The Billionaire’s Blackmailed Heiress(41)

The second day she had not picked up the phone, and he had left a message, waiting the rest of the evening for a call back from her that never came. In his villa he had paced backwards and forwards, the rest of the household looking at each other and shrugging at his brusqueness. Once more she was ignoring him, Nikos shuddering knowing what had happened the last time he had done something about that, knowing that all he could do was wait for her to answer him.

For three days Mina had watched her mother, each day seeing as she had become frailer and frailer. Although far from being frightened by her condition, she seemed more relaxed and peaceful, a serenity falling over her. She had enjoyed sitting by the pool, soaking up the sunshine as she had recounted stories of their growing up, many forgotten by Mina who would sit quietly listening to her.

She was constantly on oxygen now and the sound of the machine humming as it fed the life giving air through the pipes attached to her nose frightened Mina as she had held her small frail hand.#p#分页标题#e#

“Why has Nikos never come back?”

The question from her mother had caught her by surprise, Mina feeling the heat on her cheeks as she had quickly looked over at her.

“W…why do you ask that?….I mean he is busy…he has a company to run”.

The soft tinkling laugh had made her fidget nervously, her mother looking gently at her “I saw the way you looked at him Mina…and the way he looked at you”.

Mina had dropped her eyes as she had given a soft laugh “I…I don’t know what you mean” she had stuttered, her mother smiling as she had patted her hand softly “He is a good man Mina…reminds me of his mother, and she was a great woman”.

Looking sadly back she had whispered gently.

“He has no interest in anything other than his company mother. No woman, especially me is going to change that”.

Her mother had looked back, a shadow of sadness in her eyes as she had given a soft sigh.

“Your father made that mistake. I often wonder if he had realised what was most important earlier how all our lives might have turned out”.

Giving a wistful smile she had looked dreamily ahead of her “He often said that he wished that he had trusted his feelings before he became trapped in the situation he found himself in”.

With another look at her she had finished “I hope that Nikos doesn’t do the same thing”.

Giving a half laugh she had looked back at her mother “I’m afraid that you are reading things wrong, Nikos has no real interest in me” adding in a voice that lacked real conviction “nor do I of him”.

The soft silvery laugh had been her mother’s only response as she had chuckled at her daughter, her eyes full of such understanding.

For the rest of the day both had enjoyed the sunshine Mina steering the conversation away from any more Nikos talk, the two laughing often. Alice’s cooking had finally lured them inside, the three enjoying some of her delicious homemade bolognaise, Mina happy save for the thoughts of Nikos which would keep pushing themselves into her mind.

As her mother had retired for the night, she had given Mina a hug looking closely at her.

“Mina…I want to thank you for arranging this…it has meant so much to me…I love you”.

She had grinned back warmly, so happy that she had been able to organise this “I love you too mother….and well I guess we all deserve a nice long holiday in the sun” she had grinned, her eyes full of the love she felt.

“Goodnight…I’ll see you in the morning” she had said softly kissing her cheek.

The rest of that night Alice and Mina had watched a movie, the nurse laughing at the film which she had chosen seeing as Mina had tried to hide the small tear as the hero and heroine had seemed to be losing each other, Mina throwing a pillow playfully at her.

“Stupid chick flicks” she had muttered making the nurse laugh even louder. With a grin Mina had risen.

“OK going to put the kettle on and check on mum” she had smiled as Alice had nodded, continuing to watch the movie, Mina grinning on seeing a small tear on her cheek also.

Moving into the room, she had shivered, not sure why as she had moved over to her mother’s bed. In the moonlight streaming in from the window she had looked so peaceful, Mina smiling softly, before she had frowned. Moving closer she could not see the tell tale rising of her mother’s breast, Mina moving tentatively closer.

“Mum?” she had whispered softly, her hand covering the woman’s on the bed. She had felt the coldness instantly, gasping loudly as she had stumbled backwards a low sound of pain leaving her as she had cried out for Alice. The nurse had appeared almost instantly flipping on the light flooding the room with harsh brightness as she had rushed over to her patient, her professional persona taking over immediately.