Heaven Scent

by Sasha Wagstaff

  ‘But . . . maybe I can still model a bit here and there,’ she said, taking his arm. ‘Just for the family?’

  Guy laughed. ‘That you can definitely do!’

  Grinning from ear to ear and unashamedly emotional, Max started clapping and soon everyone was joining in. ‘That’s my sister,’ he told the person nearest to him, bursting with pride. Max threw Seraphina a look of approval, which almost had Guy in tears. They were all going to be all right; he just knew it.

  Marianne found the whole thing extremely touching and, worried she really had gone soft, she made a swift exit, hoping against hope that Guy would contact her in the future. Stefan, the photographer, was beaming. This was the kind of reaction he liked when his photographs were seen for the first time! He had been stressed to breaking point after working with Angelique but when he received the call from Leoni about using Seraphina instead, he had jumped at the chance. Angelique might be a big star but she simply wasn’t capable of the subtlety needed in shots designed for a fragrance.

  Angelique appeared to be the only person who wasn’t delighted and impressed with the photographs. Her face was as red as her dress and her fists were clenched at her sides. ‘What the hell is going on?’ she screeched, her face turning ugly as she let rip. ‘Where are my photographs? Who said they could be changed? Was it you?’ she demanded, stabbing a finger in Xavier’s direction.

  ‘Angelique, I’m as surprised as you are,’ he stated truthfully.

  ‘I don’t believe you,’ Angelique hissed back. Remembering herself as several flashbulbs went off in her face, she plastered a fake smile on and made sure her best side was on show. Inside, she felt as though she was falling apart. And where the hell was Mason when she needed him?

  Leoni stepped forward smoothly to do some damage control and took up the spot Xavier had vacated at the back of the store. ‘If I can have everyone’s attention, please? Thank you. My cousin Xavier knew nothing about this. This was my decision and mine alone.’ She cleared her throat and did her best to usher Angelique to one side to avoid her making a scene. ‘As everyone can see, there has been a change of plan. Angelique Bodart was originally intended as the face of the ad campaign but due to creative differences, we decided to make use of a member of our family instead. I think you’ll all agree that the shots are incredible and that they encapsulate Xavier’s brief superbly.’

  The crowd cheered in agreement. They didn’t care that Angelique wasn’t in the photographs; she wasn’t that popular, anyway. Women detested her and even some men found her arrogant and brittle.

  Leoni shot a worried glance at Xavier but when he smiled back at her, she relaxed. It had been a bold move but Seraphina was a natural in front of the camera. She had pulled the shots off effortlessly and had managed in a short time to do what Angelique had failed to achieve during several days of wasted film.

  ‘We’ll be using the beach shots as the main ad campaign,’ Leoni added, keen to get the crowd focused on the photographs again and away from Angelique who looked fit to burst. ‘The other shots will be used in selected outlets all over the world, with the short advert being played worldwide also. Please feel free to help yourself to as many samples as you can carry and please accept a goody bag each as a gift from the Ducasse family.’

  Angelique was seething as she realised how many millions of people would see Seraphina in the ad campaign instead of her. And what the hell did Leoni mean about creative differences? No one had spoken to her about it. Angelique felt as though she’d been horribly outmanoeuvred by the Ducasse family. Keen not to cause a scene and damage her reputation, Angelique nonetheless wanted an explanation and she wanted it how. The Ducasses were going to regret messing her around, Angelique raged to herself. They had no idea what she had up her sleeve; no idea whatsoever.

  Xavier began to quietly usher each member of the family towards the room at the back of the store. Delphine exchanged a glance with Guy who looked equally baffled.

  ‘Cat, can you join us?’ Xavier asked.

  ‘Er . . . it looks like a family meeting . . .’ Not sure what was going on, Cat did as she was told when she saw that Xavier was including Angelique in the gathering.

  Angelique pulled a face, furious at being pushed out of the campaign and outraged that Cat was being treated like a member of the family. She, for one, couldn’t wait to go somewhere private and talk. Compensation would be a good starting point and if Xavier came quietly, there would be no reason to play dirty. But if need be, she was prepared to get her hands well and truly filthy.

  The celebrities and distinguished guests continued to chat and drink champagne, hardly noticing as the Ducasse family withdrew.

