.
“Take it easy. Investigations have already started. Whoever has done this has sought to hurt the Favalli name. I don’t take that lightly, and they will regret their hand in this,” he stated ominously.
Renato did not doubt that Vittorio would deal with the matter; he just wondered how much more damage his relationship with Leilani could withstand. He had woken to her weeping profusely over his chest; it was an encouraging sign.
Leilani’s scans were complete, and the doctor had seen her. He was insisting that she stay overnight for observation. She’d been wheeled into a private room to rest, but she didn’t want to lie uselessly in bed. What she wanted was to find Renato. Unbelievably and most certainly against all odds he had survived. Disregarding the doctor’s caution she slipped out of bed and looked for her clothes. They were not in the room, but she didn’t let that deter her. Finding a second hospital gown on a rack in the hall, she popped it on like a jacket, effectively covering her up and went in search of her husband.
She was terrible with directions and hoped that she could manage to find her way back to him. She found the emergency area but when she asked to see Renato she was given a look by the nurse and finding someone more fluent in English they insistently took her back to her room. Stopping the nurse forcefully she one again demanded, “Renato Favalli is my husband. I need to go to him, please,” she begged.
The nurse looked at her, clearly disbelieving. Lacking in patience, she walked Leilani back to her room. Leilani was nearly crying in frustration if her husband was just an ordinary citizen she knew she wouldn’t be having these problems. Dressed in a hospital gown frantically trying to convince the staff that she was a Favalli she no doubt looked more like a psychiatric ward escapee.
Closing in on her room her frustration turned to relief as she heard the dominant voice of her husband. “Dove e mia moglie,” he bellowed ominously. She recognised the question. Renato was asking, where is my wife.”
Turning the corner she flung herself into his arms and he enveloped her in his lifting her slightly off the ground before groaning slightly. “Oh, your injuries, I’m sorry,” she rushed anxiously trying to take a look at him.
“I’ll be okay,” he reassured not letting her out of his embrace even with the doctor rapidly instructing him in Italian.
“You better put me down,” awareness of the spectacle they were creating diverted her attention.
Renato slowly lowered her, and the doctor ushered them both into her room, yelling at the onlooking staff, presumably to tell them to get back to work.
The doctor was no match for Renato though and within the hour they were opening the door to the Belmond Hotel Ciprian on Guidecca Island where Leilani had been staying in Venice. “I can’t believe you managed to convince the doctor to release you,” she took in his face with its cuts and bruises.”
“Why should I take up a bed in the hospital? I'm all right, and I’d rather be here with you,” he stated simply. He took her hand and guided her over to the couch where they sat side by side. “What I want to do is make love to you,” he looked into her eyes with desire darkening his into a stormy green-grey.
Leilani leaned in to kiss him in complete accordance. Renato kissed her but only lightly before sitting upright to distance himself slightly. “Leilani I owe it to you to hold back on my libido. There are things we need to discuss,” his grim look caused her a pang of worry. After all, she’d been through to get back to him the last thing she needed to hear was that he wanted a divorce. She knew that was why he’d come to Venice, to start the ball rolling, but she couldn’t allow it.
“No, please I need to say something first,” she interrupted him. Standing up she took a few steps away from him, clearing her head, she turned towards him and with a deep steadying breath she showed him her courage. “Renato, I know when you offered to marry me it started as nothing more than a business deal,” she began. “I know that Vittorio forced you. No doubt one look at me on the plane must have had you thinking about how much you wanted the business,” she self-deprecated with a small smile. Leilani knew that she’d been a wreck at that moment, her mind had been a mess, and the last thing she’d concerned herself with was her looks.
Renato tried to interrupt, “Leilani I’m sorry I misjudged,” he began.
“Let me finish,” all signs of insecurity gone Renato allowed her to continue. “I know that we have only been married a short time. From what you’ve seen you possibly have all kinds of doubts not to mention that you no longer have to be married to me,” taking a quick breath she continued. “I just want you to know that I’m not quite the insecure mouse you probably think I am. I may not have been brought up in high society, and I may not have had an illustrious career. However, I’m honest and willing to stand up for what I believe,” she paused to ensure she hadn’t lost him.
“Renato, I’m asking you to give us a chance,” her eyes sought his hoping beyond hope that she would be enough for him even though to inherit he no longer required her. He was looking at her intently, and she said what she’d wanted to say from the beginning. “I love you,” she said quietly and with the utmost sincerity. “I don’t expect you to return my feelings, but I hope you will rethink the divorce,” she held nothing back.
Standing up, he took her into his arms once again and held onto her tightly. Not saying a single word, Leilani’s heart was near to exploding. She prayed that this was not a goodbye hug and relished the sensation of being wrapped in his arms.
