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Her face twisted wretchedly ‘I still can’t believe it I still can’t believe my whole life is over because of one stupid mistake’

A burst of pride flared up in him He’d never heard a woman describe him as a ‘mistake’ Since Sophie, he’d been dae them The only stupid mistakes happened when he didn’t

‘Your life isn’t over,’ he said coldly ‘This is a child we’re talking about here My child But there are people waiting downstairs for o and sort it out I’ll come back and discuss this with you afterwards Like adults’

‘Don’t patroniseabout our child? But you’d rather go and discuss business—that says it all’

His phone vibrated in his pocket He stared at her Almond eyes, blurred and wild Outside the band struck up another tunea wave of laughter rolled in through the open s

‘I will stand by you,’ he heard hioing to be another part of it then I will do the right thing There is no question of that But this isn’t the only thing going on right now’

The phone continued to vibrate It could only be David The Arturos He pulled it out

‘It was the west terrace, Matteo?’

‘On my way’

‘I have to go down there,’ he said, slipping his phone back in his pocket ‘I know this is the worst possible ti, but David will come up and eive me some time’

‘Do I have any choice?’