Billionaire's Revenge (30 page)

The derisive sound from the
m
anager
made her eyes narrow
,
“G
arelli
Corporation
? Your boyfriend gave you a job.  How can anybody take that seriously, not given the kind of ‘work’ you are doing for him?  What happens when he gets bored of you?”
 
Sara gave
a gasp, anger filli
ng her at the innuendo in her words, the
m
anager continuing
,
“With the rumours of your marriage and your chosen lifestyle...well let’s just say that they are not conducive to bringing up a child”

“RUMOURS!”
Sara’s voice
gr
ew
higher as she
glared
back at the
m
anager
,
“You are basing
Carly’s life and the wishes of her mother on rumours!”

The manager’s eyes were full of a similar anger
,
“I spoke to the board today and explained everything and they agreed with me that you were and always would be an unfit mother for Carly.  They have revoked the three month timeline making it possible for that little girl to be adopted into a loving home”

Sara could feel the tears and panic rise within her as she
turned to Janice
. 
“Y
...
you
can’t do that...I just need another few days.  I have a job and will have a home by then...I promise I will
”
Janice
looked sympathetically at Sara, her features showing annoyance as Beth gave
a
dismissive snort
. 
“Really?
  Well I think that the rumours are all true Sara
.  G
iven that you seem to be more interested in chasing after some billionaire playboy than in settling down for Carly then I have to believe that the rumours are not without foundation.  My understanding is that you are living at his home, his latest mistress...and the man is well known for his womanising...what kind of stable environment would that be for Carly...being dragged from one boyfriend to the next?”
 
Her voice was
superior and gloating, enjoyin
g her chance to
put down
Sara, this woman who had
questioned her care of Carly every step of the way.
 
Janice
glared
warningly as the
manager
continued
her features full of venom
. 
“You lie down with scum Sara...then you become one of them...”

The voice behind the woman saw
her whip around, an
uncomfortable expression coming to her face
. 
“I really hope that you are not talking about me”
,
D
arius’ voice low and dangerous, his appearance unheard and unseen by any of the three women as moving even closer he
towered over them all.
 
Turning his look to the distraught Sara
, her features showing her shock at seeing him
he gave
her a small encouraging smile
. 
“How is Carly
?
”
his voice soft as she
stared back at him, not believing he was there
. 

“S
...
she is fine...well” Darius
g
ave
her a small wink before turning his attention to the other two women.  He smiled warmly at Janice, before turning a
cooler
look to Beth.
 
“Perhaps somebody would be so kind as to tell me what is going on”
,
his question brooking no argument as with a sob Sara
blurted
out “They are taking Carly from me...they are placing her with a
nother
family”

Darius
gave
her a determined shake of his head
. 
“No...No they are not Sara.  Nobody is taking Carly from you
”
Beside
him
,
Janice
looked uncomfortable, her sympathy s
till with Sara as she looked at the handsome man before her
. 
“I am sorry
Mr?
”
her tone polite as Darius
g
ave
her his surname
.

“The Board overturned their previous decision...I am afraid that when she leaves the hospital Carly is being placed with another family
”
A
low hurt sob was
torn
from Sara, tears of shock and pain running unchecked down her face
,
seeing
his mouth set as he
repeated
, “
Nobody is taking Carly from you Sara”
,
as
sh
e sobbed, a small flicker of hope lighting in her chest
.

Beth
g
ave
another small snort, Darius’ eyes moving to her
. 
“The decision has been made
,
Mr Garelli.  The Board ha
s
decided that Sara is an unfit caregiver for Carly”
,
her cutting look full of contempt as she flicked a look over at the woman trying so hard to keep things together.
 
“She was given plenty of time to turn her life around.  To provide a stable home and financial security and she chose instead to run after men like you
”
Darius’
eyes
narrowed, darkening dangerously as he fixed them on the s
tout woman before him
. 
“Is that a fact
?
”
his voice cold
,
“You must be Mrs Taylor
”
She
blinked in surprise, nodding, confused that he
knew
her name
.
“Y
...
Yes”
,
she confirmed as he held her look
. 
“Firstly.
  Sara is NOT an unfit care-giver for Sara, unlike you Mrs Taylor, but we will get back to that”
,
his look flicking to Janice
. 
“Sara has plenty of financial security
”
Beth
ma
de
yet another contemptuous sound as he talked over her
.

