MMY HUSBAND INTRODUCED HIS MISTRESS AS HIS FUTURE WIFE IN FRONT OF FOUR HUNDRED GUESTS, SO I HANDED HIM DIVORCE PAPERS AND KEPT ONE SECRET HE NEVER SAW COMING

Dominic spent the next six hours investigating the photograph.

His mother, Victoria, had supposedly died in a car accident when he was thirteen.

He remembered the funeral.

He remembered his father telling him that grief was weakness.

He remembered his grandmother refusing to discuss the accident.

But the photograph had been taken two years later.

Griffin stood near the office windows.

"I contacted the estate archivist. The photograph came from a private collection Margaret maintained."

"Who was the woman standing beside my mother?"

"The archivist believes it was taken at the Marlowe property."

Dominic turned slowly.

"Marlowe?"

"Your wife's family."

The revelation struck him harder than he expected.

Eliza's grandmother had known his mother.

Perhaps for decades.

He opened the old trust documents again.

A handwritten letter was attached to the back.

The first lines were addressed to Eliza.

My dearest Eliza,

If you are reading this, it means the Rourke family has finally brought its old secrets to your doorstep.

Do not confuse wealth with safety. And never mistake a man's promises for proof of his character.

Dominic read the words twice.

Then he noticed another line.

Your mother knows what happened to Victoria.

He looked at Griffin.

"Find Paige."

Across town, Eliza was having lunch with her sister when Rebecca called.

"The financial review uncovered something concerning."

"What?"

"Someone attempted to transfer a portion of your trust holdings three weeks ago."

Eliza nearly dropped her fork.

"Who?"

"The authorization was submitted through an account associated with Blackridge."

"Dominic?"

"Not necessarily. But the signature used your name."

Eliza felt sick.

"I never authorized that."

"I believe you. We're freezing the relevant accounts while we investigate."

Paige reached across the table.

"What happened?"

Eliza explained.

Paige's expression turned furious.

"He's trying to take your money now?"

"We don't know that it was him."

"Who else would have access?"

Eliza couldn't answer.

That afternoon, Dominic arrived at Paige's house again.

This time, Griffin accompanied him.

Paige opened the door and immediately blocked the entrance.

"You have five seconds."

"I need to speak to Eliza."

"She doesn't need to speak to you."

Dominic held up the photograph.

"Then tell me why my mother is standing beside your grandmother."

Paige's face changed.

It was subtle.

But Dominic saw it.

"Where did you get that?" she asked.

"My grandmother's archive."

Paige glanced toward the living room.

Eliza appeared in the doorway.

"What is this?"

Dominic handed her the photograph.

Eliza stared at it.

She recognized her grandmother immediately.

The other woman was unfamiliar, but the resemblance to Dominic was unmistakable.

"Who is she?"

"My mother."

Eliza looked up.

"Your mother died when you were thirteen."

"That's what I was told."

Paige slowly closed the front door.

Dominic turned toward her.

"You know something."

Paige looked at Eliza.

Eliza's voice was barely audible.

"Paige?"

Her sister closed her eyes.

"Grandma made me promise not to tell you until you were older."

"Tell me what?"

Paige took a breath.

"Victoria Rourke didn't die in that accident."

Dominic went completely still.

"What?"

"She disappeared. Your father arranged the funeral without allowing anyone to identify the body. Grandma helped her leave because she was afraid he would kill her."

Dominic's expression became frighteningly blank.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

Eliza stepped between them.

"Dominic, stop."

He looked at her.

For the first time since their marriage began falling apart, she saw genuine fear in his eyes.

"Did your grandmother help my mother?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Paige answered quietly.

"Because your father was involved in something terrible. Victoria found documents proving he was using the family companies to move money through criminal networks. She wanted to expose him."

Dominic turned away.

His father, Richard Rourke, had died six years earlier.

But the companies were still operating.

And some of the men who had worked for him remained powerful.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded.

Paige's voice hardened.

"Because every time your family came near ours, someone got hurt."

Eliza stared at her sister.

"What does that mean?"

Paige reached into a cabinet and removed a small wooden box.

Inside lay a photograph, a folded letter, and a silver key.

"The necklace wasn't just jewelry," Paige said. "Grandma believed it was connected to a hidden account and a set of documents your father never found."

Dominic looked at the emerald necklace photograph.

"Where is the real one?"

Paige shook her head.

"Your grandmother hid it before she died."

"Where?"

Paige looked directly at him.

"She left the answer with Eliza."

Eliza frowned.

"I've never seen it."

Paige removed the folded letter.

"Not yet."

Before anyone could read it, Griffin's phone rang.