The Greek Tycoon Box Set: The Complete Serial: Books 1-10 (21 page)

As Angelique made some calls, Carla threw an outfit on and felt a warm rush of affection toward Angelique. She felt so petty for having been jealous earlier on.

So, after everything that had happened, she was to go back to England again. If only she could forget it all, pretend Atreus and Dios had never existed, but she knew that she would have to live with the memories like a shadow hanging over her. And part of her didn’t
want
to forget. Surges of love and hatred battled it out in her chest every time she thought of Atreus. She pictured Dios asking where she was, calling out, ‘
Mama, Mama!
’ and crawling around the sprawling Bahamian mansion to look for her. She wanted to sink to the floor and wail.
 

She thought of the baby growing inside her, the baby she had been so overjoyed about. She wondered what kind of life that baby would have now, with a cheater for a father and a lonely, hurting woman for a mother. The thought of an abortion flickered through her mind.

“I’ve got you a boat, my girl,” Angelique said. “Let’s go.”

“Let me just book the flight, one sec.”

She made some taps on her smartphone and paid with her credit card. Just as the payment was processing, there was a knock at the door.

“Carla?” Atreus’ voice said at the other side. “Can I come in?”

Carla’s heart ached at the sound of his deep voice.

“No,” was all she could manage to say.

“Huh?” Atreus called out, trying the doorknob and finding it locked. “What’s going on?
 
Angelique?”

“What?” Angelique answered.

“What’s wrong?
 
Can I come in?”

“No!” said Angelique, gesturing to Carla that she should say more.

“No,” Carla repeated. She tried to make her voice sound strong. “Go away please.”

There was a short silence.

“Okay,” Atreus said slowly. “But is there something wrong?”

“You bet there’s something wrong,” Angelique clarified.

Carla felt a surge of strength run through her and shot to her feet.

“I’m leaving this place
right now
!”

“What?
 
Why?” Atreus asked. “What is…please just open this door so we can talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” said Carla.

“Then why do you want to leave?
 
I don’t understand.”

“Yeah, yeah, keep pretending,” Angelique said.

“Pretending?
 
Angelique, I demand you open this door.”

“Okay,” Angelique called out, then turned to Carla and whispered. “You got everything ready?”

Carla picked up her bag and nodded.

“When I open the door, just run out right past him,” Angelique whispered. “I’ll handle the rest.”

“Okay,” Carla said.

Angelique approached the door, unlocked it and removed the key. Atreus had been leaning on the door and stumbled onto his knees as she opened it. His face was a picture of devastation.

Carla’s heart felt like it was about to fall out, but she remembered what she had just seen; the picture she guessed would remain emblazoned on her mind forever as a permanent memento of her heartbreak. She pushed past Atreus.

“Carla, please!” He scrambled to his feet and tried to go after her but Angelique stood resolutely in his way.

He tried to push past her but she pushed back. Hard. Still off balance, he fell against the wall, and Angelique seized her chance. She slammed the bedroom door and quickly turned the key, locking him in.

“Carla!” Atreus called out. “
Carla
!”

Carla shook out her long blonde waves and forced a smile.

“Time to wake up from this dream.”

*****

Chapter 4

“You can stay here as long as you like, dear,” Mary Simpson said.

“You don’t know how good it feels to be here with you,” said Carla.

She cradled her hot tea mug and took a tentative sip. As awful as she felt, the comfort of being with her grandparents, in the house that held so many happy memories, went a long way to relieving her pain.

At least she felt she could grieve there. She had held in tears through all the boat rides with Angelique, through her long wait at Nassau airport, through the flight and through the taxi ride to Turnham Green. As soon as they had opened the door and she’d seen their kind loving faces and the floral wallpaper, she melted into their arms with a river of tears.

Charles sat at the table and stared at his hands.

“I’m so sorry, Carla,” he said. “I thought he was a good man. I truly did.”

Carla reached over to give him a hug.

“It’s not your fault, Granddad. He put on a very good act.”

“Still, I should have seen through it,” he said. “My sweet girl.”

“You couldn’t have known,” said Mary. “These people are very good at hiding things. Psychopaths. I watched a program on the telly about it the other day. You know even serial killers look just like normal, friendly people. You’d never know.”

Carla vowed she’d never trust another man again.

“Why don’t we all have some more apple crumble and custard,” Mary suggested.

“I wouldn’t say no,” Charles said.

Carla patted her stomach.

“As much as I loved it, Gran, I don’t think I could face another bite of anything. I’m stuffed.” Putting her hand on her stomach reminded her of what she had resolved to do. “I’d better go and buy some new clothes. I’m going to freeze in this get up.”

Mary served up another portion of apple crumble for Charles.

“Do you want me to come with you, dear?”

“You just stay here, Gran,” Carla said quickly. “You don’t want to be traipsing all over the shops with me. I’m just going to take the bus and dash in and out quickly anyway. I’m not really in the mood to browse.”

Mary frowned.

“Well, all right, love, but take your phone and leave it on where you can hear it. And give us a call if you want a lift or you need anything.”

“I will,” said Carla.

Soon she was outside, striding to the bus stop. She felt bad not saying where she was really going, but it felt like a private matter. She would buy clothes, sure, but that wasn’t the main reason she was going out. She was going to the doctor.

