the reason for the frosty atmosphere. ‘Something wrong?’
There was an awkward silence.
The chairman cleared his throat. ‘You don’t know?’
‘Know what?’
‘About your fiancée.’ The older man’s mouth was set in a thin, disapproving line. ‘It seems her past was even wilder than the rumours suggested. An Italian magazine claims to be in possession of certain naked photographs.’
Everything fell into place. He had no need to ask who had taken the photographs. Had no need to ask for any detail because he could guess at the detail all too easily.
Luca kept his face impassive. ‘Photographs?’
‘So you don’t know.’ The chairman exchanged a relieved glance with the rest of the board. ‘Naturally this won’t reflect well on you or the company. I expect you’ll want to distance yourself from her actions and break off the engagement. It’s damaging for the Corretti name and even more damaging for you personally.’
Closeted on the film set, it wasn’t until Taylor finished filming for the day that she saw the usual crowd of journalists gathered at the barrier had swollen to ridiculous proportions.
Remembering the studio’s insistence on publicity and determined not to give them any reason to complain about her, she forced herself to walk across to them. Her intention was to allow them a few shots that would hopefully satisfy them enough to make them leave her alone, but as she approached she sensed the buzz of excitement that comes with a major story.
‘Taylor, do you have any comment on the photographs that are going to be published tomorrow?’
‘Photographs?’ But she knew what photographs and it was like stepping off a cliff.
The cameras were clicking away, microphones ready to record her response, and all she could do was stand there, staring at them in silence as the reality sank into her brain.
He’d done it.
Rafaele had finally done what he’d been threatening to do for years. He’d sold the photographs. Photographs he’d had taken when she’d still thought there were people in the world who could be trusted. Photographs she hadn’t even known existed until she’d broken up with him.
She’d often wondered how this moment would feel if it ever came but it felt nothing like she’d imagined.
She felt numb. Disconnected. As if she were watching events from the outside.
She’d expected to feel betrayed but she realised now the betrayal had come years before. And it had formed her. Influenced every choice she’d made since then. Tainted every affair and ruined every friendship.
‘Taylor? The photographs are going to be published in an Italian magazine tomorrow.’
So not even somewhere far away. On Luca’s home ground where it would cause him maximum humiliation. Soil his perfect shiny moment when his achievements were being lauded by the board.
Everyone was talking and the noise in her head grew and grew until she wanted to cover her ears and scream.
‘I don’t have any comment to make but I’ll be contacting my lawyers.’ But it wasn’t her lawyers who she was thinking of as she forged her way to the black chauffeur-driven car that was always at her disposal during filming. It was Luca.
Luca, who was going to walk into that boardroom thinking that for once he had the upper hand only to be knocked unconscious by the weight of the secrets tumbling out of his fiancée’s closet.
She knew he wouldn’t care about the photographs—when had he ever cared what people thought—but he at least deserved some warning so that he was prepared to handle it.
Grateful for the blacked-out windows that gave her privacy, she leaned forward and ordered the driver to take her to the Corretti building as fast as possible.
The place was already swarming with press but with the help of the security team employed by the studio, Taylor made her way through the glass doors unmolested.
Once inside, she took the elevator to the top floor and was about to ask where the board meeting was taking place when she saw Luca emerge from a room as if he were sleepwalking. His shirt was undone at the collar and he looked as if he’d been hit by a passing car. His handsome face was pale and his usually smooth hair tousled.
Eyes glassy, he knocked into a passing PA, sent a pile of papers flying and didn’t even seem to notice. He didn’t send her his trademark slanting smile, didn’t use the opportunity to appraise her bare legs or make any comment at all.
It was clear that he was in shock and the fact that he was shocked shook her to the