Betrayed(30)

“Not a thing, it was my decision to quit and mine alone.”

“Quit?” He looked at her sharply. “Now I wonder why no one else mentioned that. Have you told them, because the Saval Empire continues to sing your praises?”

Her voice became taut. “What are you on about?”

“There’s no mention of you leaving Las Modas Ibéricas. I have an invite to the previews and your name is splashed all over it.”

Kat blinked rapidly; what was going on? How would they explain her absence?

“And for the actual posturing when the show hits the road? You’ll return for that, of course? No designer would miss their collection. You’ll have arranged to see it through?”

She shook her head. “I shan’t be there.”

“That’s a big decision to take, my dear.”

“Not to me.”

“Yet there’s not a word about it, from Las Modas Ibéricas. I wonder why?” He scratched his head. “What are they planning? They must have put a hell of a plug on this little item.”

They wouldn’t show the collection without her, surely? She said slowly, “So why are you talking to me?”

“I like to keep tabs on newsworthy clients, but I could find neither you nor Rafael, which seemed strange.” He studied her curiously.

“You think me newsworthy? I hardly think so.”

“Then I got to thinking, why would a lady like Katrina Bligh disappear and to where? With an important debut about to take place, the designer is nowhere to be found? Intriguing!”

“So you’ve got yourself the story you were after.”

“And perhaps,” he said. “There’s an even bigger story waiting. After all, dear lady, you did once say that your ambition was to be successful. Why the hell are you quitting just when your career is about to bounce? I wonder what you’re scheming? What is this all about, who is covering for what?”

Kat stopped walking. Why had nothing been said about her disappearance? What were they up to? “I had a rethink.”

“I wonder why they haven’t mentioned the fact, and I wonder why I can’t get hold of Señor Rafael? I think I’ll wait before I go to print. I smell a scoop.”

“Go to hell.”

“I wonder,” he paused. “Our infamous Señor, has he been up to his tricks again? Let me guess. Girls? Drink? Did a party become too wild for your tender sensibilities? Have you had your pretty eyes opened at last? I did warn you.”

“Do you really expect me to answer that?”

He grinned. “You already have.”

Kat filled her lungs with air and spun away. She half expected him to follow again, but mercifully he didn’t. The encounter shook her to the core. What was going on?

***

Two days later, to her horror, headlines in her newspaper said: ‘Leading fashion designer quits over sex scandal. Saval empire in uproar over outrageous conduct.’

Billy Mellor must have put two and two together to make five, and published it. Rafael would be mad as hell now. They would all blame her for the article.

She had just finished taking the evening meal in the hotel, when the desk paged her. She took a cool lager with her and made her way to the reception, where there was an urgent message for her to ring her father.

Kat, puzzled, took out her cell phone, but saw the battery was dead. Damn! She hadn’t thought to check it. She went to a booth and rang the number. Her dad answered after the second ring.

“Hi Kat. Glad I got hold of you.” His voice was strained. “I’ve been trying all day. Where the hell have you been?”

“I’ve been out… What’s so urgent, Dad?”

“I hardly know how to put it.”

“For heaven’s sake you’re making me nervous.”

“It’s Rafael. He came to see me.”

Rafael again? It made her angry that she couldn’t get him out of her life. At times she felt an intense hatred toward him, and there were moments when she felt an intense longing. When the longing happened, her anger against her weakness was extreme.

She said, “Did he? And what did he say?”

“We talked, or rather he did. That young man has a predisposition for prose.”

“And?”

“I didn’t even know you’d left them. You never told me. What’s going on? There’s bound to be repercussions you know.”

“We had a problem… personal.”

“They’ll want their money back. What about the contract? They’ll probably sue, as well. I told him you should be right back with them, I don’t understand how you could leave them at a time like this.”

“Dad! How can you say such a thing?”

“Well it’s true,” he blurted. “You know it is.”

“And you’ve no idea what’s gone on. How can you judge me, you don’t know what’s happened?”

He became silent.

“Dad?” she said. “Dad, are you still there?”

“Yes.”

Kat felt suddenly wary. She said, “There’s something else isn’t there? Something you haven’t told me.”

“I told him where you’d probably be.”

She stiffened. “How could you? You shouldn’t have told him anything.”

“You don’t know what he’s like when he’s angry.”

“I’m going to discover, aren’t I? God! How could you Dad?” She slammed the phone down.

What the hell had Rafael got planned, revenge? She couldn’t blame him; it was a dreadful newspaper article.

She went back to her room in panic. She had to leave. She had no idea what Rafael was capable of. She started throwing clothes into her case. Maybe she could go back home. At least there she would be on her ground. Here she was too exposed.

Kat glanced through the window then freaked out as she spotted Rafael thrusting through a bunch of people.

She frantically crammed the last of her things into the case. The door. She hadn’t locked it. She dived to it, but too late. Rafael caught her arm before she could move. “Hello Kat!” he said tightly. “Somebody has been foolish haven’t they?”

Kat felt blood drain from her face. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“You can’t guess?”

“The newspaper?”

“Very damaging.”

“I didn’t say anything. He took scraps of information and padded it out.”

“This sounds dangerously like grovelling. You once said you never grovelled.”

“You’ve a right to be angry. I know you’ve every right, and I don’t blame you. I’d be angry too…but I didn’t tell him.” Kat gulped. “Valencia,” she said shakily. “I’ve ruined everything. Billy Mellor says you are going ahead.”

“We don’t like the idea of cancelling.” He smiled faintly. “Las Modas Ibéricas is a proud company. We’ve had knocks before but we’ve always come through and screwed the competition. We don’t like to be beaten.” His eyes narrowed. “We’re not cancelling. We’re going ahead.”

Kat stared blindly at the wall. Suddenly, she felt very tired. “So what’s this about Rafael?”

“You’re coming back. You’re facing everyone. You’re going to front the Valencia collection.”

She shook her head. “I won’t do it Rafael.”

“Oh yes, you will, you’re going to show the world the newspaper printed a pack of lies.

“Did they? Is that what you’re claiming?”

His eyes were slits. “You just told me you didn’t say anything to them.”

“I said I didn’t tell them, I didn’t say I didn’t believe it.” She twisted her fingers. “I won’t do it.”

“You’ve wrecked my life. You’re not going to ruin everyone else’s. You’re coming back.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You’ll come back and everything will be the same as before.”

Kat went rigid. “We can never be the same as before.” She’d been blinded for a while, but now things were clear. Nothing could ever change what she felt, or what she was. Genetics couldn’t be altered. “Look,” she said shakily. “I suppose I’m sorry for the way things turned out, but I’m staying put.”

“And if I don’t agree, Kat? What then?”

“You’ve always known the score.”

He scrutinized her. “I’ve travelled a long way. Is that all you can say?”

She was appalled to find her hands trembling. She said, “And what about Fran? Do you still want things to be the same with her too? Is that what you told her? Parties, girls, dancing; God, you’re insufferable. Don’t forget, I know!”