Chapter 12: Dangerous Deals

“You’re going to give your wife rules?” Gia asked.

Momentarily she forgot she was playing Natalie and used her own tone of voice. She cleared her throat and resumed using her faux voice.

“Since when do married couples have rules for each other?”

“Ezra raised his brow at her. “We’re not a normal couple are we? I don’t think I know a normal couple.”

“Marriage is about love.” When the words left her lips she knew she made a mistake. What Natalie and Ezra had was an arranged marriage. It was about money and building empires.

Gia saw her parents who loved each other unconditionally all her life. They didn’t have rules for each other. They sacrificed for one another and when her Dad died she believed a part of her Mom died too. She never stopped mourning and Gia believed part of her illness came from losing the only man she ever loved.

Gia was naïve to think everyone had that. That was what she wanted. Good honest love that lasted a lifetime.

“You’re not so naïve Natalie. You know what marriage means in our world. It’s about power and sex. This is an agreement and the least we can expect from each other is respect. Can we agree on that?”

“Does that mean you won’t be sleeping with anyone else in our marriage?”

Ezra growled. “It means no one will find out when we do. The magazine incident was a mistake on my part and my team will make those pictures vanish. I want to know one thing.”

At this point Gia was fuming beneath her skin.

“Do you need help?” Ezra asked.

“What?” Gia frowned.

“With your drinking?”

“My drinking? You think I’m an alcoholic.”

“Well that’s what everyone seems to think. If you need help I need to know so I can get it for you.”

Gia calmed her breathing. Her phone vibrated in her dress. Gia cleared her throat, searching for an escape. She didn’t need to be having this conversation anyway.

“I don’t have a drinking problem. Frankly, I think you need better manners. So, I’m leaving.”

“You’re leaving our engagement dinner? And I’m the one who needs manners?”

“I’m not leaving the dinner I’m just getting away from you.” Her phone continued to vibrate.

Gia’s heart thundered thinking it was her phone. Before Ezra could speak again she ran across the blue swimming pool and disappeared into the garden. Thinking, Ezra was far enough she discovered two missed calls from her Mom. When she called her back there was no answer.

“Please pick up,” Gia pleaded. “Gosh, I’m sorry.”

The phone continued to ring but no answer came. Her night was over. She dialled a cab and raced out of the hotel premise with fear slowly crippling her.

***

Eliot and his wife Hanah returned to the private hospital after their public appearance. The doctor said Natalie had finally woken up which meant they didn’t need Gia anymore. Though, he didn’t sound optimistic which made them nervous.

“Mr and Mrs Bentley, you can come in now,” the nurse said.

The rushed to Natalie’s private room. Their daughter was sat up on the bed staring at her reflection in a mirror. Natalie hurled the mirror across the room, narrowly missing her Father’s head.

Natalie screeched so loud the windows were on the verge of cracking. She kicked and tossed her sheets.

“What’s going on Doctor?” Eliot asked.

“We don’t know. She had a severe allergic reaction after coming out of her coma.”

“Oh my goodness, this can’t be happening!” Hanah shouted.

Natalie’s face was red and swollen. Her once flawless face was gone. Her arms and legs were covered in blisters and red marks. She barely looked like her old self.

“How are you going to fix this? What do we do?” Hanah asked.

The doctor rubbed the back of his head. “We have to run more tests. We don’t know what caused the reaction and it’s quite severe. We have to keep Natalie here until we find out what caused the reaction.”

“Ezra, will know we duped him. He can’t see Natalie like this, Eliot,” Hanah shook her husband.

He grabbed her arms and sighed. “I know. We still need Gianna.”

“That retched girl! She’ll mess things up,” Natalie blasted.

“No, she stood in as you on your engagement. No one suspected a thing. We can do it again until you’re better.”

Natalie’s bottom lip trembled. “How could you do that?”

Hanah’s face turned red with fury. “How could you be so reckless days before your engagement! We had no choice.”

“Ugh! The doctors better do their best to fix me. I can’t stay this way.”

Hanah and Eliot pulled the doctor aside, ensuring there were eavesdroppers.

“No one can know about this. No one comes into this room aside from you and a trusted nurse. If the tabloids catch wind of this. Your career and this hospital will end here. Do I make myself clear?” Hanah lethal words cut the doctor to the core.

He nodded. “Of course ma’am.”

***

Gia arrived at the public hospital after the ambulance arrived with her Mom. The mansion was empty since everyone was at the engagement party. Gia found her Mother passed out in the kitchen and called an ambulance quickly.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the transplant?” Gia asked.

Elena had been admitted for more tests. She lay in the hospital bed weak and tired.

“I didn’t want to worry you. All that is all too expensive. You must have wiped out your savings paying for my other bills. Gia, I don’t want to be your burden.”

“Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that. You’re not a burden.”

Elena picked up her daughter’s hand and patted it.

“I have to tell you the truth. It’s time.”

Gia’s chest tightened. “Truth about what?”

Elena sighed heavily. “I swore I’d take this secret to my grave but… it’s not fair on you.”

A hard knock came from the door then a tall man in a white lab coat. The man seemed to be around forty with white hair forming at his sides. He smiled warmly at them.

“I’m doctor Coleman. An expert in your case.”

Hanah came through on her word, Gia thought.

“Expert? We can’t afford you,” Elena said.

“Don’t worry ma’am you have a generous donor,” the doctor said.

“Gia, what’s going on?”

Gia searched her mind for a suitable lie but her phone rang. It was the home phone at the Bentley mansion. She stood up abruptly.

“I’ll find out while you speak to the doctor. Whatever the case is I’m sure it’s a good thing. We need this, Mom.”

She slipped out of the room and answered the call.

“I can’t talk right now. I’m at the hospital with my Mom.”

“I know I hope the expert made it.”

“Mr Bentley.”

“I sent the expert to see your Mother. I’m thankful for what you did for us but… I’m afraid we aren’t finished.”

“You want me to continue to play Natalie? This is crazy Ezra’s going to find out.”

“You did well tonight. It won’t be forever, Gia. Just until Natalie gets better. I’ll personally make sure your Mother’s taken care of that she’s comfortable. You’ll be paid as well after this.”

Gia gripped her phone. How long would she have to keep up with this lie?

“Is two million enough?” Eliot offered.

Gia’s breath caught in her throat.

“What?”

“You’ll get all of it when Natalie recovers. It’s more than generous.”

Two million could change her life. It would be enough to leave this town and forget this nightmare happening.

“I… I accept, Mr Bentley.”

“Good. You’ll play Natalie from now on. If anything goes wrong you’ll get nothing from us.”

The phone went dead.