The CEO Takes a Wife(39)

He stopped at the door and looked back. “Don’t be crazy,” he rasped, then left the room, taking her heart with him.

It was then she realized why he made her forget who she was. Why she found herself in him.

Oh God, she loved him.

Loved him more than life itself.

Oh my—she loved Alex. He had taken possession of her heart in a way she’d never thought possible. He filled her completely, making her come truly alive for the first time ever. For a moment she took hold of that love, celebrating its beauty, honored that it had come to live in her heart.

Then reality struck with a bang.

She had no idea what Alex felt for her, but it didn’t matter anyway. She couldn’t let it matter. Despite knowing he was the right person for her, this just wasn’t the right time or the right place. There could never be a right time for them. Not when she could only bring pain and heartache to him.#p#分页标题#e#

There was only one thing to do. She had to compose herself, somehow. She’d been given a beautiful gift that chose to rest in her heart, but showing him that gift of love would only cause more heartache.



Pain clawed at Alex’s heart as he strode to the study to call his father. The pain was for the anguish Olivia was going through right now, and for the strength she’d need to get through the next few days. He’d be there for her of course, but damn the media’s greed for a story—any story.

Damn them all.

He swallowed hard. Hell, she’d just apologized for causing him trouble. No apology was necessary for something like this.

In fact he wanted to apologize to her for putting her through all this. If he hadn’t married her, if he hadn’t tried to use her to help launch Valente’s Woman, then she’d be going about her own business, designing clothes and getting on with her life.

But no, he had to come into her life and make sure the one thing she wanted kept to herself was splashed through the papers.

Bloody hell.

Entering the study, he sat in his chair and reached for the telephone. It was early and his father was going to get a rude awakening. Good. Cesare Valente shouldn’t have started all this marriage business in the first place. If he’d just let things be…

Alex flinched. Then Olivia wouldn’t have come into his life. He wouldn’t have fallen in love with her. He wouldn’t have known what true love was all about.

He sighed. As much as it was painful for him, at least his love for her was something to hang on to.

It took a few moments for his father to answer the telephone. “Dad, it’s Alex.”

“Alex?” Cesare’s sleepy voice came down the line.

“Dad, I have to tell you something.”

“Son, it’s five-fifteen in the morning.” There was a pause as Cesare replied to something Isabel said in the background.

“I wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important. You know that.”

There was a grunt. “Let me just get comfortable, then you can tell me. I’m still trying to wake up.” There was the sound of movement. “Right. Now what’s the matter?”

Alex could feel his blood pressure begin to rise just at the thought of it all. “You’re going to read it in the newspapers soon, or someone will call you and tell you anyway, but…”

“But what?”

Alex took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. “Olivia and I can’t give you a grandchild, Dad. She’s infertile.” He hated saying the word. Hated having to tell anyone what was essentially his and Olivia’s private business. “And now, dammit, somehow the media have found out and it’s in all the papers in the States.”

There was nothing but the heaviest silence on the other end of the phone.

“So you’re telling me Olivia can’t have a child?” Cesare finally said, followed by Isabel’s gasp.

“Yes.”

It was hard to tell what his father was thinking and Alex could have kicked himself now for not going straight to his parents’ estate, rather than saying this over the phone. At least then he’d be able to try to read his father’s expression. He grimaced. And why the hell did he care what his father thought anyway?

“I’m sorry to hear that, son.”

“Yeah, so am I.” And that was the understatement of the century.

Time ticked by as though it was dragging its feet.

“You love her, don’t you?” Cesare said with what Alex thought was deceptive calm. His father was always the ultimate businessman and rarely gave anything away of his thoughts. On another level Alex was surprised by the other man’s perception.#p#分页标题#e#

“Yes, Dad, I do.”