Page 90 of Tangled Roses

“How long?”

My voice is unusually strong and he shrugs. “Without bone marrow, less than five years. With the right match, I could live well into old age.”

“What would I have to do?”

“It’s a procedure that takes little time. Doctors use needles to withdraw liquid marrow from both sides of the back of your pelvic bone. You will be given anesthesia and feel no pain during the donation. Afterwards, your liquid marrow is transplanted into me.”

“Do you have any other children?” I ask, wondering why he needs me so much if he married for power.

“No.” He shakes his head and I note the pain in his eyes.

“My wife died in childbirth.”

I say nothing and he exhales sharply. “I never married again. I suppose I didn’t want the pain and threw myself into business.”

“That’s sad.”

I really mean that and he says softly, “Spare me your sympathy, Gabrielle. You don’t know anything about me and I am to blame for that. If you did, you wouldn’t like me much, but I can live with that. In my country, strength is power and I am stronger than most, and I doubt you will find a single person who isn’t afraid of me here.”

‘’Wow!” I stare at him in shock and his eyes flash as he says roughly, “You must hear that from me before you make your decision. I am hiding nothing from you and want to assure you of my desire to get to know you, with or without your help with my medical issue.”

He peers at his wristwatch and sighs. “I must go.”

He hands me his card and says gently, “Call me with your decision. Whatever you decide, I will respect it.”

As he stands, he offers me his hand and as his closes around mine, he whispers, “You are a beautiful woman, Gabrielle. I am proud to call you my daughter.”

I’m shocked when he pulls me up and into his hard embrace and in this moment, as his heart beats against mine, I realize what I must do.

CHAPTER 56

ARMAN

Mama is angry. The way she is staring at us causes my heart to sink. We called it wrong. She knows nothing and now we’ve added to her misery by throwing pa’s affair at her.

“Make my excuses to Ellie, Arman. I must go and lie down.”

She completely ignores Titus, who watches her go with a thoughtful gleam in his eye.

“What have we done to her?” I say with a sigh and Titus shrugs, apparently not sharing my discomfort.

“She had to know.” He replies bluntly. “We are getting nowhere with this, and it’s time to start asking awkward questions.”

“And Boris. Why is he here for Ellie?”

“I think we both know why,” Titus says roughly. “It’s obvious he’s her father.”

We are standing outside the living area, alone in the huge hallway, sitting on the couch set against the wall while we wait for Boris to leave.

Titus whispers, “Simeon has been investigating the history at Two Points. Mama was great friends with Adele Heatherington and Veronica was more Marsha’s friend. It’s possible she is telling the truth because as soon as she left, she married pa.”

“But what about Veronica? He must have met her there too. Then there’s Marsha and Burning Roses. They are all certainly connected.”

Titus appears thoughtful.

“Four men were in Switzerland near Two Points at that time.”

“Go On.”