  ‘Max and Seraphina, do you think you can keep everyone happy out here?’ Xavier asked. ‘I’ll fill you in later, but for now, I really need you to make sure our guests are happy and that they know everything they want know about the new fragrance.’

  Seraphina nodded, buoyed up by the positive reaction to her first foray as a model. Max looked sulky for a minute but when Madeleine nudged him, he grinned. ‘I suppose I can talk business for a while.’

  Leoni pulled Ashton with her into the tiny office at the back of the store and Xavier closed the door.

  ‘What the fuck is going on?’ Angelique screeched before she could help herself.

  Leoni shot her a poisonous glance. ‘Calm down, Angelique! I made the decision to remove you from the ad campaign because the shots we took of you didn’t fulfil the brief. We took vast quantities of photographs – you know that yourself – and none of them was right.’

  Angelique scorned Leoni’s words. ‘This is nothing more than nepotism! Using Seraphina is just the Ducasse family closing ranks for their own gratification.’

  ‘It’s nothing of the sort, Angelique,’ Delphine interjected calmly. ‘I gave my permission for Leoni to explore other avenues with the ad campaign and I happen to think she made the right decision. Seraphina did a superb job with the modelling and, unlike you, she embodies Xavier’s new fragrance to perfection.’

  Leoni felt warm and fuzzy inside at her grandmother’s words. It felt good to be taken seriously at last. She glanced at Angelique, feeling a flash of sympathy for her. Angelique had been hired in good faith and she had worked hard to get the shots, even if they had been slightly vulgar and verging on pornographic at times.

  ‘You can’t just kick me off the campaign and not compensate me,’ Angelique stuttered angrily, her face contorting. ‘You asked me to come to La Fleurie and do the shots. I missed out on work because of it. Important work.’ Her eyes flashed at the thought of what she had given up to go to Provence. She had turned down a Hollywood film, probably the biggest opportunity she had ever been presented with. Angelique conveniently forgot the reason behind her distaste for the Hollywood film – that she would, once more, be asked to strip off and perform like some kind of naked go-go dancer.

  Leoni drew a document out of her handbag. ‘You’re absolutely right and I’ve put together a very favourable package to make sure you’re not out of pocket for the time you spent at La Fleurie.’

  Guy shook his head in amazement. Having ducked out of the business to focus on his grief counselling, he had known nothing about any of this but he couldn’t help being impressed with Leoni’s professionalism.

  Angelique scanned the document sourly. ‘How very generous of you,’ she sneered. The sum of money she was being paid was astronomical but probably just a drop in the ocean to the Ducasse family. Livid, Angelique turned to Xavier.

  ‘You say you knew nothing about this. Are you happy for me not to be involved?’

  Cat, standing near Guy for moral support, felt her heart fluttering as she watched Xavier stride to Angelique’s side. Terrified he was going to kiss her for a moment, Cat almost exclaimed out loud when he stopped in front of her, his eyes consumed with regret.

  ‘I didn’t like the photographs,’ he admitted. ‘When I saw them, I knew they weren’t right for the new fragrance
, but I didn’t have time to do anything about them. And I didn’t know Leoni had decided to get Seraphina to do some shots.’ He took a document of his own out of his pocket. ‘But that’s not why I called everyone in here.’ Xavier turned to face his family. ‘Something came to my attention when I was in Morocco and I did some investigating. I had to come back to Paris to find the information I needed and here it is.’ He glanced at Cat and when he spoke again, his voice softened. ‘Sorry I haven’t been around. I have my reasons and this was very important to me and you’ll see why in a moment. In fact, this concerns you too.’

  Cat stared at him then nodded. She trusted Xavier. She didn’t know why, especially in view of his recent behaviour, but something about the look in his eye told her he had her best interests at heart.

  Xavier unfolded the piece of paper he held in his hands and showed it to Angelique. ‘Recognise this?’ he said softly.

  She snatched it from him and blanched. ‘Where did you get this?’ she whispered.

  Xavier met her eyes unflinchingly. ‘Here, in Paris. Where else?’

  Angelique swallowed but she rolled her shoulders in a brazen manner. ‘So you know. What of it?’

  ‘Know what?’ Leoni frowned. ‘What’s this about?’