“How much would it take for you to consider her financially stable...ten thousand dollars...a hundred
thousand
...a million...whatever the figure is then that will be sitting in her account by the end of the day if need be”
 
Sara
star
ed at Darius, her mouth dropped
in shock
. 
“S...she has no home to take her to”
,
Beth
stuttered,
as again Darius turned on her.

“By this time tomorrow she could own her own home, again, if that is what it takes”
,
his eyes flicking to Sara, a strange light within them
. 
“Although I am hoping that will not be necessary”
,
this added more softly.

By now Beth was flustered, her words coming out in fits
, 
“
B...but ... her reputation...her marriage breakup...her relationship with YOU”
,
she cried, Darius noticing as Janice
looked uncomfortable.
 
With more steel Darius glared down on the now
red-
faced woman
. 
“Lies spread by her ex-husband...her abusive ex-husband.  Sara found herself in a dangerous environment and took steps to get out...proof that she would give Carly the safe upbringing that she deserves.  As for Sara and I ...while it is none of your business...I will share something with you that must go no further.”

Janice
g
ave
him a supportive smile, Beth fidgeting nervously, not liking the way that things were going.
 
“Sara could have another home tomorrow if that was what she wanted, but I truly hope that it does not come to that because she lives with me”
,
his eyes flashed in warning as Beth sneered at him
. 
“Yes ... for how long?
”
her derision short
-
lived as he continued
, “
Sara and I are engaged.  It is not public knowledge...but as you see we plan on giving Carly the secure home that she needs”

Janice
smiled widely, her hand
s
rising to her heart as she turned to Sara, Sara’s eyes flying to Darius
, “
Oh...Sara...I am so happy for you.  I wish you had
said...I will speak to the Board at once”
,
moving over to pull the yo
unger woman in for a hug, her genuinely happy smile directed a
t Darius also.
“I truly believe that the Board will be more than happy to hear what is happening...perhaps Carly could even return hom
e with you
both”
,
giving another happy chuckle
,
“I am so happy.  I really, really am”
 
Darius g
ave
her a large return smile
.

“Thank you Janice.  As you see, not only will Carly have the financial stability she deserves, but she will be brought up in a good home
, with
Sara being there for her all day, not having to work if she doesn’t want to
”
Beth
stood open-mouthed, disbelief written all over her face as she stared from one to the other
, her mouth flapping open and closed wordlessly
.
 
“There is one more thing”
,
Darius’ voice now firm as he
looked at Beth
.
 
“I
had
my investigators look into what happened last night, and why Mrs Taylor seems so against Sara adopting”

With a small curve of his mouth he
s
aw
the look of panic enter Beth’s eyes
. 
“Did you know Janice that it took Sara threatening to call the police last night to get Mrs Taylor to phone the doctor?”  The social worker
stared at the other woman with
disbelief
“
No...
No
I did not...but she was clearly sick”
,
a hard look coming to her eye
s
.
 
“Also...
”
Darius
continued
,
“The couple wanting
to adopt Carly are personal friends of Mrs Taylor... and
that she recommended them to the Board”

This time Janice’s voice had
been as cold as his, her look taking in the guilty expression on the other
woman’s
face
. 
“I did not know that either and I believe that it is against rules to push for your friends...perhaps the
b
oard should be taking a better look at you...not Sara”

With that she gave
Sara another wide smile congratulating her again before shaking Darius’ hand, he giving her a wide return sm
ile.  Turning
she
then moved away, Beth chasing after her as she tried to explain, her voice high and whining.

Finally alone Sara
turned to look at Darius, confusion filling her lovely features
. 
“How
?
...”
,
all she
managed before he stepped forwa
rd and pulled her into his arms, his mouth falling to
take hers in a kiss full of fire and heat, Sara groaning as her arms
flew
around his neck, clutching at him as she kissed him back.
  Pulling back she felt the bubble of happiness rising within her as she stared up at him with eyes which shone with
wonder
.

“How did you know about Beth
?
What
?
”
her eyes widening as stunned shock filled her
,
“
E
ngaged!!!?”
 
Darius smiled happily back at her as he gently kissed the tip of her nose.
 
“I have spoken with the doctor and they are letting Carly home in two days...I have organised for her to be moved into a private room with a bed for you”
,
a grin filled his handsome features
. 
“I got the feeling that you would not
want
to leave her”