“Come, sit down with me,” he guided her back to the sofa. “I’m not going to give you an answer this moment,” he stated.
“It’s okay,” she reassured her heart sinking.
Tilting her head back to make eye contact he started, “It’s not what you think,” he comforted. “Leilani in the past few days a lot has happened and I want you to know everything. You may not wish to continue with our marriage but if you do then let’s discuss that when there are no secrets left in our lives,” he opened.
Leilani was sure of her feelings for Renato but please she just hoped that in the days of their separation he had not taken on another lover. She could move on with anything else she was sure of it but if Camilla had managed to get back into his bed, then she doubted she would overcome that.
“Do you want a tea or something to drink?” he offered.
“No, I’m fine,” she was eager to hear what he had to say.
He stood up and poured himself a drink. “I hope you don’t mind,” Renato needing a splash of Dutch courage, she doubted it even as he swallowed the liquid in one gulp. He filled a second glass and placed it on the table.
“Where to start,” he mused. “Everything from our meeting to our marriage was as you know orchestrated. Forcing your hand was unforgivable,” he admitted. “You’ve had a life of lies and I know how important the truth is to you,” he searched her face. “Last week Vittorio and I went to Australia, to see your mother,” he admitted.
“You went all that way,” she exclaimed. “What on earth for?” she asked perplexed.
“I guess you are not the only one that needed to hear the truth. What I have to say a lot of it should be coming from your mother. It’s just that I need you to understand everything and I don’t want to contemplate continuing our relationship without full disclosure,” he stated somberly.
“”Go on,” she prompted. Slightly anxious she wanted to tell him just to spit it out but she let him unfold the story in his way.
“Vittorio was hurt to find out that you were not his daughter. All these years he’d believed it to be the case,” Renato explained.
“Yet he never acknowledged or assisted me during my childhood,” if it were true that Vittorio had admitted to feeling hurt then in her mind it was no more than pretty lies. His lack of action in her life told the real truth, not that it mattered given that he wasn’t her father.
“Well that’s not exactly true,” and he went on to explain. “Let me tell you what I’ve learned from visiting with your mother. Vittorio and Rosa were at one point both very much in love, however, as much as Vittorio cared for your mother; he was not prepared to put her before his ambition,” he continued. “Your mum was angry, during their affair Vittorio had repeatedly offered to leave Lucia, and she had taken him at his word.
Your mother and Vittorio started their affair when she was only twenty years old. Vittorio had been married for five years at that point and was in his mid-thirties,” Renato explained.
“She didn’t have me until she was thirty-two which means she carried on having an affair for twelve years,” Leilani calculated quickly. She couldn’t understand how her mother had agreed to be Vittorio’s mistress for so long.
“It’s a long time, I agree,” Renato filled in. “From speaking to them both recently I got an understanding of how it all culminated. In the early years, Vittorio was still trying to grow his business and was heavily reliant on Lucia and her contacts to build his reputation. In a nutshell, she had him over a barrel, and once the business grew enough he sought a divorce,” Renato continued.
“Lucia wasn’t about to let him go though. They were now becoming successful, and she’d taken a chance on him having herself come from wealth. She’d endured standards below her station in life in the initial years with Vittorio. She’d stayed because she believed in his capabilities and determination. With their wealth mounting, she refused him a divorce and threatened to create enough scandal to topple his business. I can attest from my childhood with her that she was a tough woman, and I wouldn’t want to have called her bluff in Vittorio’s shoes,” he admitted.
“She doesn’t sound she was a very maternal or loving woman,” Leilani interjected.
“No, you are right. However, it can’t have been easy for her. It was well-known in the village that her husband was having an affair with your mother. I think that she had to be tough skinned to hold onto her marriage and as for being maternal it can’t have been easy raising someone else’s child,” he somewhat defended his adoptive mother.
“I guess,” Leilani said somewhat dubiously.
“Either way the woman went through tough times. She suffered miscarriages and had lost he son when he was only four years. During all this time, Vittorio kept holding onto his relationship with Rosa telling her that he loved her, and he would leave Lucia when the time was right.
From what Rosa said the last straw was my adoption. The proof that he had no intention of leaving, but at that point they’d been seeing each other for over five years. Rosa cut him off and busied herself with her work at the bakery. Your mother said as much as she tried to stay away from Vittorio she just couldn’t and within months their relationship resumed,” Renato told the story.
“It’s just so hard to believe my mother stayed the other woman for so long. She is one of the strongest willed people I know, she really must have continued to believe he would leave his wife,” Leilani figured.