Chapter 8 - THE CHILD SABRINA NEVER TOLD HIM ABOUT
Roman felt the world stop.
“My what?”
“Daughter.”
“No.”
Luca did not argue.
Roman looked again at the photograph.
Eight years old.
Impossible.
He had known Sabrina less than two years.
So she could not be Sabrina’s.
Roman went downstairs.
Malcolm Vane sat inside a secured interview room.
Beside him was the girl.
She held a battered stuffed rabbit.
When Roman entered, she studied him with enormous gray eyes.
Malcolm smiled.
“Hello, son.”
Roman ignored him.
“Who is she?”
The girl looked frightened.
Malcolm answered.
“Her name is Lily.”
“That doesn’t answer me.”
“She’s your daughter.”
Roman’s voice hardened.
“Her mother?”
“Cassandra Reed.”
The name struck him.
Roman remembered Cassandra.
Nine years earlier.
Before Naomi.
Before their marriage.
A short relationship that ended when Cassandra moved to Seattle.
Roman had never known she was pregnant.
Malcolm explained.
Cassandra had discovered Roman’s family connections and panicked.
She raised Lily alone.
Six months earlier, Cassandra died from an aneurysm.
Documents among her belongings identified Roman as Lily’s father.
Malcolm found them first.
Roman looked at the child.
“Does she know?”
“She knows you’re her biological father.”
Roman crouched slowly.
“Hi, Lily.”
She hugged the rabbit tighter.
“Are you a bad man?”
The question hit harder than any accusation.
Roman considered lying.
He didn’t.
“I’ve done bad things.”
“Grandpa Malcolm says everybody has.”
Roman glanced at Malcolm.
“I’m not sure he’s the person to teach philosophy.”
Lily almost smiled.
Roman turned serious again.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No.”
“Did anyone?”
She shook her head.
Roman stood.
“Why bring her here?”
Malcolm’s expression changed.
“Because I’m finished.”
Roman laughed without humor.
“You kidnapped Elena.”
“I did.”
“You threatened infants.”
“I threatened to take them. I never intended to hurt them.”
“You destroyed my marriage.”
“No.”
Malcolm’s answer was immediate.
“I created the opportunity. You destroyed your marriage.”
Roman hated him for being right.
Malcolm continued.
“I spent twenty-eight years wanting Vittorio’s family destroyed. Then I discovered you were my son.”
“And that stopped you?”
“No.”
Malcolm looked ashamed.
“That’s the worst part.”
Roman stared at him.
“I hated Vittorio more than I loved a son I had never met.”
Lily listened silently.
Roman lowered his voice.
“Don’t say this in front of her.”
Something changed in Malcolm’s eyes.
Roman was protecting a child Malcolm had used as a final piece in his war.
Malcolm looked away.
“I surrendered because Naomi’s files were released. There’s nothing left to fight over.”
“No. You surrendered because you lost.”
“Maybe.”
Roman turned toward Lily.
A social worker was waiting outside.
He had no legal right to simply take her.
DNA testing would take time.
Custody hearings would follow.
Roman was suddenly facing three children.
Two premature newborns.
One frightened eight-year-old.
He had spent his life controlling thousands of employees.
He had absolutely no idea how to braid hair.
Three weeks later, Isabella and Matteo finally came home.
Roman had transformed the penthouse.
Not into a fortress.
Into a home.
Lily had been temporarily placed with Cassandra’s sister while paternity was confirmed.
The result was 99.99 percent.
She was Roman’s daughter.
Roman sat in family court voluntarily.
No special treatment.
No intimidation.
No backroom calls.
He requested gradual visitation.
The judge approved it.
His first afternoon alone with Lily was a catastrophe.
Matteo spit up on Roman’s shirt.
Isabella screamed because Lily accidentally dropped a bottle.
Roman burned grilled cheese.
The smoke alarm went off.
Lily stared at the blackened sandwich.
“You’re rich.”
“Yes.”
“And you can’t make grilled cheese?”
“Apparently wealth has limits.”
For the first time, she laughed.
Roman stared at her.
It sounded like sunlight.
Then the doorbell rang.
Sabrina stood outside.
Roman’s expression changed.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“I know.”
She held an envelope.
“I’m leaving New York.”
Roman said nothing.
“I testified against Malcolm.”
“I heard.”
“And Salvatore.”
“I heard that too.”
She handed him the envelope.
“This belonged to Naomi.”
Roman stiffened.
“How did you get it?”
“She mailed it to me before she went into the hospital.”
Roman opened it.
Inside was a single letter addressed to Sabrina.
He looked up.
“You read it?”
Sabrina nodded.
Tears filled her eyes.
“She knew exactly what I was doing.”
Roman unfolded the page.
Naomi’s words were devastatingly simple.
Sabrina,
You think winning Roman means replacing me.
It doesn’t.
If you actually love him, stop helping Malcolm turn him into his father.
If you don’t love him, then leave before my children pay for our mistakes.
Roman lowered the letter.
Sabrina wiped her cheek.
“She knew I was helping Malcolm, and she still gave me a chance to stop.”
Roman looked at her.
“And did you?”
“Too late.”
Sabrina turned to leave.
Roman did not stop her.
Then she paused.
“There’s something else.”
Roman waited.
“The blood-delivery delay wasn’t the only reason Naomi died.”
His face changed.
“What are you talking about?”
Sabrina looked toward the nursery.
“The hospital investigation found something in her medication records.”
Roman felt dread return.
“What?”
“Someone changed the dosage before surgery.”
“Salvatore?”
“No.”
“Malcolm?”
“No.”
Sabrina swallowed.
“It was done using Naomi’s own login.”
Roman stared at her.
“That’s impossible.”
May you like
Sabrina shook her head.
“Unless Naomi changed it herself.”
