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Abby went to head back down to the party. Oh, she would never be one who loved these types of events but she was glad that tonight she had made the effort. She felt confident...
Happy.
For the first time she could remember she felt happy, confident and beautiful in her own skin and then she looked over and saw the man who had made all three possible walk into the Ellison home.
He was wearing a smart suit and his black hair flopped forwards and he brushed it back with his hand as he stood for a moment looking around, Abby guessed, for her.
‘Matteo!’ Her father saw him and Abby frowned at how pleased her father seemed to be that he was here.
Of course they would know each other from similar functions but it was a very friendly handshake that he gave Matteo. Her father even patted him on his shoulder and, as Abby walked down the stairs, she watched as her father and Matteo disappeared into his office.
Matteo had very much been hoping to speak with Abby before her father but, without that chance, he followed Ellison in, determined to have his say.
‘Congratulations,’ Ellison said.
‘It was an amazing win,’ Matteo agreed and then he looked to the photos Ellison had walked him through on the day they met and anger grew in his stomach. There was the photo of Hunter with Abby and this bastard knew what he had done to his daughter and yet still had that photo on the wall.
‘I’m not talking about the win,’ Ellison said. ‘I was referring to your achievement in getting Abby here. I have to hand it you—I thought she might come tonight, albeit reluctantly, but she’s been the belle of the ball. The necklace is yours... You’ve certainly earned it.’
Abby stood at the ajar door and somehow stayed standing as the floor seemed to disappear from beneath her.
What achievement?
It didn’t make sense.
Yet it was starting to.
Her father had wanted her here tonight wearing the necklace and she knew—oh, yes, she knew—how low he could stoop.
Why had she thought better of Matteo?
Because, despite clear warnings, she’d gone and fallen in love.
She was tempted to turn, to just walk away and pretend she hadn’t heard what was said and to simply make it through the night without creating a scene. It had nothing to do with the fact she was on strict instructions to behave tonight; it was more than that—she didn’t want the dream to end.
The dream that Matteo had actually cared about her.
She thought of her mother, smiling for the camera, pretending all was well in a messed-up world, and Abby refused to let that legacy live on.
‘What did you just say?’ Her voice was very clear as she walked into the study. Matteo’s back was to her but she saw it stiffen at the sound of her voice.
‘Abby...’ he started but Ellison spoke over him.
‘I was just congratulating your sponsor,’ Ellison said, not remotely bothered that they’d been overheard.
But then, Matteo thought, if he was insensitive enough to have Hunter’s photo on his wall, what was another layer of hurt to add to the mix.
‘What does my wearing my mother’s necklace have to with this?’ Abby asked. She had walked right over and stood aside the two men and confronted her father first. ‘What do you mean when you say that the necklace is Matteo’s?’
‘Can we talk away from here?’ Matteo suggested.
‘Why?’ Abby checked. ‘I think here is the perfect place. Why spread my misery outside the grounds of this home.’ She asked the question again, her voice rising. ‘Why would you tell Matteo that my necklace is now his?’
‘It’s actually my necklace,’ Ellison corrected. ‘Your mother left it to me. I knew that you needed money, Matteo wanted the necklace and I said if he could get you here wearing it for the do...’ Ellison shrugged. ‘It’s no big deal.’ As Abby’s eyes filled with tears Ellison misread them. ‘Oh, don’t go getting all sentimental, Abby. Your mother loathed that necklace.’
‘And I know why she did!’ Abby was shouting now. ‘Because, yet again, you’d been unfaithful and, yet again, you thought another trinket would put things right.’
‘And it did,’ Ellison said. ‘Your mother knew how to behave, as does Annabel. Whereas you, Abby...’
