Expecting the Billionaire's Heir - Chapter 14
Two weeks later…
The Palazzo di Constanzo was the most beautiful place Ellie had ever seen. Perched on a clifftop overlooking the Bay of Naples with its own private cove, an infinity pool and terraced gardens full of summer blooms, the magnificent villa’s fanciful white stone facade blended perfectly with its surroundings.
She and the team from Westwick Hall had arrived the day before, invited to spend the long weekend as the Lorentis’ guests for the housewarming party tonight—to celebrate Dario Lorenti’s childhood home being returned to its former glory.
But as Ellie opened the shutters on her guest cottage and stared out at the sparkling blue water of the cove, she couldn’t seem to enjoy this idyllic place. She stroked the small bump of her belly, aware she was starting to show.
She still hadn’t told anyone about the pregnancy. Not even Tali, but she wasn’t going to be able to keep it a secret much longer. She needed to start making plans, real plans—about where she would live once the baby was born, and how she was going to look after it on her own. Because the one decision she had made was to not tell Brody Kane.
He hadn’t contacted her in the months since their night together, he hadn’t even left a note, and what he’d said to her all those years ago—about not ever wanting to be a dad—had only been confirmed by what he’d said to her the night he’d got her pregnant.
He didn’t believe in happy families.
But she couldn’t seem to focus on all the other decisions she had to make, because she’d been so tired and out of sorts, her mind stuck replaying her one night with Brody Kane on a loop… Because she’d been searching for a sign, any sign, that she might be wrong not to contact him. But there was still too much of that unloved girl inside her to convince herself his actions didn’t mean exactly what she’d assumed—that one night was all he’d wanted from her.
He’d always been deeply cynical as a boy, and while she felt they’d connected emotionally as well as physically that night, had they really? He hadn’t even trusted her enough to confide in her how rich he had become.
She pressed her fingers to her lips to hold back the whisper of guilt. Was she being a coward, not letting him know he was going to be a father?
It was an awful thing to do to any man… But the one thing she would never do was risk having her child rejected the way her own father had rejected her.
Brody was the one who had helped her heal from her father’s rejection, by being a friend when she’d needed one, but now it was Brody making her feel vulnerable and confused again because he’d also been the one to bring all those insecurities back with his disappearing act.
She sighed. At least she didn’t have any trouble thinking of him as Brody—the billionaire Manhattan property speculator who escorted supermodels to exclusive events—thanks to her pathetic addiction to searching for images of him on the internet.
A light tap sounded on the cottage door. ‘Ellie, can I come in?’
Ellie blinked back the stupid sting of tears at the sound of Tali’s voice. Thank goodness for Tali, and her job, which had kept her focussed for the past two months, ever since that extra blue line had appeared on the pregnancy test, or she would have become a basket case obsessing about a man who had stopped being the boy she’d remembered a long time ago.
‘Yes, I’m finally up!’ she called back.
Tali appeared, carrying a garment bag. ‘I brought Mia’s dress for you to try on,’ she said, laying the bag on the bed containing the silver gown Tali’s sister-in-law had offered to lend Ellie for the party. ‘Why don’t you get ready with Mia and my mum in my suite?’
‘I will… And thanks, that’s so thoughtful…’ Ellie said, tearing up again, touched by how Tali and Mia and Tali’s mum, Elsa, had taken her under their wing.
Had they sensed how wobbly her emotions were? Probably…because that was getting harder and harder to hide, too…
‘I want you to have fun tonight,’ Tali replied, the sympathy and understanding in her eyes convincing Ellie she needed to tell her boss soon. ‘And I know how intimidating these events can be,’ Tali continued. ‘If you’re not used to people this—’ she blew out a breath ‘—stinking rich!’
Ellie chuckled, even as the knots in her stomach tightened at the reminder of Lorenti’s VIP friends. And the thought of the billionaire whose baby she was going to have in six months’ time.