The Bride Who Wouldn't Read Free

gift. They’re worth a considerable amount, perhaps fifty thousand.” She took them from the safe and placed them on the desk.
    “Which leaves you nine hundred and fifty thousand pounds short,” Isaak pointed out. “You will repay it.”
    “I can’t .”
    Isaak closed his eyes for a moment and reminded himself how angry he was with Kate and told her a part of why. “You realise he was giving you the last of his fortune.”
    Kate’s eyes widened in shock and she shook her head. “No, I thought he was a billionaire.”
    “He was once.” Isaak said. “But he was a philanthropist and had given most of his wealth to charity. Had he lived, you would have left him broke.”
    Yes, he was angry.
    He pocketed the ring but not the earrings, stood, and shot her a warning. “This does not end here and, this time, I am referring to the contract.” He picked it up from the desk. “Are you going to attend the funeral?” His eyes told her that he would prefer that she did not but, defiant, she met his stern gaze.
    “Of course,” Kate said, but then she watched his jaw clamp together and those blood shot eyes screw closed, and Kate realised he wasn’t just upset about the money, Isaak really did seem to care about Ivor. Watching this arrogant man briefly struggle for composure, she reconsidered. “If it would make it easier for Ivor’s family I’ll stay away and pay my respects later.”
    Isaak opened his eyes to the soft of her voice and her compassion had him falter. “Whatever you feel is the right thing to do,” he said. “You live with your conscience, not I.”
    He turned to go but Kate halted him.
    “Be careful.”
    “Careful?”
    “With the ring,” Kate said. “It’s not a replica, it would be awful if something were to happen to it.”
    He said nothing and Kate let out a breath as he closed the door to her office.
    She needed to be careful too, Kate realised.
    Her fate had been left to Isaak Zaretsky’s discretion.
    It didn’t feel a very safe place to be.

Chapter 2
    I saak walked out onto the street to where his driver was waiting. He would have preferred a walk to clear his head but with Roman still absent from work and his uncle’s funeral tomorrow, he didn’t have the luxury of time.
    Not a replica?
    He went over her words as he took out the ring. A replica of what?
    He tried to make out the hallmarks but would need a magnifying glass. Certainly the ring was exquisite, the diamond was huge, the rubies and emeralds that surrounded were more than generous, but Isaak could not fathom why his uncle would call it a family heirloom.
    He thought of his mother’s thin gold band that had chained the devoutly religious woman to his father until her death, and it had been the same with his grandparents.
    There was nothing worth passing on, not even their DNA. The Zaretsky lineage was not one Isaak was proud of.
    His driver returned him to his plush office and Isaak took a call from Roman to say he would meet him at the church in the morning.
    “Why don’t I collect you and we arrive together?” Isaak suggested because he was worried how another funeral so closely to his wife’s might affect Roman.
    “The church will be fine.”
    “Roman?” Isaak pushed.
    “I’ve moved out of the house.”
    “Where to?”
    “A hotel,” Roman said. “And one that we don’t own. I’m using a different name. I just can’t stand to be at home…” he let out a mirthless laugh. “Not that it ever felt like one. Hopefully, going undercover will buy me a bit of time away from the press. With Ivor’s death, they’re saying we are cursed, they’re looking into Ava…” his voice cracked and Isaak’s free hand tightened into a fist at the mention of her name. “I don’t want her parents to find out that it was all lies.”
    “The press will back off soon,” Isaak said.
    “When?” Roman demanded. “They will be there at the funeral tomorrow, their cameras aimed, asking questions.”
    “And what do you