‘Yes.’ She nodded. ‘I just wanted to be very sure before I said anything, and so this afternoon I confronted her.’
Gian frowned, not sure what Ariana meant by that. ‘Confronted...who?’ he asked, surprised. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I’ve just come from speaking with Nicki.’ Ariana ran a shaking hand through her thick dark hair and then forced herself to look at Gian and simply say it. ‘It was Nicki who took the photo of Mia and Dante at the Romano Ball...’
That was it?
Ariana wasn’t here to tell him she was pregnant! Instead, she had found out who had sold the photos to the press! Gian waited to catch the smile of relief that should surely be spreading over his face.
Except the smile didn’t come, and the anticipated relief didn’t course through his veins, as he looked at Ariana sitting tense and hurt, let down by a friend she had trusted.
‘You’re sure it was her?’ Gian checked.
Ariana nodded. ‘At Dante’s wedding she was acting strangely, and when I got a chance I looked through her phone. I’m so sorry, Gian.’
‘You’resorry?’
‘Nicki was my guest on the night of the ball. I know the photo caused problems for you—’
‘It’s fine,’ Gian cut in. ‘Well, it’s not, of course, but don’t worry about me.’ He wanted to go over and take her hands, which still twisted in her lap. ‘I’m sorry she let you down.’
Ariana nodded.
‘Does Dante know?’
‘Not yet. It’s taken me a couple of weeks to get my head around it all, and I decided I would tell you first.’ She looked at the man she had always run to with troubles that seemed too big for this world. ‘I might leave it until after Stefano’s wedding. Really, I don’t think Dante will be too upset. After all, the photo forced things out into the open. I know it angered you, though, and that it was damaging for the reputation of the hotel.’
‘The only reputation that has been damaged is Nicki’s,’ Gian said kindly. ‘What did she say when you confronted her?’
Ariana let out a pained, mirthless laugh. ‘Plenty.’
He saw a fresh batch of tears flash in her eyes and knew that the confrontation hadn’t been pleasant and so he asked again. ‘What did Nicki say?’
‘That it was my fault. That I treated her poorly and always made her feel second best...’
‘No.’
But his words couldn’t comfort her now. She was still shaking from the recent encounter with someone she had considered to be her friend, someone she had defended so often to this man.
‘I’m sorry,’ Gian said.
‘I know you never liked her.’
‘I mean, I’m sorry you had to go through that.’
‘I should have listened to you in the first place. In fact, I’m starting to think you might be right...about the value of not letting people get too close.’
‘Never take relationship advice from me,’ Gian said. ‘As you have undoubtedly seen, I am not particularly good at them.’
‘I don’t know about that.’ Ariana smiled. ‘You made me feel pretty wonderful, at least for a while.’ But she hadn’t come here to discuss her time with Gian. She’d said what she’d come to say. ‘Anyway, thank you for being so gracious. I just thought it was something you should know. I don’t know if Nicki will have the audacity to come here again...’
‘It’ll be fine. I’ll let my security team know.’ He looked at her swollen eyes and knew Nicki had said plenty more. ‘What else did she say?’ Gian asked.
Ariana was rarely silent.
‘Tell me,’ he pushed.
‘That I’m spoiled...’