Alexos had manipulated her in the past, blackmailing her to remain with him, and he had planned on doing the same to get her to continue as his fiancée. He didn’t care about her, his lack of support for her work proved that. He only wanted to continue the charade of being the perfect couple and with the bile rising in her throat she had known that that would only have been for as long as he felt the need to appease his father.
Angrily dashing away the tears that were sliding down her face she had risen slowly, moving to the bedroom where she had pulled out her bag, packing it with the clothes she had brought with her and leaving the rest. On the nightstand she had placed the large jewellery box with the necklace and bracelet, adding the ring to its contents, her eyes sadly taking one last look at the exquisite piece, telling herself that it had just been one more accessory to his plan.
Returning to the study she had organised for a boat from the mainland to pick her up, booking into a hotel for the night before the flight that would take her to Egypt where the group would meet. Sitting in the hotel room she had allowed the television to fill the space with sound, her mind numb with the events of that day. Looking down at her finger where the sapphire ring had sat, she again mocked herself for being so happy to be wearing such a bauble. Shuddering, she had suddenly felt naked, Grace needing to get back some control of her life, return it to what it had been before she had met up with Alexos once more. Rummaging in her bag she had found the gold wedding band, slipping it back onto her finger, feeling the tears once more rising, as for the first time since Daryle had placed it on her finger it had felt wrong. Grace had known that the wrong man had placed a wedding band on her hand.
Meeting the others in Egypt had been wonderful, all so full of stories of their holiday. The others had had a chance to read the research findings and there had been much debate about some of the more unusual results. None had questioned her about her stay with Alexos, although she had caught them on many occasions looking at each other, their looks so full of questions that none of them were prepared to voice, especially as she still wore her old wedding ring.
The group had been given very specific instructions with regard to moving across the border. They had been met by government officials who had ensured that as per their instructions they had brought no mobile devices and that any computing equipment was unable to access the internet. The government officials had been obsessed with being able to monitor all of their correspondence and any images and video they captured. At all times they had been shadowed by agents of the state, the group uncomfortable and feeling unsafe all working hard each day before thankful to escape back to the boat.
As the second week had rolled in, Grace had felt lethargic, struggling to get up in the morning, having to drag herself onto the work site each morning. Not knowing what was wrong she had put the problem down to the sorrow she had felt at losing Alexos, her broken heart seeming to never heal despite the way she had thrown herself into her work, ensuring that by the time they went to bed sheer exhaustion would allow her to sleep.
The morning prior to their last day, Grace had felt worse than ever, the others now growing concerned with how pale she looked, she giving them all half-hearted reassurances that she was fine.
That particular day it had been even hotter than most, the team struggling to work in the oppressive heat, sweat clinging to all of their clothes making the work difficult. Sitting having lunch the two girls had drank the lukewarm water, thankful even for that as they had both talked with such relish of the cool showers waiting for them on their return. The loud clanging of equipment dropping had brought them both rushing to their feet, Carol smiling seeing as one of the monk seals had somehow knocked over a tripod, the camera casing protecting the equipment from any real damage. Giving a laugh she had turned to look at Grace the smile dropping from her face. As Grace had also leapt up, the sudden movement had affected her as she had felt the earth tilt, spinning alarmingly her hand reaching out and grabbing her friend. Carol had cried out to the others as Grace’s eyes had rolled back in her head, blackness coming up to meet her as she had collapsed, Carol catching her and laying her down gently on the sand as panic had taken hold of all the people on the beach, all running to the fallen woman.
Chapter Seven
Alexos Manetas had sat drinking his coffee, the paper balanced in his hand as he had read the business section. Pulling out his phone, he had again checked to see if there were any messages from her, his mouth tightening once more as there had been nothing. For over two weeks now he had waited to see if she would contact him, each day growing angrier with her continued silence telling himself over and over how little he cared, each day the words seeming hollower.