The day I called my husband to tell him I was finally pregnant after three years of marriage, he told me he was too busy taking his first love to a famous bakery he'd rented out just for her. The next afternoon, he forced me to eat the strawberry cheesecake he'd bought there, even though he knew I was severely allergic. By the time I reached the emergency room, our baby was gone—and Vincent still had no idea what he had destroyed.

Sophia Reynolds had always known how to make herself look wounded.

When Vincent ended their relationship, she did not scream or threaten him. She cried quietly, apologized for the misunderstanding, and reminded him that they had known each other since childhood.

“You were the first person who ever made me feel safe,” she told him.

Vincent stood by the window of his office.

“I should never have let you use that history to excuse what you did to Claire.”

“I didn't force her to eat anything.”

“You brought the cake.”

“Because you asked me to find something for her.”

“I never asked you to bring strawberries.”

Sophia's eyes widened.

“You don't remember? You said she needed to stop being so sensitive.”

Vincent turned.

“I said that?”

“You said a lot of things, Vincent. You can't blame me for all of them.”

She was right about one thing.

He had made the choice to force Claire to eat the cheesecake. Whatever Sophia had intended, he had been the one who ignored Claire's protests and held her still.

For the first time, he did not attempt to escape that truth.

“No,” he said. “I can't.”

Sophia seemed unprepared for the answer.

She moved closer.

“If you want me to apologize to Claire, I will. But you need to understand that she was never right for you. She wanted a normal life. You can't give her that.”

“Neither could you.”

“I could have given you loyalty.”

Vincent almost laughed.

“You gave me secrecy. You gave me lies. And I gave you permission because it was easier than facing what I'd become.”

He opened the door.

“Leave.”

This time, Sophia did not cry.

“You'll regret this,” she said. “You think Claire will take you back because you finally feel guilty? She'll never forgive you.”

“I know.”

The answer seemed to anger her more than any threat could have.

She left.

Two hours later, Dominic reported that Richard Hale had transferred money to a company registered under a false name. The company had paid Sophia's father for consulting work that appeared never to have occurred.

The dates overlapped with the final months of Isabella's life and several payments made shortly after her death.

Vincent ordered his legal team to preserve the records and report the suspicious transactions to the appropriate authorities. He would not allow his men to intimidate witnesses or seize documents.

“If we have evidence, we use it properly,” he said. “No threats. No disappearing people.”

Dominic gave a short nod. “You've changed your instructions.”

“I'm trying to change the man giving them.”

Meanwhile, Claire agreed to meet Sophia in a public café after receiving a message through Evelyn's office. She almost canceled twice.

She had no desire to hear excuses from the woman who had sent her a photograph of Vincent's arm around her shoulders.

But she wanted to understand why Sophia had chosen her.

Sophia arrived wearing dark sunglasses and a cream coat.

“You look tired,” she said.

Claire stared at her. “Why did you ask to meet me?”

Sophia sat down.

“I wanted to explain.”

“Then explain.”

Sophia removed her sunglasses. “Vincent and I have known each other since we were children. His family expected us to marry. Your arrival changed everything.”

“I didn't arrive. Vincent chose to marry me.”

“Because you made him feel guilty about his life.”

Claire's expression did not change.

“You don't know anything about my marriage.”

“I know he was miserable.”

“And you thought making him betray me would make him happy?”

Sophia looked down at her hands.

For the first time, Claire noticed a small tremor in her fingers.

“My father told me the Morettis owed our family,” Sophia said. “He said Vincent's father had destroyed my mother's life and then paid us to disappear. He said Vincent had a duty to make things right.”

“So you slept with him to collect a debt?”

“It wasn't supposed to become serious.”

Claire stood.

“Then you should have ended it before you involved me.”

“Wait.”

Sophia caught her sleeve, then released it when Claire pulled away.

“There was something else,” Sophia whispered. “The cheesecake wasn't the only thing I was asked to bring into that house.”

Claire froze.

“What does that mean?”

Sophia looked toward the window.

“My father gave me an envelope. He told me to put it in Vincent's office while he was distracted. I never opened it.”

“Where is it?”