Olivia ran down the steps of the villa ahead of Pamela.
“Wait!” Pamela said, catching up with Olivia as she attempted to wrench open one of the car doors. It was locked, and now Orlando was rolling down his window and asking what was up.
“Take me back to Venice!” Olivia demanded as Pamela put a hand on her shoulder. Olivia shook it off. “Go away. I don’t want to talk to you!”
“Look, I’m sorry,” Pamela said. “We’re all in shock.”
“You’re in shock? I just found out the man I’m in love with—” She broke off, realizing what she’d just said, but it was true. Nothing like a revelation like this to make you realize just how hard you’ve fallen. “That’s right—I’m in love with him, and I’ve just found out his beloved wife has come back from the grave. What am I supposed to do? I should be happy for him, right? The thing he wanted most in life. The thing he’s been waiting four years to hear. I’m supposed to feel happy for him. And I can’t!”
“Look,” Pamela said firmly. “We don’t know all the details—”
“It doesn’t matter. Alessandro couldn’t wait to get me out of there! And not only did I find out his wife’s alive, he’s in your arms!”
“Olivia, I’ve known Alessandro a long time—”
“Just leave me alone!” Olivia shouted, pounding on Orlando’s window. “Open the door, and let me in. Get me away from here!”
The door locks snapped up, and Olivia climbed in behind Orlando and pulled on her seat belt. Pamela closed the door, and Orlando rolled down his window.
“Take her back to her apartment,” Pamela said. “And don’t leave her alone, even for a second, or there’ll be hell to pay.”
“Don’t need to tell me, boss,” Orlando said, starting the car.
As he turned around in the drive, Olivia looked back at the house through a blur of tears. One of the drapes in the library was pulled back, but before she could see whose hand held it, it fell back into place over the window.
She knew the drapes would have closed with a silken whisper, but to her it was the slamming shut of a steel door.