Leilani grips the dining table behind her for balance and glances at Leonie. Between Waylen and Leonie, she feels like a caged animal.
“I do need money,” she admits.
As she speaks she watches Leonie and she perceives that the other woman is also struggling to maintain control of the situation.
“What do you possibly need money for?” Waylen asks, slowly stalking toward Leilani.
He has no idea why she needs money. All of her clothes are custom made and she has access to everything at her fingertips. All she needs to do is ask a servant to bring her something, and someone will go out and buy it for her.
“You should ask Miss Summers,” Leilani hedges, “Apparently she’s an expert on my finances.”
Leonie coughs with surprise and seems to wither slightly under Waylen’s glare.
“Well, umm, there’s no need to be so defensive Leilani,” Leonie says, “You said that your nanny’s medical bills were piling up. You told me that Waylen froze your bank account after you attempted to commit suicide in the sea, and you seemed embarrassed to ask for money from him.”
Leilani tries to keep the surprise and relief from showing on her face—Leonie has come up with a very plausible excuse. Waylen bends down over her and she can feel his hot breath on her head.
“Really?” he asks with narrowed eyes.
“Do you not believe me and Miss Summers?” Leilani asks innocently.
“Do you think I’m so gullible?”
“Waylen,” Leonie interrupts.
“Shut up!” Waylen snaps.
Leonie’s expression is injured and aggrieved, and Leilani sneers at her rival. She straightens her back and looks fearlessly into Waylen’s face.
“What Leonie says is true,” she says, “But I’m also planning for the future.”
“Oh?” Waylen asks.
“The hotel was a generous gift, but we both know I don’t know how to manage it,” Leilani says, “I want it to go to someone more experienced than me, someone who can make it a true success.”
Leilani artfully brushes cherry petals from Waylen’s shoulders, and allows her voice to become seductive, “Besides, I won’t have time to manage the hotel when I get pregnant.”
Waylen seems to ignore her reference to the pregnancy and he scowls at her.
“Why didn’t you just let me handle it then,” he says, “Few people are more experienced than me.”
Leilani curses mentally.
“There’s another reason,” she says with a desperate glance at Leonie, “I heard that the hotel was Diana’s dowry, and that bothered me.”
Waylen has his back turned to Leonie so he can’t see her expression. Leilani, on the other hand, can see Leonie’s rage and fury. Leonie looks as if she wants to rip Leilani to pieces, but she knows she has to remain calm as long as Waylen is there. She curls her fingers into her palm and breaks one of her freshly manicured nails.
“Oh, that bothers you?” Waylen asks, grabbing her earlobe with a devilish smile, “Are you jealous of Leonie and her sister? Perhaps worried about my involvement with them?”
“Of course not,” Leilani says with a decisive shake of her head.
“Why does it bother you then?” Waylen asks, puzzled.
“I hate the gossip,” Leilani says, “You know that people are saying I used all kinds of nasty tricks to get the hotel. They’re saying I wronged the Summers family. You know gossip is terrifying, and the most powerful people are often the most vulnerable. Isn’t that right, Miss Summers?”
Leonie glares at Leilani with absolute hatred and moves her lips in a silent curse.
“No one would dare to gossip about you like that,” he says.
Waylen’s expression softens and he watches Leilani’s cheeks flush as he caresses her earlobe.
“Did you say that you’re going to get pregnant?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Did I say that?” Leilani says lightly.
“You said you won’t have time to manage the hotel when you get pregnant,” he replies in a low voice, “You make a good point, but I’d like you to prove to me that you’re serious.”
Leilani knows that she’s screwed herself. In her desperation to appease his anger about the hotel, she’s complicated her escape plans. She knows how badly he wants an heir, and she’s just agreed to give him one.
“How easily Waylen believes me!” she thinks bitterly.
Though she’s deeply uneasy, she knows she has to play along. She wraps her arms around his waist, buries her head against his chest, and nods obediently. Leonie grinds her teeth with anger as she watches them.
“That should be me or Diana in his arms,” she thinks.
“I guess I want to disturb your privacy any longer,” she says nastily, “Have a nice meal.”
She stalks across the patio towards the door, and Robert follows her with a meaningful look at Waylen. He has also noticed the ring on Leonie’s finger and he wants to know just how Miss Summers got a ring identical to the one Waylen just bought for Leilani. Robert knows that his boss will want him to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Waylen cradles Leilani in his arms, unable to control the warm feeling in his chest. She pulls away and looks around the patio. She was so focused on arguing with Leonie, she didn’t fully appreciate the romantic décor on the patio. Now she’s overwhelmed by the soft pink light and the smell of the cherry blossoms.
“It’s so romantic,” she says, “You’re not going to—”
“What?” Waylen interrupts her, his eyes suddenly darkening.
“You’re not going to kneel and propose to me, are you?”
“Propose to you?” Waylen absently pats the pocket with the velvet box, “That’s a good idea.”
Leilani’s expression becomes difficult to read.
“What a sick joke,” she thinks, “He knows I want a divorce.”
A waiter interrupts her thoughts, offering her a warm towel on a tray. Leilani takes the towel and slowly wipes her hands as Robert reappears on the patio. He glances at Waylen and Leilani; he wants to say something to Waylen but he doesn’t want to interrupt their moment and anger his boss.
Waylen wraps his fingers on the table and addresses Robert, “From now on, I want the nanny’s medical expenses to be drawn directly from the family account.”
Leilani is absently plucking cherry blossoms from the tablecloth, but she freezes when she hears Waylen’s instructions. When Nanny fell out of the window, two years ago, the Hamiltons refused to cover her medical expenses because the woman should have been more careful. Leilani interest. Even before Waylen froze her account, she had trouble covering Nanny’s medical expenses: the woman was placed in a state-of-the-art ward and received the best care possible.
When Leilani fell into the sea, Waylen considered the accident a disgusting and crude attempt to get his attention. Angered that her scheme attracted press attention to his family, He cut off her monthly living expenses. Since then, Leilani has been unable to pay for her nanny’s treatment. Only through Charles’ kindness and the charity has the woman been able to stay at the hospital.
Leilani absently crushes the petals in her hand. She’s only pulled back to reality when Robert hands her a black credit card.
“Mrs. Bamford, Mr. Bamford said this is for you,” Robert says.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
Leave a Reply