HIS GREATEST BETRAYAL

Chapter 40

A waiter approached us and handed us the menu.

"Have you been here before?," Ferracco started the conversation.

"No but l have heard people singing their praises of this restaurant."

"It's famous for it's crab salad."

"Then l will have that."

"The lady will have crab salad," Ferracco told the waiter.

He ordered steak as he was allergic to sea food. The waiter placed our plates on the table and poured red wine into our glasses.

"I am sorry l couldn't ask you to dinner in person . This past week was hectic. There was something important l was working on."

"What were you working on?"

He looked bored for a moment as he cut his steak. He took a mouthful and then washed it down with some wine.

"Let's not talk about work , Jane. Let's talk about something important. About us," he said as he reached for my hand across the table.

A bubble of hysterical laughter welled inside me. The nerve of this guy!

After all his past betrayals , he expects me to just forget everything and start over with him like nothing happened. I removed my hand from his.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ferracco. We ended a long time ago. After betraying me like that , you expect me to drop everything and run to you," l said with a bitter laughter.

This was ridiculous!

I put down my fork suddenly feeling my appetite gone.

"Jane, l know l messed up big time and l am ready to make amends though l know that nothing l do will ever make up for that pain and hurt you suffered. I ask for your forgiveness."

Pain flashed in his blue eyes. His voice sounded sincere.

"You betrayed me , Ferracco ! How can you expect me to easily move past that," l cried at him feeling my anger mounting.

"Jane, l wish l could tell you the entire truth but ....."

"Shut that mouth! I am tired of you cooking up excuses. Nothing can justify what you did to me , Ferracco. Nothing!"

I threw my napkin at him and stood up fuming.

"Jane! Listen to me. I ..."

His cellphone rang in his pocket and he stopped whatever he was about to say. He fished out his cellphone and answered. His face slowly turned to ice.

"How could you loose that bid, Reid!," he blurted out angrily.

He ran a hand through his jet black hair. A gesture of his when he was frustrated.

"You knew how important that project was to me! Find out whoever did that!" he barked into the cellphone.

I felt sorry for whoever it was that was at the receiving end of his nasty temper today.

"Go back to the company and wrap things up. I will be there in a few minutes."

Ferracco cut the call and heaved out a huge sigh.

"What is it?," l asked with curiosity.

Ferracco remained silent but took a huge gulp of wine instead.

"I lost that damn bid. This was going to be my best project. I can't believe l lost that project to that sly old bastard, Martin Paula," he seethed.

"What did you want to use the land for?"

Ferracco looked up at me surprised.

"How did you know the bid was for land?"

I gave a slight shrug.

"Most bids are for land. Aren't they?"

A grin replaced his earlier scowl.

"My wife is really smart," he said proudly with a huge grin on his face. I felt something stir in me.

"I wanted to build an orphanage on that land. When my mother died, l had no relative or money. The orphanage took me in and raised me. I know there are still hundreds of kids roaming the streets of Rio homeless. I want to give them a home and a family."

I felt guilty stirring in me.

I had judged him wrong!

A/N: The story keep uncovering shocking sides of Ferracco.