CHAPTER 7— WHAT SERAPHINA WILL DO

Hi, he said, voice shaking, I think I am more than friend, I think I am your dad.

Leo looked at him. Small head tilted.

Dad, Leo said, like new word, dad.

Lorenzo put out hand, slow, to touch Leo hair.

Leo did not move away.

At that second, boardroom door opened hard. Loud bang.

Seraphina stood there.

She wore white. Perfect hair. Perfect face. But eyes were fire.

So it is true, she said, she is back, and with a child.

Twelve men stood up fast. Chairs noise.

Mrs Blackwood, someone said, this is private meeting.

Do not call me that, Seraphina said, I am Mrs Blackwood.

She walked in, eyes on me, then on Leo.

Lorenzo stood up, between me and her.

What are you doing here, he said, how did you know we are here.

Your secretary told me, she said, she always tells me, you have a son, three years old, you did not tell me you had a son with her.

I looked at the door, I could hear Leo outside with Rhys.

Rhys came back fast, took Leo out, door closed again, but seraphina was still there, breathing hard.

Come Leo, he said, we go out now.

Lorenzo, she said, you said you had no child with her, you said she left with nothing.

She did leave with nothing, Lorenzo said, his voice cold, I did not know about Leo.

You did not know, Seraphina said, laugh short, you did not know, but you knew about me, you knew I was dying, you married me because I was dying.

I looked at her. White dress. No sick face. No thin body. She looked healthy. Too healthy.

Were you dying, I asked, simple question, were you really dying.

She looked at me, smile gone.

What, she said.

Royal Marsden has no record of you, I said, Hohenegg has record, but Hohenegg is not cancer hospital, it is rest hospital.

Silence. Her face changed, white to red.

You, she said to me, you checked my record, you fake paper.

No fake, Lorenzo said, he held paper from table, Julian kept it, Hohenegg says rest, not cancer.

Seraphina looked at paper, hand shaking now.

It is mistake, she said, it is mistake, Royal Marsden lost my file, I was sick, I am still sick.

You look healthy, I said, you look more healthy than three years ago.

She stepped closer to me.

You left, she said, you left, why you come back, to take my husband, to take my money.

I did not come for money, I said, I came because board asked Atelier S to save Paris show, not because of you, not because of him.

Lorenzo, Seraphina turned to him, tell her to go, tell her she has no place here, this is Blackwood, my family company now.

Your family, Lorenzo said, voice low, it was never your family, it was Aria family first, she built Paris show three years ago before you came, not you.

Seraphina eyes wet now, fake wet, I knew that look.

You said you love me, she said to Lorenzo, you married me, you said you will take care of me until I die.

Until you die, Lorenzo said, but you will not die, you lied, you lied for three years.

No, she said, no, I did not lie, I was scared, I thought if I said I was sick you would stay, you were leaving me for her.

I was not leaving you, Lorenzo said, I was married, you knew I was married.

Board members looked at each other. Uncomfortable.

Mr Blackwood, one man said, we have meeting now, about Paris show, not family matter.

Seraphina looked at me, hate in eyes.

You think you win because you have son, she said, low voice only for me, you think grey eyes will bring him back, he is mine, I am his wife, you are nothing, divorced woman with child, no one will want you.

I did not answer, I looked at door, where Leo went.

Lorenzo heard her, he stepped between us again.

Enough, he said, enough Seraphina, go home, we talk later.

No, she said, I will not go, this is my company, my house, my husband.

Your husband, I said quiet, but you have no son, I have son, Leo is three, he has his father eyes, you have nothing.

She raised hand, fast, to hit me.

Lorenzo caught her hand, mid air.

Do not touch her, he said, do not ever touch her again.

Silence, heavy, his hand tight around her wrist.

Seraphina pulled hand away, crying loud now, real or fake, no one knew.

You will regret this, she said to Lorenzo, you will regret you chose her again.

She turned, walked out, white dress moving, door bang.

Boardroom quiet again.

Lorenzo looked at me, sorry, he said, I am sorry.

Do not say sorry to me, I said, say sorry to Leo, three years without father.

He nodded, eyes red.

Can I see him, he asked, can I see Leo again, even five minutes.

I looked at door, Leo outside with Rhys, playing with car, not knowing white lady, not knowing hate.

Five minutes, I said, only five, then we go back to hostel.

Lorenzo walked to door, opened it slow.

Leo sat on floor, car in hand.

Leo, I called, someone wants to play with you.

Leo looked up.

Dad, he said, you want to play car with me.

Lorenzo kneeled down, big man on floor, in expensive suit, on dirty lobby floor, playing small car with small boy, both grey eyes same.

And at that same time, my phone rang, unknown number, Zurich.

Hohenegg Clinic, voice said, we have more papers about Miss Vale, you asked for truth, we found truth, it is worse than fake cancer, do you want us to send.