Chapter Ten #2
Bethan circulated on the periphery, taking a breather by studying the pictures on display to demonstrate the foundation’s projects that were already in action.
Naturally the party was an outstanding success—there was quite the joyous vibe.
The young people present were excited and enjoying it as they should.
Their infectious energy made her smile. She paused, surprised by one photo.
It was of Ares and her taken while they were racing only yesterday on the two little yachts.
The shot had them both in frame—he was laughing, his pallor masked by that wide smile.
She was in front, both crew working hard.
She didn’t blame him for showing it. It was to sell the success of the foundation and perhaps to show personal unity—all part of his plan to make this a success, and good for him for wanting to do something more than make money.
Her heart ached. She’d had no idea he was so alone.
She glanced across the room to find him watching her. He extricated himself but immediately was intercepted by another man. His facade slid in place. Working hard.
‘You must be pleased with the evening.’
Bethan turned at the quiet voice and stiffened.
Sophia Dimou stood beside her. Surprise silenced her—Ares had said none of the Vasiliadis extended family were coming.
But Sophia had shown up for him and she looked particularly stunning.
Certainly the tall man by her side seemed to think so, given he couldn’t take his gaze off her.
‘Bethan, this is my fiancé, Felipe. Felipe, this is Ares’s wife, Bethan.’ Sophia smiled.
‘Pleased to meet you, Bethan.’ Felipe smiled, full-wattage charm.
The man’s presence didn’t soothe the jealousy that flared within Bethan. Because this time she wasn’t jealous that Ares had once kissed Sophia, but of the happiness evident between Sophia and her Felipe.
‘It’s lovely to see you here,’ Sophia added quietly.
‘You too.’ Bethan tried hard to smile.
‘I hope we’ll get to see a lot more of you.’ Sophia leaned closer. ‘I remember Ares was so happy when he first told me about you.’
Bethan weakly gave in to curiosity. ‘Oh?’
‘He gave me advance warning because the family were pressuring us into marrying and he didn’t want me to suffer any fallout.
I did get a bit but it’s worked out okay.
He and I knew our getting together was ridiculous.
Never going to happen.’ She moved closer, her voice dropping.
‘Honestly, I used to be scared of him. He was so cold when he moved into the compound but I guess he was lonely.’ She smiled again. ‘I’m really glad you’re back with him.’
Bethan could only nod, relieved when Sophia moved to talk to someone else, Felipe a tall presence beside her.
Of course Ares had been cold when he’d moved into that compound.
He’d just been abandoned by his mother and dragged into the home of the dead father who’d refused to acknowledge him.
There he’d faced the woman who’d just lost her husband and son.
His grandfather had been beyond cruel with his insane expectations.
Bethan was mad that she’d been such a fool back then, too dazzled and dreamy to ask proper questions.
She’d assumed all would miraculously work out instead of speaking up and finding out.
Now she glanced around and caught Ares’s gaze.
He clearly wasn’t paying much attention to the men yapping next to him, given he was already staring at her.
She registered the space about him—an aura, like an invisible shell setting him apart.
Defence. Isolation. Because tonight was deeply personal.
Deeply painful. Despite all he’d done, he was still unhappy.
She moved towards him, her emotion kindled. He broke away from the group and met her halfway.
Bethan read restlessness in his expression.
‘Are you not pleased with how it’s going?
’ She pressed her hand on his arm and his muscles tensed beneath her fingers.
‘It’s an amazing night. The foundation is an amazing achievement.
You should be so proud. Honestly, Ares, it’s all amazing. You’re so generous.’ He was amazing.
She stiffened, embarrassed that she wasn’t just back to babbling awkwardly, she was gushing—inanely repeating herself. ‘Not that you need me to tell you that.’
His gaze was very intense. ‘No, I appreciate your support.’
She lost a few seconds in his eyes and suddenly had to turn away before she said other stupid things that he wouldn’t want to hear from her. Things she couldn’t take back. ‘I’m just going to freshen up before you give your speech,’ she murmured. ‘Back soon.’
Flustered, she walked out of the ballroom and off in the wrong direction. She wandered half the floor on a quest to find another restroom. She rounded a corner, about to give up, when a door ahead opened.
Bethan froze, instantly recognising the older woman in the sleek designer suit. Gia Vasiliadis. So she was here in the building but not showing up for Ares.
