A Kept Woman (48 page)

humiliation, the tittering of Felicity and Natasha - maybe even Brad’s thoughts of a lucky escape - meant nothing to her, compared to the pain of losing Michael. He had been so angry. In all the time she’d known him, Diana didn’t think she’d ever seen his face like that. So passionate with rage. She had wanted to reach out to him, to ask for forgiveness, but his eyes had forbidden it. God, Diana thought, I thought marrying a millionaire was such a coup. But all it actually did was keep me away from the man I love.

Her control gave up completely. She put her head in her hand and sobbed, loud, deep sobs that tore out of her breast. Her make-up was running, splashing with her tears. Red-eyed and pale, her reflection stared desolately back at her from the elevator’s polished mirror.

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hen the doors hissed open at her floor.

She found herself face to face with Michael.

Diana stepped out and turned her head aside automatically. There was no hiding how bad she looked.

‘How the hell did you get here?’ she whispered. ‘What are you doing? Trying to torment me? You can’t talk me out of resigning. Please don’t waste your breath. Just leave, Michael.’

‘I will. It me say my piece and then you’ll ne’er see me again,’ Michael fished a handkerchief out of his suit pocket and handed it to her. ‘Let me inside for just a second, so we don’t have to do this on the landing.’

Diana sighed; it was only a.m., but she felt so weary. ‘OK. For a second.’

She let him in and shut the door.

Michael stood there in his work suit. He looked like he didn’t know where to begin. Then he faced her, and took a deep breath.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I was mad. I was jealous. No other woman has ever made me feel the way you do, and I couldn’t bear the thought that you wanted me for money. What that little fuck said made me want to kill him. And then you confirmed it. But after you left, I realised you were just honest with me. You changed, I know you did. You worked too hard to be in it for the money. And you would have been with me all along if I hadn’t been so damn arrogant with you at first. I hated you for dating Brad Bailey, but it was only once you walked out of the door that I understood why.-It was simple jealousy.

Because I love you, and I want you “to marry me.’ ‘What?’ Diana said. She trembled.

Michael came towards her, caught up her hand, and pressed it to his lips.

‘I look awful,’ Diana muttered. It was the only thing she could think of to say.

‘You look beautiful.’ He pulled her into his arms and

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started to kiss her mouth, her tear-stained cheeks, the hollow of her neck. ‘You’ve always looked beautiful. To

me you’re the most beautiful woman in the world.’ ‘Michael …’

‘Just say yes.’ His dark eyes Rocked on to hers. ‘Just say yes. It’s the only thing I want to hear from you.’

‘Yes,’ Diana whispered. She kissed him back, fervently. ‘Yes. Yes. Yes.’

‘That’s my girl,’ Michael said.

He scooped her up in his arms and started to walk towards the bedroom.

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