Page 87 of All the Gossip from Paris
He couldn’t repeat the words that sat on the webpage in front of him. His brain refused to engage. “When you get a chance could you please read it. Then call me back. No hurry.”
Liam hung up the phone. All he could do was hope against hope that this was a dreadful misunderstanding. Sophie had to know what this would do to him.
Didn’t she?
Clicking out of the website, Liam closed his laptop. Thank heavens he’d finished the work he had to do this morning. For a moment he sat and pondered his next move.
He could pack and flee. He could seek out François and demand an answer. But the obvious thing to do was to find Sophie. Hear the truth from her lips.
He’d barely survived a crushing heartbreak before. He should count his blessings that at least he wasn’t engaged to Sophie. If she didn’t want him, he would be spared the humiliation of cancelling a wedding and trying to get multiple cash deposits back.
Rising from his chair, Liam grabbed his coat. At this hour of the morning, he knew where Sophie would likely be—taking Rollo for a walk along the river.
Leaving the chateau by the back stairs, he avoided meeting up with other members of the Royal family. He hurried through the garden and down the path. Even if he met Sophie as she made her way back home and only managed a few minutes alone with her, it was better than nothing.
I have to know the truth.
At the bottom of the rise which sloped down to the river, Liam took a sharp right. He broke into a jog. The ice and snow covering the ground stopped him from turning it into a full run.
He hurried through the gate. Past the first cluster of trees. Liam frightened a white swan which peeped loudly in protest at his sudden appearance. Darting around the frightened bird, he pressed on. His breath was coming hard, his chest heaving.
Rounding the bend of the river, Liam skidded to a halt. Coming toward him were Sophie and Patrice. They were walking side by side. The very picture of contented coupledom. Rollo trotted happily behind them.
The painful memory of watching his former fiancée walk away with another man suddenly filled his vision. Was this happening all over again?
He wondered what else had been said between her and François at the hotel last night. Had they talked about the Vogue interview? And in exchange for Sophie having a bigger role in the atelier, had she agreed to go back to Patrice?
She didn’t want to talk to me last night. Didn’t want me in her bed.
Hope seeped out from the unhealed crack in his heart. Sophie had made her choice.
And Liam had never stood a chance.
He didn’t wait for them to reach where he stood. Liam turned on his heel and marched back to the house.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
She’d been caught between two worlds. On one hand she still hoped to salvage her future career at the atelier. While on the other hand was the tempting allure of what a life with Liam might look like.
Long before she’d caught sight of Liam standing on the path, Sophie had realized why Patrice had sought her out. It wasn’t anything to do with her father’s plans for the atelier. It was about making sure he got in the way of her and Liam.
Patrice was up to his old tricks again.
As she drew closer to where he stood, she’d prayed Liam would ask to talk to her. But he hadn’t. Instead he’d turned and left.
He had seen Patrice walking with her and had taken it the wrong way. Somehow assumed that she and her ex had patched things up. Did he have such little faith in her?
Sophie’s stomach was in tightly bound knots by the time they reached the chateau.
“Would you like me to sit next to you at lunch?” asked Patrice.
She couldn’t face the prospect of food, let alone sitting anywhere near him. If she did join the family for lunch, it would mean having to endure Patrice while he boasted over his false victory. The mere thought made her skin crawl.
But right now, Patrice was the least of her concerns. Liam was the real worry.
“No, Patrice. I don’t think I will come for lunch. I am still tired from last night. I might just go back to my room and then eat later. But thank you.”
It took all her energy to be polite to him. To keep her true feelings to herself. She would never go back to Patrice. Never again bend the knee.
