‘Because you don’t trust me.’
Elias shrugs his shoulders. ‘Don’t be silly.’
‘One minute. I want to show you something.’
I get up to leave the table and pull out the letter I have kept safe until Elias returned.
‘Look, it’s a bill for you with this address on. Utility bills aren’t sent to people who are renting a holiday let.’
Elias looks at the letter and then at me. ‘Where did you find this?’
Is there an easy way of saying I have been snooping about?
‘I was looking for something that would tell me who the rental company was. I told you I was worried if I had a problem while you were away, I wouldn’t know who to contact. So, I looked everywhere and found this.’
‘Well, what can I say? I am so very sorry.’ Elias avoids looking at me but instead gazes outside towards the pool.
‘I really didn’t think you’d lie to me again. You lied about owning the yacht, and now this. You obviously think I’m some money-grabber.’ I am livid. I just want him to tell me why he does this. Why does he still not trust me?
‘It’s not like that. I told you. I don’t want people knowing what I own. I’ve always been a private man. My dad was the same. How much money people earn or have is nobody’s business except their own.’
‘Well, maybe you shouldn’t go out buying yachts and fancy villas then. It’s bound to attract attention.’
‘After working hard all my life, having an almost lethal heart attack, losing my beloved wife, and then having some luck on the lottery, don’t you think I should be able to spoil myself a little?’
‘Yes, of course, but everything we’ve had between us has all been based on lies and now there are more lies. How can I trust you when you lie to me? I already knew about the lottery win. You owning a fancy villa wouldn’t have changed anything.’
‘I know. I’m sorry. Nothing I say is going to sound acceptable. I understand that. But, look, I’m just not used to asking someone to come and stay in my pad in the French Riviera. It sounds so pretentious. I wanted to invite you here, but I didn’t want to come off like some Lothario who invites women out here. I just felt it was easier if I didn’t go into any of that. I messed up,’ says Elias. Then he pushes his coffee cup away and gets up to leave the room.
I know Elias isn’t the confrontational type, but we need to talk about this. We have had conversations about how lonely he was after his wife died; we have talked about his sons and the issues they have struggled with since their mother died, but this is something we can’t seem to get past. Maybe this lottery win is a curse, and it would be a lot easier if he didn’t have the money. I want to love Elias for himself, not what he’s got, but he doesn’t seem to get it.
There is nothing left to do but pack my bags and head back home. Poppy and Jasmine will never forgive me for ruining their summer plans, but that’s the least of my worries right now.
Chapter Thirty-Four
My kimono is still on the edge of the bed where I left it this morning, and I gather my things up as quickly as I can. I realise that I don’t know the names of any taxi companies, nor do I know if there are any flights available, but I refuse to ask Elias if he can drop me off at the airport. In fact, as I start packing, I still don’t know where I will go. I remember the lovely neighbour and decide to go to her. She will surely help me find a taxi.
I am sobbing and full of anger as I throw things into my bag loudly, secretly hoping Elias will stop me and ask me where I think I am going so that I can give him a big, dramatic response. But he doesn’t. Elias has no idea I am packing my things as he has been standing by the pool, looking out to sea, since our fight in the kitchen.
From the study window, as I pack my laptop away, I can see Elias running his hand through his hair. He looks stressed, but I can’t be to blame for that. He shouldn’t have lied to me. He could have trusted me. It was Elias I was falling for and not his money. He knew how difficult it was for me to trust anyone again after what happened with Michael. Now I have someone who is faithful but tries to hide what he owns!
Looking around the study, I realise how new it all looks. According to the evidence, Elias has not long bought this villa. A thought crosses my mind that he designed this study especially for me as I notice a sleek silver dolphin statue that I hadn’t spotted before. Did he buy that as a reminder of our day out on the boat? I think back to the excitement I felt that day when we spotted the dolphin and how I didn’t stop going on about it. How I said that dolphins were so calm and joked that maybe I needed to keep one next to my laptop to stop me stressing. Surely, he couldn’t have done this for me? I tell myself not to be such a romantic fool. It is probably because he is as fond of dolphins as I am. Nothing more than that. Besides, a little dolphin isn’t going to charm me right now after finding out all these lies by accident.
With my laptop safe and the wardrobe emptied of a summer’s worth of clothes, I close my case and drag it down the marble staircase. It bangs and clatters on every step, and I am secretly pleased that it alerts Elias, and he returns into the house to see what all the commotion is about. He catches me just as I am about to open the latch of the front door.
‘Where are you going?’
‘Umm, the airport. Where does it look like?’
‘But why?’
‘Because neither of us trust each other, that’s why.’
‘Oh, come on. Please, don’t be like that.’
Even though I desperately want to change my mind and talk to him, it has gone too far for me to back down.
‘No, I’m off. If you don’t trust me, then how can you even have me stay here? I mean, I might run off with… I don’t know… the little dolphin in the study.’
