Read Betrayal for Free Online Page A

your last business transaction no longer exists. The amnesty's over, Mr Greene. You owe us, and you've got three days to repay.'
    'Three days! I can't find that sort of money in three months! For God's sake be reasonable, Bishop. You know how it is with me.'
    'Indeed I do. You've been a fool and now you're going to pay the price. That's how it is with you. I see the same thing all the time. You're not special, in fact you're depressingly mundane; greedy and over-ambitious. A fitting epitaph perhaps. Simon Greene, beloved husband of etc., and then Greedy and Ambitious in beautiful Gothic script. Yes, very tasteful!' And he laughed without humour.
    With a strangled shout, Simon stumbled forward, launching himself at Bishop with all the strength he possessed. Bishop stepped to one side while putting out a foot and sending Simon sprawling to the floor. He then bent over the fallen man and whispered in his ear.
    Only after Bishop had vanished out of the front door did Lisa see the thin trickle of blood running from Simon's face on to the carpet. Ignoring the now hysterical Stephanie she ran and bent over him, crying out in horror when she saw that his nose had been slit along the bridge. A thin, clean line that could only have been made by a razor or very sharp knife. Dashing into the kitchen she picked up a fresh tea towel and then pressed it against the wound. Already the blood was only seeping; it had simply been a warning.
    'You'll have to call the police,' she told a trembling Stephanie, but Stephanie, rapidly regaining her composure now they were alone, laughed bitterly. 'Call the police? You stupid girl! Do you think we can afford to have the police looking into our affairs? Open your eyes, Lisa. Look around you. Did you honestly think Simon paid for all this by selling his antiques?'
    Until that moment she really had, and her face showed as much. 'Idiotic child!' continued Stephanie, not shouting now but sounding totally contemptuous of the tall, slim girl standing awkwardly in front of her. 'You think you know so much but really you don't know anything at all. You didn't even recognise your own value, did you?'
    'I don't know what you mean. What kind of value?' 'You were wanted.'
    'Wanted?'
    'By a man, you silly bitch! He'd been waiting for you to finish your education before telling you, but you couldn't wait. You had to rush off and jump into bed with some second-rate gigolo who's not likely to give you anything except an illegitimate baby. If you only knew what you could have had, you'd weep! My God, when I think… ' 'But I don't know any men,' said Lisa, totally bewildered by the outburst. 'I've never met anyone who's showed the slightest interest in me before Toby.'
    'You were too blind to see it, that's all, and of course you wouldn't listen to us. Oh no, you knew best. Well, look what's happened to Simon as a result of your piece of mindless bed-hopping.'
    'That's not my fault! It can't be. I haven't done anything,' she protested.
    'You didn't have to. Your existence was enough. He was as misled by your looks as we were when we chose you, only we're the ones who have to pay the penalty for his mistake as well. And to think that I could have had that baby girl with the blonde curls in the cot next to yours!'
    Lisa swallowed hard. She didn't know who this unknown man was, or why Simon was in so much trouble, but obviously it was her fault. Apparently even when you grew older it was appearances that mattered. This unknown man hadn't bothered to get to know her, had never made his interest known, but he'd been willing to make some kind of bargain with Simon on the strength of her.
    'Did he want to marry me?' she asked slowly, 'because if that's what was meant to happen, nothing's changed. Don't you see that? I haven't married Toby, I've only slept with him.'
    'Of course he didn't want to marry you!' shouted Stephanie. 'He wanted to be your protector, your… '
    Lisa was beginning to feel sick. 'Are you saying that you