Diana watched him glance around with a perturbed look on his face, as if wondering why there were no breakfast preparations underway. ‘Some old acquaintances to catch up with,’ she added cryptically.
That got his attention. Robert was looking at her now, puzzled. And well might he be.
‘What did you say to him?’ Diana asked him bluntly.
Robert looked confounded at that.
‘Jason,’ Diana clarified. ‘Karla thinks he’s about to leave her.’
Robert furrowed his brow. He did his best to look perturbed, but Diana noted the glint of satisfaction in his eyes.
‘She thinks it’s because of something that passed between you and him at the meeting you had. What did you say, Robert, that had such a devastating impact on him and Karla?’
Now he looked dismissive. ‘Not that again, Diana,’ he said, with a heavy sigh, and reached across the table for the newspaper. ‘I’ve told you, he—’
‘What did yousayto him?’ Diana bellowed, causing his attention to snap back to her.
Taken aback, he eyed her warily for a moment and then shook his head in despair. ‘You really are determined to paint me as the villain in all of this, aren’t you, Diana? Did it not occur to you that “can do no wrong” Jason might have always intended to turn down thesubstantialamount of money I offered him?’
Diana laughed, disbelieving. ‘Why? Because he wanted his business to fail?’
‘Because he’s been looking for a way out of his marriage,’ Robert supplied, preposterously. ‘Because he has been for some while, but being the weak specimen he is, he was looking for a way to blame everyone else for his own failings!’ he finished, his voice going up several octaves. He stared angrily.
And now Diana was truly incredulous. Was he really going down this route? Could he not see that she was giving him an opportunity to redeem himself in one small way and tell her a truth she’d always known? But he would continue to treat her as if she were a halfwit, pile lie on top of lie and ruin Jason’s life, Karla’s life, in order to substantiate those lies and save his own miserable skin.Unbelievable.‘You bastard,’ she said, shaking her head.
He pulled in a long breath, his nostrils flaring, and got to his feet. ‘On the basis that you’re obviously upset, I’m going to overlook that, Diana,’ he said, his voice tight with suppressed rage. ‘But please do notevercall me—’
‘I know!’ Diana took a step towards him, eyeballing him furiously.
He scanned her eyes, his ridiculous bluster faltering for a second. Then, ‘Know what, exactly?’ he said flatly.
He was bluffing. Waiting for her to spit it out. Diana could see the uncertainty in his eyes. Smell his fear. He knew damn well what.
‘You’ve gone too far,’ she said evenly. ‘And this time, I will see that you pay.’ Dragging her gaze disdainfully over him, she turned to walk away.
‘Knowwhat?’ Robert shouted after her. ‘Diana!Fuck!’
Diana heard the loud crash behind her, meaning that he’d taken his frustration out on whatever was closest to hand. Of course, he would then blame anyone and everyone for causing his frustration. Robert rarely felt that he was to blame for losing his temper, for any damage he caused, be it emotional or physical. For that, he would need to have a conscience. And a man who sailed through life, destroying anyone who might pose a threat to his business or his reputation – even his own children – clearly did not.
Diana didn’t consider herself a vengeful person, but her fervent wish was that one day Robert might discover he did have a conscience. She wished more fervently that by then it would be too late. That he would already be on his way to the gates of hell.
Thirty-Four
JASON
Waking with a jerk, Jason reached instinctively for his phone on the bedside table, only to find it wasn’t there. Heaving himself out of bed, he checked the dresser and quickly scanned the rest of the room. He was sure he’d brought it up with him, ready to grab should, God forbid, there be an emergency phone call. But he’d been so bloody tired last night after another late meeting at the office to fine-tune the details of the sale of the company. He wanted the handover to go as smoothly as possible. Mark had been with him from start-up, when they’d worked together in one poky room. It was thanks to Mark they’d sold their first ever computer software package. Looking at the ideas he had for future expansion, the customers both he and Rachel were working all hours to secure, he deserved this to work.
The kids had also been exhausted, having spent the evening in the office with him, yet again. After talking to Jessie and then waiting up another hour, worrying about where Karla was, hoping she would come home, he’d been incapable of thinking straight. Then Josh had woken up with a screaming nightmare. The poor kid had been so petrified, Jason had tucked him into the main bed and then crawled in there with him. He could have left his phone anywhere. Possibly in Josh’s room. Glancing in his direction, he saw he was still sleeping and decided he would give him ten more minutes, while he got breakfast.
Massaging the crick in his neck, he headed downstairs, turned towards the kitchen and stopped in his tracks.
Karla?
Fear twisted Jason’s stomach. Cautiously, he moved towards the slim figure slumped on the hall floor, against the wall. What in God’s name was she doing there, fully dressed and fast asleep?
Christ,he hoped shewasasleep. Crouching beside her, Jason hesitated and then gently shook her. ‘Karla,’ he said softly.
She didn’t move, causing his heart to almost stop beating. ‘Karla!’ He called her name more urgently and shook her again, relief crashing through him when she finally stirred.
