You’ve never set foot in one of my homes since the day I discovered the truth about you, and that’s how I prefer it.
Ally forced down bile at the memory of Angelo’s words yesterday. They were engraved in her brain, especially after a night when she’d tossed and turned, fruitlessly trying to switch off her thoughts long enough to get some rest.
Just her luck that a brain that couldn’t remember anything earlier than a few days ago should have perfect recall, not just of his words but Angelo’s tone and expression as he’d said them.
As if he tasted something disgusting on his tongue.
As if he never wanted to be reminded of their shared past.
Ally couldn’t blame him. She was disgusted too.
Her skin crawled when she thought of faking a pregnancy to get a man to marry her. Her mind kept shying away from what Angelo had said, that she’d done it for purely mercenary reasons. But even if that weren’t the case, even if she’d acted out of love and the need to be with him, that didn’t excuse her actions.
How could she have done that?
How could she have thought it a reasonable thing to do yet be so horrified by it now? Did that mean she’d changed? Or was her dismay due to the fact she’d been found out?
Surely not. Ally just couldn’t imagine doing anything so devious or venal. But perhaps her mind was playing tricks and one day soon she’d get her memory back and discover he wasn’t the only man she’d tried to dupe.
She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering.
No wonder Angelo didn’t want her here.
Now the attitude of his housekeeper, Rosetta, made sense.
She’d been here through their relationship. She’d had doubts about the pregnancy and knew Ally had lied. It was a miracle the woman continued to check on her and bring her delicious food. Given her severe demeanour, Ally guessed she was firmly on the side of her employer and saw Ally as trouble.
An hour ago, when Ally had taken her breakfast tray downstairs, she’d seen Rosetta’s stare turn piercing with suspicion. As if she thought Ally aimed to wheedle her way into her good graces.
It had taken all Ally’s courage to go downstairs. Physically she felt stronger so the stairs weren’t a problem, but facing anyone after what Angelo had revealed took more courage than she thought she had.
But Gran had always said that sooner or later you had to face the consequences of your actions and it was better to do it sooner.
Ally was turning towards the bedroom when her brain clicked into action.
She planted a palm on the bathroom counter and leaned in hard, her breath a sharp gasp.
Gran? She had a gran?
Slowly, not daring to hope, she pondered the word. Not Nanna or Grandma but Gran. A definite person.
Yet when she tried to delve deeper and put a face to the name she hit that infuriating blank wall. The misty nothingness that fuzzed her thoughts when she tried too hard to remember.
Frustration rose. She sensed that for the first time she was close to a genuine memory. Yet pushing only stressed her and left her feeling useless and scarily empty.
Looking down at her fingers splayed on the marble counter she told herself it was a positive step. It was something from her past.
She had a grandmother and, by the sound of it, one who was sensible and cared about her. That was a positive, right?
It beat being told she was a scheming liar hands down.
Excitement stirred. It was the first sign she’d had that her memories might be accessible. True, she couldn’t recollect a specific event, but knowing she had a gran and remembering her words had to count for something.
Relief shuddered through her. For days she’d feared the doctor was wrong and she might have to face the rest of her life with no memory of her past.
Her eyes squeezed shut as she thought of those fragments of her past she knew about. The bits Angelo had told her. Instantly her stress levels hiked up as tension filled her.
Was it weak, not to want to face this? The constant disapproval? The knowledge she wasn’t wanted?