Chapter 6 - The Woman Everyone Called a MistressThe next morning, I met Vincent at a small private dining room inside a downtown Chicago hotel.
Madison sat beside me.
Two attorneys were present.
A security professional stood outside.
And across the table sat the man I'd once loved more than anyone in the world.
Vincent looked terrible.
He hadn't shaved.
There were dark circles under his eyes.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
For the first time since meeting him, he looked less like a billionaire and more like a frightened human being.
I didn't feel sorry for him.
Not yet.
He had earned every ounce of my anger.
"Start talking," I said.
Vincent folded his hands.
"I met Sophia before I met you. We dated briefly. We ended things before she knew she was pregnant."
"So Lily is yours?"
"That's what Sophia believes. I saw a laboratory report six months ago, but I never personally verified the collection process."
Madison leaned forward.
"Do you have the report?"
Vincent handed her a folder.
She examined it.
"Do you realize this is a privately arranged test without independently verified identification?"
He nodded.
"I do now."
I stared at him.
"You bought a woman a mansion because of a test you didn't properly verify?"
"Partly. But mostly because someone threatened her daughter."
"Who?"
Vincent looked toward the door.
"My father."
The room became silent.
Then he continued.
"Lorenzo has been obsessed with preventing Gabriel's old investigation from resurfacing. When Sophia found suspicious payments while working for me, she accidentally accessed files connected to Gabriel."
"And Lily?"
"She became leverage."
I turned toward Madison.
"Why would his father threaten a child?"
Vincent answered before she could.
"Because my father has spent his entire life believing other people are possessions."
I watched him carefully.
"Yet you let him remain chairman."
"I did."
"You continued working with him."
"Yes."
"You let him have access to my mother's trust."
Vincent lowered his eyes.
"Yes."
"So even if you didn't steal the money yourself, you created the opportunity."
He swallowed.
"You're right."
His admission didn't make me feel better.
It made me furious.
"You don't get to hide behind your father's crimes, Vincent."
"I'm not trying to."
"Then why didn't you come to me when you first learned something was wrong?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Of losing money?"
He shook his head.
"Of losing you."
I laughed.
"That's exactly what your silence accomplished."
He looked down.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then the door opened.
Sophia entered.
She wore a simple gray dress.
Her hair was tied back.
Without the makeup and designer clothes she usually wore at the office, she looked younger.
And exhausted.
She stopped when she saw me.
"Claire."
I didn't answer.
Sophia took the chair opposite mine.
"I know you have every reason to hate me."
"That depends."
She looked confused.
"On what?"
"On whether you came here to tell me the truth or another version that protects Vincent."
Her eyes filled.
"The truth."
"Then start with Lily."
Sophia took a breath.
"Seven years ago, Vincent and I dated. When I found out I was pregnant, we'd already separated. I was angry. He was busy building his career. I decided to raise Lily alone."
I listened.
"Three years ago, I applied for a position at Moretti Global. I needed better insurance and a steady salary. Vincent recognized me during the interview process. I told him about Lily, but I said he wasn't her father."
Vincent looked up sharply.
That was apparently new information.
Sophia continued.
"I didn't want him involved. I thought I could keep everything separate."
"What changed?"
"Last year, Lily needed surgery for a congenital heart condition."
My expression softened despite myself.
"Is she all right?"
Sophia nodded.
"She's doing well now. But the hospital bills were overwhelming, and I started looking through old medical records. I realized there was more uncertainty about her father's identity than I'd admitted."
She looked at Vincent.
"I told him he might be Lily's father."
"Why did you wait?"
"Because I was ashamed."
I leaned back.
"Of what?"
Sophia stared at her hands.
"Because I hadn't told him the whole truth about my life before we met."
Madison leaned forward.
"What truth?"
Sophia's lips trembled.
"The man I was dating just before Vincent was connected to his family."
Vincent went completely still.
"Who?"
Sophia covered her mouth.
I felt my heart begin to race.
"Sophia."
She looked at me.
"Who was it?"
Tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Gabriel Moretti."
The room fell silent.
Vincent stood so quickly his chair scraped across the floor.
"What?"
Sophia flinched.
"I didn't know he was your brother when I first met him."
Vincent stared at her.
"Gabriel died eight years ago."
"I know."
"Lily is six."
Sophia nodded miserably.