After the short bus ride, she practically ran around Primark, loading her basket with £5 shirts and leggings and dresses and jumpers and jackets. It would not have been her first choice but she was hesitant to run up a big credit card bill with no job. And she was surprised to find that they had a decent selection anyway.

She was so nervous as she paid and left the store, anxiety overwhelming her. So much that she thought they might accuse her of shoplifting just because of the worried look on her face.

The doctor’s office was in a leafy green suburb—a short tube ride away. She’d escorted a friend there once in her teens, and found it easily enough. She couldn’t go to her regular doctor; she was too ashamed of what she planned to ask. She needed a doctor who was “open-minded” about her options. She feared what would happen if she didn’t put an end to the mess she’d been naive enough to get herself into. How much more heartache and turmoil could she bear?

But, still, as she looked up at the old Georgian townhouse she felt a sense of dread. This is not what she wanted. With or without Atreus, this is
not
what she wanted. But, for some reason, she still found herself moving forward toward the door anyway. It was as if she was being carried to her demise.

“Do you have an appointment?” the receptionist asked.

“Yes,” Carla replied flatly and then gave her name.

“All right,” the receptionist said. “Well, let’s get you checked in. It might be a bit of a long wait, we’re quite busy today, but you’re welcome to sit in the waiting room over there until your name is called.”

“Thanks.”

After mindlessly filling out the paperwork, Carla went into the waiting room and picked a chair by the door.
 

Once she’d settled in, Carla’s phone beeped. She took it out and saw her gran had sent her a message.

Where are you?
 
the text read.
Are you okay?

She couldn’t lie when her gran asked her a question. Maybe conceal the truth, but not concoct a bold-faced lie.

She took a deep breath and tapped quickly on the screen before she could change her mind.

At the doctor. I’m pregnant with Atreus’ baby and need to talk about my options.

Her gran texted back right away.

Are you sure this is what you want? Come home and let’s talk about this first.

No. I mean, yes. This is what I want.

She knew she was lying but, for some reason, she couldn’t stop herself. She knew that what she wanted was to be in Little Ekali with Atreus and Dios, all excited about the new arrival to their family. She wanted that so much that her heart physically ached. She could feel it in her chest, withering and dying.

But Atreus’ actions had told her it was all a lie. Everything. He did not love her. He never had, that much was clear. He’d just been confused. He was still in love with Serene the whole time.
 

She tried not to think of sweet powder pink babygros. Or those tiny, little fingernails. Or lullabies.

One by one the women who’d been there before her were called into the back room. Her turn was growing near. And, as she waited for her gran’s message, the message that would surely set her straight and get her to stand up and walk out, she heard her name.

“Carla Simpson?”

Carla looked up and saw a woman in a white lab coat standing at the door. She checked her phone to make sure her gran hadn’t answered her back and found nothing. Crestfallen, she gathered her things and walked across the room.

“Please come in.”

The doctor led Carla into the office and closed the door behind them. Inside Carla’s bag, her phone beeped. As she retrieved it, the doctor began to speak. The woman tucked her black hair behind her ears and sat down at her desk.

“I’m Dr. Li,” the woman said, tucking her straight black hair behind her ears as she sat down at her desk. “What can I do for you?”

“Hi,” Carla said. She pictured herself cradling her baby, she knew it was a girl, close to her chest and listening to all the noises she made. The coos. The giggles. Even the crying. She wanted to hear all of them, like a symphony. Her voice wobbled when she spoke. “I’m pregnant,” she managed to say before her tears began to flow.
 

“How far along are you?” Dr. Li asked.

“Oh, I’m not sure,” said Carla. “A few weeks or so, that’s all.”

“In that case you will have a simple, medical abortion,” said Dr. Li. She spoke with a cold, off hand attitude, as if she were a science teacher explaining to her class for the third time how to do a simple experiment. “You will take a pill today called mifepristone. This will block hormones that are assisting the pregnancy. Then you will come back two days later for a prostaglandin tablet which will break down the connection between the embryo and your uterus. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Carla said.
But I don’t want to break down that connection. That connection is everything I ever wanted.

“Do you have any questions?”

“I don’t think so.”

Yes, I do. How did I get into this? We were only supposed to discuss my options. This is happening too fast. How do I get out of here?

“If you are sure it is what you want, you can take the mifepristone pill now,” said Dr. Li.

She opened a drawer and produced a tower of packets. She handed one to Carla.

“What,
right now
?” Carla asked.

Dr. Li sighed deeply, her patience clearly strained.

“Yes, right now.”

How do I…

“Carla!”

Atreus burst into the room, Dios in his arms.

“Atreus!” Carla jumped up from her seat and stared at him.

 
He was followed by the receptionist.

“I told you, you can’t go in there!”

“Carla please,” said Atreus, “don’t do this. I’m begging you. Angelique told me that you saw Serene and I together but I promise you it was not what you think. She forced herself on me. I have no desire for her. I love you. You alone!
 
And we have a family to raise.”

“Come along, sir,” the receptionist said brusquely. “You’re making a scene.”

Carla looked into his eyes, knowing she would never,
could
never, have gone through with it.

“You promise?”

“Yes,” he said. “I would never lie to you.”

“Mama,” said Dios.

“Sir,
now
!” the receptionist persisted.

Carla’s eyes filled with tears and she threw the pill packet down on the table.

“I love you,” she said.