Free Billionaire's Second Chance (sam, bella and Kate Book 2) by Marie Kelly Page A

invaded her each and every time Philippe’s face would  flash through her mind, most of the time when she was least expecting it, each time the pain that thudded through her a physical hurt.   She told herself that she could never have been responsible for robbing a child of its father, but this helped little to lessen the pain deep within her, Bella not understanding why she could be reacting so badly over somebody she had known for only two days, her mind correcting her each time: two days and one unforgettable night.
    A week after returning, Bella was surprised to receive the news that she had won the scholarship to Milan, Kate hugging her tightly as she cried, “Now who is going to keep me in line?”  Bella smiled at her.  “I am a short plane ride away .  I can come and kick your butt anytime.”
    Both girls cl ung to each other as they laughed.  “I am going to miss you Bella”, Kate whispered, her voice full of honesty.
    The next four years passed in a blur.  Bella shone in her apprenticeship, so much so that she was offered a full -time job with the company after she completed the six months training.  Her serene air and calmness had been like a balm to many nervous brides, and her ability to organise and stay on budget a blessing for many grooms.  When she became a senior partner after two years, it seemed that Bella Smith had the perfect life.
    She stayed in contact with Samantha and Kate, saddened when Samantha and Dante’s relationship ended after only six months, the effect it had on her friend devastating.  While Sam refused to talk about the details, as indeed Bella had when she ended her short-lived relationship with Philippe, both Kate and she were there for her, helping her to put her life back together and to start the company that she always dreamt of.  Bella was inspired by Samantha ’s success, and after nearly four years with the same company, saving her money all those years, she decided to set up her own business.
    She returned to the UK where she started to build her reputation as a wedding planner, the jobs slow to start, Bella glad she had put away so much money until she got on her feet and became an established name in the wedding circles.
    Over the years she kept a watchful eye on Philippe, following his career through the internet.  Each time she searched, she would chastise herself for putting herself through the torture, each time still feeling the way her insides would jolt if she was to see a new picture of him.  When he married a month after the girls returned from their holiday , she cried, her heart breaking once more from the rawness of the pain. 
    The birth of his daughter six months after that had filled her with a bittersweet sadness, sadness that it was not her child too, frowning at the thought, angry that she should be so affected by a holiday romance.  The news of his wife’s death seven months after the birth of their child shocked her, Bella torn between contacting him and the realisation of how inappropriate that would be.  He had married this woman and had a child with her.  An ex – frowning, she wondered if she had even been that, a one night stand maybe – contacting him would be unwelcome and thoughtless. 
    Since that time there had been very few stories of Philippe Tremour in the news and those that there had been were business -related rather than the society pages of previous years when he had been well known for his playboy lifestyle.  With a sad smile she knew that Philippe had his daughter and with what little she knew of him that he would make her the most important woman in his life.  This knowledge, while sad, filled her with pride.

Chapter Five
    So it was on yet another cold, wet Thursday afternoon that Bella once more found herself moving into her small office.  The area was tastefully decorated to greet potential clients.  She sauntered over to her desk, flicking through the mail, sighing.  The recession was biting into the