Page 10 of The Billionaire's Runaway Bride

As she had left the house, her father had smiled at her, a rare event indeed, she returning the smile.

Reaching the shelter she had grabbed a surprised Daryle, dragging him outside where the two had sat on the grass, the sun beating warmly down on them both.

Staring at his friend Daryle had raised his eyebrows at the way her eyes had glowed with excitement.

“Do you remember last month…what you said?”

Frowning he had nodded giving an embarrassed laugh “Yeah…stupid I know”

Her hand had moved to grab his arm, her head shaking furiously “No…no Daryle…it really could work. Were you serious?”

His stupefied face had watched her before a slow smile had spread across his handsome features.

“Are you seriously considering this Grace?” smiling wider as she had nodded, her features so sombre

“It is like you said Daryle. This is my life - why should I not live it the way I want to?”

Laughing he had pulled her into his arms. “Well OK…future Mrs Dionis” the two holding each other as they had had laughed nervously together.

Over the next few weeks the two had put their plan into action. Daryle had contacted the firm in London getting the job after he had informed them of his upcoming marriage. The two had organised for a civil wedding holding their breath for the three weeks in which their names were displayed for everybody to see, both so nervous that they would be discovered and the plan halted before it could take place.

Alexos had continued to phone her and email her, Grace feeling such mournful sadness each time he did, not understanding her own feelings. He wanted a wife, part of her almost wondering if maybe that would be enough, knowing that it would not. Like her mother and father, his lifestyle would eventually become too much for her to bear and then they would become like them, and how would that affect any children they did have?

Each day some small gift would arrive, whether that was flowers, chocolates or small teddy bears and her mother had been beside herself with happiness congratulating her daughter on having landed such a caring, generous and handsome husband.

Grace had felt the tingle of guilt leading Alexos on, but knowing how important it was that nobody be any the wiser to her plans so she had smiled back nodding, hoping that she was carrying off the happy bride to be charade.

Finally the day had arrived for the two to elope, Grace feeling sick with the nerves that had held every part of her. With Alexos expected to arrive for their next official date the next week, his important business finally completed she had obtained her father’s permission to visit her friend in Rome to buy a more suitable wardrobe to meet the billionaire.

With her passport hidden in her overnight bag she had kissed her mother goodbye for the last time desperately holding back the tears which had inexplicably risen to her eyes as she had taken a final look at the home she had grown up in before with determination she had jumped onto the bus, Daryle joining her at the next stop.

The wedding had been fast, with two strangers dragged in from the street to be witnesses for them, Daryle giving them money for their trouble. With the licence safely registered for legal purposes the two had flown to the UK where Daryle had organised for a rental two bedroom flat for them both.

That night the two had sat looking so afraid while so excited at the same time.

“I can’t believe we did it” she had whispered to him as he had given her a small groan.

“Now comes the hard part” the two of them pulling out their phones as they had moved into different rooms to make the phone calls that they knew would be devastating to those left back home.

Her father had been furious. Screaming at her in Italian and demanding that the marriage be annulled immediately. For the first time in her life she had held her ground informing him that it was too late for that having to hear as her mother had cried hysterically in the background as her father had screamed such insulting words at her. Hanging up she had sat stock still, shock filling every part of her before she had began to shake uncontrollably.

Savaging her lip she had stared at the phone once more lifting the device as she had called the one other person who needed to know.

“This is a surprise Grace Leotta” his voice full of laughter as she had felt her stomach flip, not sure why this seemed so much harder.

Clearing her throat she had felt her voice come out so weak.

“Alexos…there is something that I need to tell you…and I wanted you to hear it from me rather than…” her voice faltering. She could sense the change in him as his voice had become so concerned.

“What ….are you OK Cara?” Grace once more feeling her whole body start to shake “I…I’m fine…but I can’t marry you”

His tone had become harder as he had bitten out “Why?”

Grace sitting as her legs had felt suddenly so weak “I eloped with the man I love…with Daryle. We married this morning”

The heavy silence that followed had stretched her nerves to breaking point before he had finally spoken

“You will understand if I don’t wish you the best Miss Leotta… and I also hope you will understand that I find your behaviour inexcusable”

With that he had hung up Grace feeling the tears running down her face, not sure why those few words had stung her more than all the insults and hysterics of her parents.

With a small knock Daryle had come into the room, taking her into his arms as he had made soothing noises against her head.

“We knew it was going to be bad…and it is not going to get any easier in the short term…but it will eventually Grace…I promise”

Sniffling miserably she had nodded her head against him, feeling as he had pushed a tissue into her hand as giving a small laugh she had pushed away the tears, smiling up at her friend.

Daryle had not been wrong. For the next week she had received lawyers’ letters and calls from her mother and father all threatening and bullying, her mother in floods of tears each time they would talk. However, as it had become apparent that the marriage was in fact legal, the calls had stopped.

The final communication she had received had been from her father’s lawyer in which she was informed that she had been legally disowned with all that entailed. While the knowledge had torn at her deep within, part of her had sighed with relief. No longer was she of any value to her father, an asset to be bartered to improve his business.

Chapter Three

Daryle had shone in his new position, quickly rising to be partner having agreed to take the position as a fellow to start. This had been a relief as now Grace was penniless and he had born both the cost of housing them and also for her university fees. Grace had painstakingly logged every expense determined in the future to repay every penny, Daryle shaking his head at her insistence.

“Grace you gave up a lot to get where you are and I would never be in this job if it were not for you”

However, pride had made her determined to one day repay him. She had enrolled in one of the local universities which offered a world-renowned marine biology course, quickly excelling in her field with her passion and aptitude for the subject.

Over the next six years she had achieved her qualifications, finally leaving with a doctorate in her chosen career having enjoyed summers as a research assistant on numerous and challenging projects which had given her the opportunity to explore much of the world’s top sights. While she had been offered a teaching role at the university, she had chosen instead to join an organisation specialising in the protection of endangered marine life, the subject of her doctoral thesis.

Daryle had by this time left his company to start his own business, a success from the moment his doors had opened. He had also at the same time two years previously met Conner, the two becoming inseparable, Conner while initially confused by the arrangement coming to be a great friend of Grace’s. Soon he had moved into their large apartment, the three living together happily, with Grace often being away.

When after a year together, the two had come to her both so nervous she had instantly known the problem smiling gently at them.

“You want a divorce don’t you Daryle?” he looking so uncomfortable as he had spluttered that he still loved her, but it was time that he and Conner made more of a commitment to each other, as with a smile she had thrown her arms around them both.

“Of course I will divorce you” her happy smile making them all start to cry as she had wished them happiness. The divorce itself had been a mere formality, Grace refusing to take anything from the marriage even though Daryle had wanted to buy her a flat. Hugging him she had repeated that she owed him more than she could ever repay, and that she would not be staying in one place long enough.

After a year of being out of her family home, her mother had reached out, Grace so happy to hear from the one parent she missed. For the next five years the two had contacted each other secretly, Grace’s mother knowing how furious her father would be if he found out. She had been delighted to find how her daughter had excelled in her chosen path, but saddened when hearing of the divorce. Grace had spared her the details, not wanting her to know what a sham the marriage that had torn their family apart had been.

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