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‘There’s asped as she laid the black dress over the arreen silk dress Lydia had assured him in their phone conversation would be perfect for her ‘It’s beautiful, but how?’

‘With a little help fro uncoifts He was farpiece of jewellery ‘Lydia assuredin it on New Year’s Eve’

‘We ether then’ She dropped the terse stateether

‘After last night, I think that particular scenario is unlikely I’o just yet, not when you promised to be mine until New Year’s Eve, which includes the party’ He kept his voice light, but from the uncertain look on her face he knew he hadn’t fooled her

‘But what if we don’t work this out?’

‘We can only do that if we give it a chance’ He turned and picked up oneto distract her ‘There is also this’

She took the present fro to take it Then she opened it First the ribbon, then the gold paper revealing a dark blue box Cautiously, she opened it

‘This is too much’ Lisa aliving her such an expensive gift? It should mean that he loved her, but she kneas far from that

‘Diamonds,’ he said as she looked back down at the necklace, earrings and ring ‘To ith the green dress’

‘But…’ she said, her voice a hoarse whisper as she touched the coldness of the glittering necklace, lying beautifully against the blue velvet of the box Her hand was shaking as she slowly ift It was the tactic she knew men like Max deployed when they wanted to sweeten a lover and encourage them to move on in life, move on from him

‘They will look a over her as if he thought she ht just throw the box aside and bolt froe and from him ‘Or so Lydia informs me’

Lydia knew about these? Did she kno e was in? Would Max have confided in Raul that he didn’t want to remain married, much less be a father to a child he didn’t want?