Gia clearly recognised her too—if her pinched expression was anything to go by.
Bethan assumed calm as the woman approached. ‘You’ve been here all night but not bothered to show—’
‘As if you’ve shown up at any time in the last two or so years,’ Gia interrupted acerbically.
She snuck a breath. ‘As if that isn’t what you wanted.
’ Hit by Gia’s bitterness, she stepped back and tried to remember the bigger picture, because this was so very complicated.
‘I know I wasn’t the woman you wanted in his life.
’ She worked to soften her tone. ‘I know he wasn’t the son you wanted to take over all this. ’
She felt sorry for the woman but surely enough time had passed for Gia to see beyond her own pain and that others had suffered too.
‘Ares’s father’s behaviour was not his fault. Nor his grandfather’s behaviour,’ Bethan pointed out huskily. ‘Pavlos bringing Ares to your home in the midst of your grief must have been terribly difficult.’
Gia stood like an ice sculpture, but her eyes widened.
Bethan had blamed—at times hated—Gia for the doubts she’d seeded in Bethan’s head.
But it had been Bethan’s mistake to be so reactive.
Now older—having lived that bit more—she saw more.
Understood more. Perhaps even had the smallest insight into the immensity of Gia’s heartbreak.
She too knew loss. This woman had lost her husband and her only child and then her husband’s other son had been brought into her home.
They’d all suffered for this family—because for Pavlos Vasiliadis the preservation of the dynasty was more important than anything personal.
All that had mattered was blood lineage.
Gia had bought into that too, with her desire to unite her line with Ares through Sophia.
Cousins and cousins—all to claim power and control.
There’d never been a loving welcome but there was always more to a situation than what appeared, facets to the people involved.
Nothing was ever as simple as villains and heroes.
Now Bethan saw beyond her fairy-tale blinkers, saw something of the vulnerability they all shared. And she had her voice.
‘Since Ares arrived, he’s done almost everything you asked of him. That the Vasiliadis dynasty asked of him,’ she said. ‘Yet still he gets no support for something that’s deeply personal and important to him?’
‘Would you stomach having your husband’s lover honoured in front of you?’ Gia spat. ‘You would accept that humiliation?’
‘Your husband’s behaviour wasn’t your fault either,’ Bethan said bluntly. ‘And she was barely your husband’s lover. But she will always be Ares’s mother. She deserves her place in his life. This is not all about you.’
‘What do you care?’ Gia glared at her. ‘Why now?’
Bethan swallowed and sidestepped the question. ‘Ares has my full support. Because what Ares does is good.’ She stared at the woman. ‘You should appreciate all he’s done for the family you all proclaim is so important. You should—’
‘Ares,’ Gia interrupted her, her gaze lifting.
Bethan turned, heart seizing. Ares stood only a few feet away and he was looking right into her eyes. She couldn’t look away from him. Prickly heat suffused her skin. She’d overstepped.
‘I will be able to make a brief appearance after all,’ Gia said. ‘Unfortunately Dion is still indisposed at the compound.’
Stiffly Gia stalked past, heading towards the ballroom. But Ares didn’t follow her. He remained staring at Bethan.
‘How much did you hear?’ she asked guiltily, moving closer to him.
‘All of it.’ He cleared his throat.
Oh. ‘I’m sorry.’ She faced him, braced for his displeasure. ‘I know I didn’t need to defend you and I didn’t really cause a scene. I don’t think anyone else saw.’
He lifted his hand and brushed her lips with the backs of his fingers. ‘I thought you weren’t going to apologise for having a sweet nature any more.’
‘I’m not sure I was all that sweet just then.’
The corner of his mouth lifted. ‘You were...’
She leaned closer, but he didn’t finish the sentence. He just gazed at her mouth a moment too long. She didn’t care about what he’d been going to say, she wanted him to kiss her. But he stepped back.
‘I’d better go back and minimise whatever damage Gia’s about to do,’ he sighed.
‘And you still have to do your speech.’
‘Right.’ He reached out and took her hand.
It was for show, right? That unity to project.
They went back to the convivial vibes. From her place beside Ares she watched Gia.
The older woman was a walking polite smile, rocking a facade as bullet-proof as Ares so often did.
She took in the pictures, sipped from a champagne flute, lasted a full forty minutes—even through all Ares’s speech.
Which she applauded. And when she then approached Ares, the crowds stepped back.