Helen Bianchin - Alexei's Passionate Revenge

It was a pleasant evening, and Natalya thanked him as he deposited her outside the entrance to her home.

Surprisingly she slept well and woke early, pulled on a Lycra body suit, added a singlet top, affixed earbuds to channel music and took her customary morning run...at a more gruelling pace than was her norm.

Following a shower, she dressed, munched on an apple as she collected keys, shouldered her bag and drove to the nearest mall to stock up on essentials.

As she drove to her parents’ home later that day to share Sunday lunch she couldn’t help but silently question what was real, as opposed to what had been a superbly acted sham on her father’s part, given he’d managed to fool her so well. There were no incidents she could recall to indicate her parents’ marriage had been anything other than a devoted union. There had been the odd private meeting while in London when her presence as his PA was not required. Likewise Paris.

The knowledge refreshed memories of her father taking time out for a relaxing massage. Personal shopping time. The supposed private business meetings he attended alone.

How naive had she been?

Worse, did her mother suspect?

Doubtful, given Roman had provided the perfect cover by employing Natalya as his PA, ensuring his daughter accompanied him to interstate and overseas business meetings.

A string of silent castigations didn’t come close to easing the anger she felt at her father’s deceit. There was a part of her that wanted to confront him, rail her fists against his chest and demand to know how he could have put his marriage, dammit, his life, in jeopardy by such selfish careless actions.

Play nice, Natalya cautioned as she eased her car into the driveway leading to her parents’ modern home set in beautifully tended grounds.

Smile, chat, and pretend nothing has changed.

Except it had, and the conscious effort to maintain a façade affected her appetite.

It was during dessert the question arose regarding her future plans.

‘Darling,’ Ivana broached with interest. ‘Are you going to take a break before applying for another position?’

Oh, my. Evade the issue, or aim for the partial truth? It had to be the latter...

‘No break, unfortunately,’ she managed with a credible smile.

‘Really?’ Disappointment was apparent in her mother’s voice. ‘I was hoping we might share some girl time. Lunch, shop. Book a massage, facial, mani-pedi.’

‘Who will you be working for?’ Roman queried, direct and to the point, as ever.

There was no easy way to break the news, other than to make the truth as simple as possible...then wait for the inevitable fallout.

Natalya met her father’s narrowed gaze with outward calm. ‘The ADE Conglomerate.’

His eyes hardened, so did the tone of his voice. ‘You intend to work for the firm who bought me out?’

Natalya chose not to remind him that technically the bank had foreclosed.

‘Is that a problem?’

Roman’s features darkened. ‘You’re aware of the CEO’s identity?’

‘My interview was conducted by a legal representative.’ Initially it had been, and not precisely an untruth.

The media presses would run overnight for newspapers delivered at dawn. In a matter of hours the news would become public knowledge.

‘Alexei Delandros is ADE Conglomerate.’

‘Delandros?’ Roman’s face grew dark with a mixture of anger and disbelief. ‘Alexei Delandros? What the hell are you thinking?’

Of my mother... Except the words never left her lips. Instead she lifted her chin a little and met his anger with determined spirit.

‘He made an offer I couldn’t refuse.’ The truth...just not all of it.

Dark, almost black eyes hardened, and she saw his mouth thin to an ominous line as he made a visible attempt to rein in his wrath. ‘How could you even consider working for Delandros?’

Because there’s no alternative.

‘In what position?’ The demand was palpable.

With no easy way to break the news...except tell it as it was. ‘PA.’

Roman regarded her with disbelief for several long seconds, then he slammed a fist onto the table, sending crockery rattling in protest. ‘I’m calling my lawyer.’

‘Who’ll only confirm the contract was signed without duress and therefore legally valid.’

A telling silence reigned as Roman processed the inevitable. ‘I hope you know what you’re doing,’ he warned heavily.

Her eyes didn’t waver from his own for several seconds, then she discarded her dessert fork and pushed the plate aside. The thought of taking another bite of food made her feel slightly ill.

For as long as she could remember, she’d prided herself on being part of a close loving family worthy of her implicit trust.

Now she was forced to recognise the father she had adored was not the man she’d believed him to be, and the pain of betrayal was almost a physical ache.

The desire to leave was uppermost...now, before she uttered words that, once said, couldn’t be retracted.

Another hour, that was all, then she could escape.

Consequently Natalya accepted coffee, lingered over it, and accepted Ivana’s invitation to admire her treasured garden.

Together they moved outdoors, leaving Roman to add a generous snifter of brandy to his coffee, and smoke a cigar, presumably in the hope the alcohol and nicotine hit would soothe his temper.

Scrupulously tended and picture perfect no matter the season, the beautifully sculptured shrubbery and numerous borders were Ivana’s pride and joy. While a part-time gardener took care of the heavy work, Ivana was very hands-on with the choice of plants and succulents designed to provide a glorious balance of symmetry and colour.

‘Darling, I’m very concerned for you,’ Ivana said quietly as they wandered through the grounds. ‘Having to sell Montgomery Electronics was a blow to your father’s pride and self-esteem,’ Ivana added. ‘It doesn’t sit easily on his conscience he needs to rely on the money and investments I inherited from my late mother’s estate.’

Natalya’s grandmother had expressed a dislike of Roman Montgomery from the onset, and had been fiercely against the marriage, ensuring each and every one of her assets on Ivana’s demise would pass directly to Natalya.

Natalya had adored her babushka, the regular visits with her mother, the joy and the laughter, tales relayed of an early childhood in another land, the treasures representative of a different country and culture...the division between wealth and poverty.

Ivana caught Natalya’s hand and brought it to her lips. ‘Will you find it difficult working with Alexei?’

The answer could only be an unspoken yes. ‘I’m no longer the lovesick young girl of five years ago, Mama,’ Natalya reminded her.

‘Perhaps not. But...’

‘I’ve moved on.’

You have? Like the initial encounter with Alexei Delandros was totally impartial and devoid of any emotion?

‘I hope so,’ Ivana opined evenly. ‘For your sake.’

It was easy to offer a smile and brush lips to her mother’s cheek. ‘I’m fine.’

Little white lies and pretence. Not something she favoured, but forgivable in the circumstances...surely?

She lingered a while as they leisurely wandered through the structured pebbled paths, pausing to admire numerous plants, commenting on the subtle scent of roses, while listening to gardening tips Ivana chose to share.

There was a sense of relief when they reached the silver BMW parked in the pebbled forecourt.

‘Come inside, darling, and have a refreshing drink.’

‘Another time, Mama, if you don’t mind.’

‘You’re leaving so soon?’

‘New job,’ she managed lightly. ‘I need to check my wardrobe, laptop, and grab an early night.’ She leant forward and hugged her mother close. ‘Love you. Thanks for lunch.’ A quick movement released the BMW’s locking mechanism. ‘I’ll phone during the week.’ She slid behind the wheel, fired the ignition, and blew a customary kiss as she eased the car forward.