Page 2 of Cayden

Blair had inherited her caramel complexion, the small face, pointed and determined chin, with the fascinating cleft in the middle and eyes that dominated the face. The color and shape were the only things she had inherited from him. Everything else was a replica of her mother, right down to the petiteness and graceful movements.

“Dad?” She looked up as she finished pouring water over the pouch.

“I am doing great, except the odd reporter who came around wanting to know if the rumors were true.”

“What rumors?” She arranged the things neatly and went to get the honey and lemon.

He waited for her to face him before responding. “The one where your husband is having an affair.”

She tried to stop her hands from shaking, but did not quite pull it off.

“It’s all lies!” She also tried to appear nonchalant, but her voice lacked conviction. She had always been known to tell the truth and lying was not in her makeup and they both knew it. Sitting around the table, she cradled the cup and lifted her eyes to him. “He denies it.” She took a shaky breath.

“We’re having problems, yes, but Cayden would never cheat on me.” She realized that she was vehement in her denial and knewhow it sounded. As if she was trying to convince herself that he was not cheating. Please God. Let it not be true.

Blake stirred his tea with the spoon in contemplative silence for a few seconds, his face expressionless. “I had my doubts when you came back from your holidays and said you met someone. When that someone turned out to be the heir to an incredible fortune, fear took over.” He trained his steady gaze on her.

“I wanted someone who would love you for the wonderful person you are, and I did not see it in the man you chose to spend the rest of your life with. He was too pretty…” He waved a hand when she opened her mouth.

“Please let me finish. Too everything. Too rich and entitled and a former playboy. You are an exceptionally beautiful woman,” he cast a wistful gaze over the smooth complexion and thick dark brown hair was styled into a neat chignon at the nape of a long, graceful neck. Diamonds glinted at her lobes and around her neck.

She was wearing a necklace that had been given to her when she and her husband just started out – platinum – a long chain with a large teardrop diamond nestled between her cleavage.

She never took it off, not even when she was draped in other fineries because it represented a sentiment to her. Her rings were stunning – her clothes expensive, befitting that of the woman she was now. The wife of a very wealthy man.

But all the wealth and status that came with being Mrs. Cayden Caruso had not changed whom she was inside and for that he was incredibly grateful.

“He does not strike me as being a man who can stick it out when challenging times come along. And marriage is composed of the good and bad. There are times when you do not even like the person you are with.”

A faint smile touched his lips. “I am forgetful and disorganized. I would be buried in my research and forget to bring home the milk or pick up the pastry for a dinner party your mother was planning. I would track in mud on her clean floor and often forget that she was not only a mother and a wife, but a careerist as well.

She juggled everything perfectly, me – not so much. We would argue – or she would reprimand me, and I would sulk and slaminto my den - but then I would have to come right out and apologize for being in the wrong.”

His face became sober. “Your husband is spoiled – has been for years because he is the eldest of three boys and heir to the fortune and women climb over themselves to be with him. You, my dear, have been trying to please not only him, but the entire family by trying to produce an heir and that is stressful.”

She stirred her tea and tried to keep the tears away. “Five miscarriages.” She intoned bitterly. “I have been asking God why the punishment. I feel like Hannah in the Bible.”

He nodded in approval. “It is good that you remember your scripture. They miss you at church. And like Hannah in the Bible, you will get your triumph. You have to give yourself time to heal – your heart to settle…”

“He says we should stop focusing on getting pregnant and just be.”

“He might be right.”

“No!” Her voice was filled with passion. “He is not right and is just saying that. His mother looks at me like I am a misfit. Clive and Conail are pretty sweet and treats me with respect, but I do not belong.” She took a hasty sip of her tea and almost burnt her tongue in the process. “I want this for me – for us and it’s not happening.”

“And you think that producing an heir will fix what’s broken?” Her father intuited.

She simply stared at him and felt her heart quaking. He could always read her, no matter how much she tried to hide it. She had insisted on leaving Italy where the entire family had gathered for the introduction of the new label. And had stood firm when her husband had balked at the idea of her leaving.

“How will it look?”

“Like I am feeling homesick and sick and tired of smiling like I am idiot. Like I am happy, like we are in a perfect marriage.”

“Blair…”

“Are you sleeping with her?”

“With whom?” His deep voice had sounded impatient.

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