I’m still recovering. My mom used to tell me that Father John had the same problem when he first came here. If things had worked out between the two of them, I never would have met you. Kurt said, “No, but I’m sure it’s just because John prefers to deliver any news in person.
”
“It’s my pet name for Greta,” I said. “Yes, it won’t be long until the three of us are a real family. ”
Mickey cut in, “That’s irrelevant. How long has it been?
”
“Oh, not long, your highness,” Kurt replied. “It’s still up ahead. ”
Belle sighed. “It would have been nicer if Brady had been here to help, but he’s still at baseball camp.
So why don’t you tell your dear old dad about all the fun stuff you did while we were gone? Tell me everything. ”
John said, “Let me tell you something about exciting, all right? It was the original.
”
Hope agreed, “You’re right, it was the original. ”
A man said, “Never. This line of questioning is not relevant. ”
Gregory turned to me.
“Because of Mike. Mike didn’t have to use any promises to get you into bed, did he? You were the one who seduced him because you could not stand the thought of him finding happiness with me. Mike always kept their relationship strictly professional.
If anything, Ali was the one who acted unprofessionally. I think you take after your mother. ”
He handed me something. “This should help.
”
I stared at the paper. “What if… what if my mom and Father John were planning to move to the country under assumed names, start a whole new life for themselves at the Chateau des Reves? ”
Greta asked, “Then why did she never tell me about it?
”
Eric said, “Which means that there was no will because if there was, everything would have been left to you. Stefano sent me a telegram in 1990 saying that she had died, but I never got anything from any lawyers. ”
Eric continued, “It’s really strange to me that Stefano was the only one who knew about your mom’s death. Then again, whenever Stefano’s involved in anything, things are never the way they seem.
”
Mike said, “I never saw that list until the next day. ”
Gregory asked, “If you had seen that list the night you slept with Ali, would it have made a difference, Dr. Mike? Do you remember telling Ali that you thought you two made a wonderful team?
With a body like yours, I– there’s– there’s no other nurse on my list. Now, can you explain to me after making love to a woman three times in one night, a few days later telling her you can never love her? ”
Mike replied, “Now, what makes two people right for each other I can’t explain any more than I can explain what makes two people wrong for each other. ”
Gregory said, “I would never do that.
”
Mike held up the papers. “Well, please tell me, how do you explain these? ”
“Because you are Gina,” Gregory said softly. “I’m going to stay here and fight to bring hope back,” I declared.
“And whether you like it or not, I am your one and only chance to avoid the same fate of your predecessor Princess Gina. ”
“After all, it was John’s plan to get us away from Stefano. It must be John. ”
“I’ll take natural beauty any day,” someone said.
“Do you think that the two of them will ever get back together? ”
Greta said, “Yeah, well, we both know you can’t do that. ”
Eric said, “You name it. It doesn’t cost anything to look.
”
Fran said, “This may up the settlement. ”
“I did not expect anything I said that night to be taken seriously,” I admitted. Gregory’s voice turned cold. “Is that why you told Ali not to tell anyone that she had slept with you, hmm, because you didn’t want anybody in the hospital to know about how you got your kicks?
”
He paused. “Are you still in France? It won’t be long before Carrie and Mike are standing together in the unemployment line. ”
I felt the weight of his words.
“I hope you enjoyed your night playing doctor with Ali– not because it’s going to be the most expensive sex you’ve ever had in your life, but more than likely, it’s going to be your last. ”
John said, “Not at all. ”
“So then you do know about it,” I said. Greta said, “Well, because Eric and Bo and I found a deed to this home that she owned, and it was in a safe deposit box along with a lot of money and jewels and two fake passports, one with a picture of you on it and one with a picture of my…
only it’s stopped! ”
I told him, “I tell you that what we had is over, and instead of accepting that I do not want a reunion with you, you blame Stefano for my decision. ”
The room fell silent. The truth hung between us, raw and undeniable.
Everything I thought I knew was shifting, and I had no idea who to trust or what would happen next.
