Page 70 of Black Mark's Heart

Chapter Thirteen

"Mora," Jack Carter walked out to bring me back to his office. "I'm sorry it's taken so long to get you a resolution," Jack started explaining as I stepped into his office, and he shut the door behind me.

"I don't understand why this has been so complicated. He just has to sign the papers," I grumbled, rubbing my large belly. I was only three weeks shy of my due date now, but ‘Two’ had already engaged, which made sitting down and getting around rather uncomfortable. I just had to make it through Christmas and the new year.

Jack's face wasn't happy. "I know, I can't believe how difficult his lawyers have been," Jack groused. "Thankfully, they cleaned up that PR mess before it caused you any injury. Darius has been copping the brunt of that. That has been their excuse for the delay," Jack explained. "That they needed to focus on dealing with that mess before they could adequately give your request its due attention."

I gripped my thighs. "They aren't agreeing with the terms, are they?"

"No." Jack pressed his lips together unhappily. "They are refusing your application entirely."

I felt my nails digging into my leg through my pants. "What's he asking for instead?"

Jack watched me for a minute. "They sent me a video. It’s a press release Darius has recorded and will be released to the media tomorrow, hence why it was important I see you today." Jack turned his monitor to me and pressed play.

I watched as an interviewer took a seat opposite Darius. I recognized the popular late-night talk show host, but, for the life of me, I never bothered to learn his name.

"I'm talking with Darius Rafal tonight, infamous bachelor, billionaire, and Director of Lynwood Event Management. Darius is here to clear up the tabloid rumors of his quickie marriage, his wife's affair, and the resulting pregnancy." The interviewer and camera turned to Darius. "Darius, thank you for speaking with me. I'm quite honored that you chose me to be your first interview." Darius nodded politely. "Can we start with the big one? Are you married?"

"Yes, I am," Darius smiled. "Nearly eight years ago, I met and fell in love with the daughter of my mentor, Marshall Blake. She had just moved to England to live with her father after growing up in Australia with her mother." Darius's eyes sparkled. "It was love at first sight for both of us, but she was just beginning university, so it wasn't until three years ago that we started a relationship. We've been married for two years next month."

"Why keep it a secret?" The host asked.

"We didn't keep it a secret. The people who mattered to us knew and were present for the wedding," Darius defended. "Mora and I are both private people and only wanted a small private ceremony for our closest friends and family."

Photos from our wedding day flashed up on the screen. I sat, gobsmacked. He was making out that we'd been happily married all this time.

The host smiled. "It looks like it was a lovely ceremony."

Darius smiled politely. "It is one of the happiest memories of my life."

"And you're a father?" the host asked.

"I am," Darius grinned. "Mora conceived on our wedding night." Photos from the christening flashed on the screen. Darius and I at the baptismal font while Jacob was christened, and then the photo of Darius and Jacob I'd asked Alex to get.

The host laughed. "Well, you obviously enjoyed your honeymoon."

Darius just sat with the pasted smile on his face.

"To be clear, this isn't the pregnancy that the papers are claiming you walked out on your wife for?" the host asked.

"No," Darius frowned. "Mora is currently pregnant with our second child, due next month."

"And it's definitely your child?" The host was playing devil's advocate.

Darius's eyes grew hard. "We can tell you when this child was conceived. Mora is a musician and tours quite regularly, as well as recording with other artists. Our schedules had kept us apart for a time beforehand." Darius's jaw tightened. "And I trust my wife. She has not been with another man while we've been together." I rose a brow at his nice play on words. "We love each other very much."

"The rumor that your wife has left you seems to be the one that has kept steam this past month," the host prompted.

"This is about the only thing the rumors got half right," Darius stated clearly. "Mora has in fact moved out of England and set up house back in my home in Scotland. We want more children and space for our kids to run around so while I was tied up with the transfer of my company, Mora went ahead to set up our new home."

"Stop!" I shouted at Jack. "Did he just say he sold Lynwood?"

Jack frowned. "I believe so, although they didn't press for clarification on that."

The interview rounded with Darius commenting on how the stress of the rumors nearly caused me to lose our child, and he asked the media to respect that I'm currently in a delicate state and to respect our privacy. I looked at Jack and blinked, confused as he turned his monitor back around.

"He just made out to the nation that we are still happily married," I stated, still processing what I'd just heard. He's sold Lynwood.

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