Page 212 of Modern Romance Collection February 2025, 5-8

He saw Marianne surrounded by a crowd of guests, he saw her smile, saw that she was holding her own, and mentally applauded her for it. And then he saw one woman sidle up to the group: Isabela, a divorcee who’d advertised her availability to Dom every time she’d had the opportunity.

If Isabela had been a shark, she’d be a white pointer, taking no prisoners, and Dom wanted to intervene. Except his mother took hold of his hand and he couldn’t leave her side.

‘Isn’t this the best party ever?’ she said. ‘And now your marriage has been blessed I’m sure that you will be blessed with children.’

‘There’s no rush,’ he said.

‘Of course there’s a rush,’ his mother said. ‘You’re not getting any younger, and your bride is almost forty.’

Dom’s plan hadn’t encompassed children. He’d wanted to see his mother’s dying wish satisfied. He hadn’t thought about what would come after, beyond Marianne going home. But what came after a wedding?

Children.

Of course, he needed to provide an heir to the business his father had begun and that he’d turned into a global powerhouse. He knew that. At least, he knew that in the back of his mind, where he’d parked the concept until he was older.

Except now hewasolder, and what was foremost in his mind was something else entirely. Because after Marianne left, as she would, what then?

There was no end of women who would sacrifice themselves on that altar, he knew. Finding one that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with was the issue. He hadn’t found one in all the years since he’d left Sydney. What were the chances now? Settling with someone who would suffice?

‘It’s so sad that she lost her babies.’

His head swung around. ‘What?’

‘Marianne’s twins. It’s very sad that she lost two babies. I can’t begin to imagine. You have to treat her gently. It’s no wonder that she’d be wary about getting pregnant again.’

The shocks kept coming. Dom had the feeling he’d been sucked out of this world and spat out into a parallel universe. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Oh, you don’t have to pretend. It’s all right, Marianne told me.’

Girl business, Dom remembered. So that was what they’d talked about.

His head swung around to locate Marianne in the crowd. She wasn’t hard to spot. She was luminescent, her beautiful face animated, her emerald-green gown glowing. She was a bright light surrounded by moths all wanting a piece of her, all wanting to find her secret, how she had ensnared Señor Estefan, the most eligible bachelor in San Sebastián.

He’d assumed Marianne had been crying that day because she’d learned that Dom had gone to Sydney looking for her. Because she’d learned that if anyone had cause for grievance it was him.

But… She’d lost two babies? No wonder she hadn’t wanted to talk about her marriage.

Except that didn’t make sense either. Mari had told him that her husband hadn’t wanted any more than the two he already had.

It didn’t mesh. None of it made sense. Unless she’d had a pregnancy after her divorce in a relationship that she hadn’t told him about?

Maybe that was it. Twenty years was a long time. She could have had any number of relationships between her divorce and meeting up with Dom again.

‘But she’s still young enough,’ his mother said.

His head swung back.

He realised she was talking about babies. His mother wasn’t about to settle for a marriage. She wanted grandchildren. Even knowing she was dying, she was wishing him children.

‘I’m sure they’ll happen in due course,’ he said.

‘They may,’ his mother said, ‘but take care of Marianne. It’s going to be hard for her.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘Promise me you’ll take care of her.’

He gently squeezed his mother’s hand in return. ‘I promise,’ he said. And he would, knowing Marianne would be departing with another nine million dollars. And sure, she’d be spending a wad of it on a house for her sister, but still, Marianne would be well taken care of.

* * *

Mari felt very much the outsider as she was introduced, very much the odd woman out. A crowd of women surrounded her, all wanting a piece of her. There was one woman in particular who kept glancing at Dominico all the time she was trying to engage with Mari. Finally, she had her chance. ‘So, are you truly married?’

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