  ‘It’s a marriage certificate,’ Xavier answered. He shot Leoni an apologetic look before doing the same to Cat, who started to tremble. She had no idea what was going on but from the look in Xavier’s eyes, something was about to change.

  Xavier cleared his throat. ‘It’s a marriage certificate between Angelique Bodart and Olivier Ducasse, dated two and a half years ago.’

  A heavy silence hung in the air.

  ‘What?’ Leoni grabbed the certificate disbelievingly. Reading the evidence with her own eyes, her mouth fell open. Wordlessly, she handed it to Delphine. Angelique and Olivier? It didn’t make sense. Cat let out a gasp and almost lost her footing, grateful when Guy steadied her.

  ‘Rene, the Moroccan hotel owner, alerted me,’ Xavier explained in a cold voice. ‘He remembered you from all your visits there with Olivier, Angelique – and why wouldn’t he? He told me how happy you both were and how you planned to marry in Paris. It didn’t take too long for me to put two and two together and figure out what you’d done.’

  Cat’s head was spinning. She had never been legally married to Olivier! He was already married . . . to Angelique. But Angelique had been Xavier’s girlfriend back then – hadn’t she? Olivier had not only been a liar, he had been a bigamist as well. She had no right to be staying at La Fleurie with the Ducasse family at all. Meeting Xavier’s eyes in agony, Cat didn’t know what to say.

  Angelique turned on her and scoffed. ‘I said you had no right to be there, didn’t I?’

  Still holding on to Guy, Cat felt tears pricking at her eyes. ‘You did. And I guess you knew that better than anyone.’ She glanced at Delphine, not sure whether to laugh or cry. ‘At least you don’t need to worry about me inheriting a chunk of the family business any more,’ she said with a wobbly smile.

  Delphine smiled back. If anything, she looked as though she wanted to rush over and give Cat a hug.

  ‘It’s not her you need to worry about, though, is it?’ Angelique purred. ‘My marriage to Olivier was legal, you’ve seen the documentation. But it doesn’t matter, either way.’ She slid a hand round Xavier’s waist. ‘If you marry me, everything will be as it should be. I made a mistake with Olivier.’ Angelique shrugged carelessly. ‘It’s you I love, Xavier.’

  Cat could barely watch. Her heart was thumping crazily in her chest but she knew she had no claim to Xavier, or to any member of the Ducasse family. Once again, she felt a desperate need to escape. Feeling suffocated, Cat glanced at the door, wondering if anyone would notice if she legged it. Easing herself out of Guy’s grasp, she gave him a shaky but reassuring smile to let him know she was all right.

  Xavier moved away from Angelique. ‘If you love me so much, why did you marry my cousin? The date on that marriage certificate says you were together when we were still an item – just before my mother’s death, in fact. I’d love to hear your thoughts on that.’

  Angelique realised she was going to have to call on her acting skills. ‘Olivier came on to me,’ she said, deciding it was the best course of action to blame the dead person who couldn’t defend himself. ‘I did my best to resist him but one night we got carried away. We met up in Paris later and did a foolish thing – we got married. It’s not a crime.’ She gestured dismissively in Cat’s direction. ‘She married Olivier on a whim and you all act as though she’s part of the family because of it.’

  ‘She wasn’t sleeping with his cousin at the same time,’ Leoni spat back nastily. ‘Cat married Olivier in good faith, she didn’t know he was a liar and a . . . a bigamist.’ She glanced at Cat. ‘I’m so sorry. I promise you I had no idea.’

  Cat couldn’t speak she was so choked.

  ‘Oh my God!’ Ashton smacked his hand against his head. ‘I remember Olivier hinting to me back then that he’d done something really bad. He said he couldn’t tell me what it was but it was terrible enough to cause a huge rift in the family.’ He threw Xavier a sympathetic glance. ‘I’m so sorry, Xav. Olivier was flying out to Morocco every few weeks back then but I had no idea he was with Angelique.’

  Xavier gave him a brief nod. ‘You have nothing to be sorry for, Ash.’ He turned to Angelique almost casually. ‘So what about the baby? Is that why you and Olivier got married?’

  ‘W-what?’ Angelique was caught unawares and before she could cover it up, her expression showed pure guilt.

