Chapter 350

• Her uncle was getting more agitated, looking slightly shifty. ‘The thing is, Cassia… I didn’t tell you before now as I knew it might upset you, but I’ve started doing business with him again. Since your parents died, that is. Obviously your father wouldn’t have approved, but, you see, I had to, Cassia. I had no one else to turn to, and when he gave me an appointment... He laughed a sudden, brief laugh, sounding like a little boy. ‘Me! An appointment. It would appear he’s willing to let bygones be bygones, at least with me. Now, if it had been your father, that would have been a different story— He seemed to catch himself, realizing he was starting to babble, and gripped Cassia’s hands tighter. "However, if he sees you..."
• The familiar clench of grief at the mention of her parents went unnoticed for once. Her uncle was referring, of course, to the scandal that had gripped Greece for weeks. The press had devoured the story of how Calix Petrakis had taken advantage of his family friend’s young daughter. Just when he was about to become engaged to Helena Drakos. And even though Cassia had cried tears of frustration, trying to defend him, no one had listened, too intent to paint him the villain and her the poor innocent victim.
• It had been even more futile trying to assert her own innocence with regard to the photo and story, and only recently had she confirmed for herself who the real culprit was. The story had since faded, of course, and since her grandmother’s death the summer after that, Cassia had only been back to Greece a couple of times. She’d never seen him again.