“Over the years since his death many have claimed to be the offspring of my stepfather” he had stated, the bitterness in his tone not lost on her
“Not one has been found truthful”.
“I have shown you my birth certificate” Mina had said slowly, controlling the quiver in her voice
“I am also prepared to provide DNA evidence if need be” she had stated, once more raising her chin defiantly, rewarded by the look of doubt which had briefly crossed his face, before his expression once more had become hooded and unreadable, Mina running the tip of her tongue along her full lips.
“However, to save time, I also brought this” delving into her bag and pulling from it another sheet, offering it to him he had taken it once more in the same quick movement, his look one of annoyance as he had taken in the photocopied sheet.
“I hope that you will understand that the original is lodged with my lawyer” she had said quietly her eyes watching as he read the letter before him. Mina already knew the contents of the letter in which her father; a man little more than a stranger to her, had begged her mother to terminate her pregnancy. The short note was painful to her, the knowledge that she was so unloved and unwanted by her father a constant source of pain throughout her life. Despite his pleas Mina’s mother had continued with her pregnancy, her insides once more warming knowing that her mother had been prepared to give up her lover for the child growing within her, although aware that Alexander had continued his illicit romance with her mother after her birth.
Growing up she had met him briefly on his many visits to the luxury villa she and her mother had lived in. However, during these times he had been cold and aloof to her, his dislike of her obvious and confusing to such a small child. She had always been relieved to be taken away by the resident nanny to leave her mother and him alone.
It was not until his death many years later while she was in her teens that she had found out who he was, stunned to discover that Alexander Mentis, the man she had disliked so fervently was in actual fact her father. A ruthless businessman he was married to one of the richest socialites in Greece, and her mother had been his mistress. The truth had sickened Mina who had screamed at her mother demanding to know how she could do such a thing, only stopping as she had seen the tears flowing down her lovely face as she had looked back at her daughter, only able to whisper three words
“I loved him”
This simple declaration had silenced Mina, who had dropped to her knees holding her stricken mother within her arms comforting the beautiful woman.
“Oh Mina” she had cried in abject misery “I loved him so much - he was my life” her daughter only able to hold her and make soothing noises against her head.
As the villa had been rented and no provision made for her or her mother, their lives had changed dramatically. Over the next few years the young Mina had helped her mother to come to terms with the loss of the man she had devoted her life to, helping her to adjust to a life without the many luxuries that being Alexander Mentis’s mistress afforded them. She herself had to leave the exclusive school she had attended as they had both out of necessity returned to the UK.
They had used the modest monies her mother had been able to save to move back to her birthplace, Mina holding dual UK and Greek nationality, and purchase a comfortable home where she had attended a local school. Mina had remembered this as one of the happiest times of her life, as she and her mother had grown so close and she had excelled at school finally winning a place at university studying art and teaching.
Her thoughts were broken by the sound of the photocopy being slammed down onto the table, causing her to jump with alarm, as for the first time Nikos Dupris had sat forward in his chair, his icy control slipping as he had glared at her, his voice hard.
“What do you want Miss Lane? Why now do you bring this to me? My stepfather died ten years ago……and you choose this time to crawl out of the woodwork”
Mina had looked back at him the discomfort so obvious on her face; as she had looked down briefly at her hands, having to again remind herself why she was there, this giving her the strength to once more raise her head to meet his steely eyes.#p#分页标题#e#
“Because Mr Dupris, I need money”
The words stated in a voice stronger than she felt. Instantly she had seen the look of complete contempt fill his features.
“So you expect, now that the company your father managed to nearly drive into the ground is back to its full power, to make yourself some money?”
He had studied her silently for a few seconds, his eyes scathing as they moved over her