  ‘What baby?’ Delphine asked in confusion.

  Xavier said nothing, his eyes still focused on Angelique. ‘It was never mine, was it?’ His voice was dangerously quiet. ‘It was Olivier’s.’

  Angelique hesitated but realised the game was up. ‘Oh, all right! The baby was Olivier’s. He didn’t want it and neither did I.’

  Xavier flinched but said nothing.

  Angelique didn’t notice. ‘We got married in secret then realised we’d been stupid and we agreed to sort out the divorce later on. Time went on and we forgot about it and then Olivier died,’ she added rather unnecessarily. ‘He died and the first I knew about him marrying someone else was when I read about it in the papers.’

  Leoni couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Olivier had got Angelique pregnant? The story was getting more incredible by the minute. Leoni glanced at Ashton, who was looking as shell-shocked as she felt.

  ‘What happened to the baby, Angelique?’ Delphine suddenly asked. Her hazel eyes were frosty and she demanded an answer.

  Angelique cast her eyes to the ground. ‘I got rid of it,’ she muttered.

  Xavier let out a jerky breath. ‘I thought so. You didn’t “lose” our baby. It was never mine in the first place and you lied about having a miscarriage.’ He gritted his teeth. ‘That was one of the saddest times in my life, Angelique. How could you fucking do that to me?’

  Angelique shrank back.

  Xavier roared. ‘You’re a disgrace. You made me believe I’d lost a child when you were screwing my cousin behind my back and plotting abortions. You make me sick, Angelique, sick to the stomach.’

  Guy was speechless. All at once, he understood why Xavier had been so utterly destroyed back then.

  Delphine looked equally horrified, not least because she was responsible for Angelique’s return to La Fleurie. She would never, ever intervene in her family’s personal lives again.

  Unable to hear any more, Cat slipped unnoticed out of the office.

  Xavier folded his arms and stared at Angelique. ‘So, what are you really doing here, Angelique? It has nothing to do with me and I’ve known that for a while. No, it’s because of the family perfume business, isn’t it?’

  ‘So what if it is?’ Angelique returned rudely. ‘As much as it pains me to admit it, you, the Ducasse family, are respected. Your business is known throughout the world, you are a brand. That’s wh
at I want.’

  ‘Respect!’ Leoni burst into peals of laughter. ‘You’ve got to be kidding. No one’s going to respect you when they hear about everything you’ve done.’

  Xavier shook his head. ‘No one is going to hear about any of this,’ he stated firmly. ‘All ties to the family will be legally severed, with immediate effect. You will not contest that decision, nor will you ever try to claim any interest in the Ducasse family business, Angelique. Do you understand?’

  It was Angelique’s turn to laugh and the harsh sound grated on everyone’s already shredded nerves. ‘And why on earth would I agree to that?’ she exclaimed.

  ‘Because otherwise I’ll tell the press that you tried to steal the formula for my latest perfume,’ Xavier said impassively. ‘Because you did, didn’t you? It was a sort of insurance, wasn’t it? You thought you could use it for your own perfume line if I didn’t marry you or after you’d divorced me or some such nonsense.’

  Angelique flushed, clashing wildly with her dress.

  Xavier looked disappointed. ‘What a shame. I was hoping I was wrong about that part. Get out, can you? Legal papers will be sent to you and none of us ever want to see you again.’

  About to argue, Angelique backed down. As soon as she’d left the room, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

  ‘Unbelievable!’ said Leoni, feeling tearful. ‘Xavier, I’m so sorry about Olivier. I didn’t realise he was capable of such awful behaviour.’

  ‘It’s not your fault.’ Xavier put the marriage certificate back into his pocket for safekeeping. ‘It’s no one’s fault.’ He looked around suddenly. ‘Fuck, where’s Cat?’

  Guy glanced to his left in surprise. ‘She was right here! I was holding her up because I thought she was about to faint and then you said about the baby . . .’

  Delphine tutted. ‘Silly girl! Where on earth has she gone? And why would she leave like that?’

  ‘Perhaps she thought she had no right to be here,’ Leoni offered. ‘She’s just found out my stupid brother was a bigamist and she was probably embarrassed. I know I am.’