The Family Firm

Chapter 60

Councillor Melissa Brighton was a rather portly woman with wide hips and an ample bosom that masked the unsightly rolls of fat that hung off her belly. But she wasn't ugly, far from it actually; her muted blonde hair was well-kept and framed her heart-shaped face perfectly, and she had lovely green eyes that stood out against her soft, milky skin.

This promising opinion of herself was something she'd only recently acquired. She had a good start, she figured, certainly a lot better than many unfortunate women. With a few slimming pills she'd be right on track with those women on the lads mags her husband was so fond of!

Her husband, that dolt. He had more hair on his back than he did on his head and yet he thought she was the old bag? Was she fuck! She wasn't half bad, herself. She was smart, she had a good, honest career, and everyone knew she made the best mince pies in Essex. She felt a right fool for believing her twat of a husband Bernie's insults all those years. How miserable he had made her feel. Funny how it took Vasilis Papakostas to make her realise her true potential!

Oh, that handsome Greek was quite a man, nothing like her Bernie. Vasilis was dark, handsome, and chiselled from head to toe like the bloody statue of David. She hadn't seen anyone like him before, in all her forty-eight years.

It was by chance they had met in the park and she knew, right then, she was in love. He did everything her husband had never taken the time to even realise she might have wanted—he wined and dined her, danced with her, even called her . . . oh, what was it again? Kardia mou, that's right. She couldn't even remember what it meant any more, but she was certain it was as lovely as that candy-sweet voice of his.

She had never, in all her life, expected to have an affair. But as far as she was concerned, her husband had asked for it. And so blind was her Bernie that he hadn't even noticed! She almost wanted him to, at times. She had loved him once. She would have given it all for a little attention and respect.

Oh, dwelling on those pitiful thoughts was no way to spend her time. It was a beautiful April day, and she was not going to waste it on that fat old bastard. She had Vasilis, after all. And not only was he handsome, but ambitious! He had his own business, though she wasn't sure what exactly it was that he did. But he was always interested in expanding his properties. Considering she had been Chair of the Development Control Board for some time now, she was intrigued by this. Bernie couldn't pick a port from a Portaloo and had the intellectual prowess of Punch. And she refused to be Judy.

She headed out from her maisonette, purse in hand. Bernie was, as always, lazing away at home and so, naturally, she was off to see her handsome Greek lover. She used to love the feeling of being naughty as it were, slipping out to have a little tryst under her husband's nose, but now she wasn't as excited about it. Of course this was no fault of Vasilis'; the novelty of the ordeal was simply beginning to wear off.

The thought frightened her. That meant she would have to find something new to keep herself from wasting away emotionally from her husband's neglect. And chances were he would be none the wiser to anything ever happening.

As she stepped onto the pavement, she noticed a peculiar car parked kerbside. It was a nice car, nicer than her own, though she wouldn't know the model—that was more Bernie's expertise. But more interesting than the car was the man leaning against it. He was handsome, around his mid-forties, with distinctly crooked teeth and a large bouquet of flowers in his hand.

She recognised him immediately.

'Mr Evans,' she said, swallowing dryly. The presence of him was intimidating, somehow even more when he was grinning. He had never been anything but kind to her, but his reputation preceded him.