Page 68 of Surrender to the Ruthless Billionaire

Reaching across the table, Laura squeezed her sister’s arm reassuringly.

‘I’m fine—honestly. And if eat everything on this table I’ll be in so much pain I won’t be able move, let alone cry. So pass me the alcachofas…and I’ll have some of that mojama too.’

Looking over at Laura, she felt her smile fade from her face. She had expected to see her sister smiling back at her, but instead Laura was gripping the edge of the table, and her light brown eyes were watching Cristina with a mixture of uncertainty and fear.

‘What is it? Has something happened?’ She felt a rush of panic and remorse. Laura was always so calm, so steady. ‘Did something happen at your meeting?’

Her sister shook her head. ‘It’s nothing to do with the meeting or with me.’ She hesita

ted. ‘It’s about you. Only—’

‘Only what?’ Cristina breathed in sharply, trying to shift the knot of fear lodged in her chest as her sister’s fingers clenched and unclenched against the table.

‘I want to tell you, only I’m worried it’s going to upset you—’

‘What are you talking about?’ she said hoarsely.

There was a short, tense silence, and then Laura reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope. Cristina felt her mouth turn dry as she spotted the familiar crest above Laura’s name and the address of their hotel.

She stared at it numbly as Laura cleared her throat.

‘It’s from Luis. It came a couple of days ago.’ She bit her lip. ‘I know I should have given it to you right away, Chrissie, but you’ve been so upset. And then, when you started to seem a bit happier, I didn’t want to make it worse again.’

Looking up into her sister’s anguished face, Cristina drew in another breath, still trying to stay calm.

‘Why did he write to you?’

Laura held her gaze steadily, but when she spoke there was a quiver to her voice.

‘He came to the hospital the day after…you know…’ A flush of colour spread over her cheeks. ‘After you left him. He asked to see Papá alone.’

‘Why? What for?’ Now it was Cristina’s cheeks that were burning.

‘Just read the letter, Chrissie. Then you’ll know why.’

Laura held out the envelope, and after a moment or two Cristina took it.

She stared at the cursive handwriting on the front, watching the letters slip in and out of focus, and then with hands that were surprisingly steady she pulled out the letter and read it.

Dear Laura,

I was so saddened to hear about the death of your father. Please accept my condolences. I know from the short time of seeing the two of you together that you were close, and that he loved you very much. But you don’t need me to tell you that. You were at the heart of your father’s life.

Sadly, however, the same was not true for Cristina.

She believes that she meant nothing to her father, and that she had nothing in common with Enrique.

But she is wrong on both counts.

When I spoke to him at the hospital I discovered that he was just as proud and stubborn as she is.

He told me that he regretted not speaking to Cristina when she visited him. That he had always loved her and wanted to reach out to her but was too scared of being judged for the actions he had always regretted but never had the courage to face.

He also told me how very proud he was of Cristina—not just her career but her courage—and that had he been brave enough to do so he would have been proud to call her his daughter.

Unfortunately, as we both know, Cristina did not get a chance to learn of Enrique’s true feelings for her. Nor would she believe me if I told her. I feel, though, that she would believe you. I therefore ask if you would share this letter with her so that maybe, finally, she can believe in herself.

Please take care of her for me.

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