"So Gabriel can't be Lily's father," Madison said.
"No," Sophia whispered. "But he is the reason I'm involved in all this."
Vincent remained standing.
"What are you talking about?"
Sophia reached into her handbag.
She removed an old photograph.
It showed Gabriel Moretti standing beside a young blonde woman.
Sophia.
They were smiling outside a restaurant.
"Gabriel and I dated briefly during the last year of his life," she said. "After he died, I met Vincent at a conference. Neither of us realized we'd both known Gabriel until much later."
Vincent shook his head.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I promised Gabriel I would never tell your father how close we were."
"What did Gabriel tell you?"
Sophia's voice broke.
"That he was investigating something dangerous."
She placed a small envelope on the table.
"And that if I ever needed help, I should contact Elizabeth Whitmore."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"My mother?"
Sophia nodded.
"After Gabriel disappeared, I wrote to her. She replied once. She said she was collecting evidence and that I should keep a low profile."
Madison looked at me.
The puzzle was growing.
Sophia continued.
"When I started working for Vincent, I recognized several names in the financial records. I knew they were connected to Gabriel's investigation. I didn't know who I could trust."
"Then why not tell Vincent?" I asked.
"Because I didn't know whether he was helping his father."
Her answer was painful.
But understandable.
Vincent sat down slowly.
"What about the paternity test?"
Sophia began crying again.
"I arranged the test because I thought it would finally settle things. The clinic sent me the report saying you were Lily's father."
"Did you personally collect my sample?"
"No. I used the sample that arrived through the family medical office."
Madison's expression sharpened.
"Lorenzo controls that office, doesn't he?"
Vincent nodded.
Something dark passed across his face.
Sophia looked at me.
"I know how this sounds. I know you think I wanted your husband."
I stayed silent.
She continued.
"But I never wanted your marriage. I wanted my daughter safe."
"Then why did you accept the mansion?"
"Because somebody delivered a photograph of Lily sleeping in her bedroom."
My breath caught.
Sophia began shaking.
"The photograph had been taken from inside our house. They told me if I didn't cooperate, they would come back."
Vincent reached toward her.
She pulled away.
I watched them.
For weeks, I'd pictured Sophia laughing behind my back.
Enjoying expensive gifts.
Sleeping beside my husband.
Planning to replace me.
But the woman sitting across from me looked terrified.
And suddenly, I realized I'd been looking at only one part of the story.
"What did they demand?" I asked.
Sophia looked at Vincent.
Then at Madison.
Finally, she whispered:
"They wanted me to destroy the original financial records Gabriel gave your mother."
My skin prickled.
"But I couldn't find them."
I thought of the vault.
The silver key.
The flash drive.
I said nothing.
Sophia continued.
"Then they wanted me to get close to Vincent and find out what he knew."
My heart sank.
"Who gave you these instructions?"
Sophia hesitated.
"Grant."
Vincent frowned.
"Grant Mercer?"
I recognized the name.
Grant Mercer was Moretti Global's chief financial officer.
Forty-eight years old.
Divorced.
Polished.
Always smiling.
He had attended our wedding.
He had sent flowers when Noah was born.
And he was Lorenzo Moretti's closest business associate.
"Grant told me he was helping protect Lily," Sophia whispered.
Madison slowly closed her folder.
"Did he tell you where the transferred money was going?"
Sophia nodded.
"Some of it."
"Where?"
Sophia's face turned white.
She reached into her handbag again and removed a second envelope.
This one was thick.
Inside were copies of financial transfers.
One name appeared repeatedly.
The Evelyn Foundation.
My breath caught.
Evelyn was my mother's middle name.
The foundation had been established to fund scholarships for disadvantaged girls.
It was supposed to be her greatest legacy.
Sophia pointed at the documents.
"Grant was using the foundation as a pass-through account."
I felt cold all over.
"For what?"
Sophia swallowed.
"To make it look like you personally authorized payments to private companies."
Madison leaned forward.
"Which companies?"
Sophia whispered:
"Companies controlled by Lorenzo."
I looked at Vincent.
He appeared as stunned as I felt.
Then Sophia said something that made my heart nearly stop.
"There's one more thing."
I stared at her.
"What?"
"Lorenzo isn't just stealing from the foundation."
May you like
Her voice trembled.
"He's planning to accuse you of doing it."
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