Chapter 3 - The Fiancée's Confession
Vanessa entered the study wearing a cream-colored dress and carrying the expression of a woman who had rehearsed her tears.
She looked at Lily in the bassinet.
Then at Sebastian.
“You're making a terrible mistake.”
“Sit down.”
“Sebastian, please—”
“Sit.”
She obeyed.
He placed the hospital bracelet, photograph, and financial report on the desk.
“Tell me why your name is on my daughter's transfer authorization.”
Vanessa looked at the papers.
“I signed a document. I didn't know what it meant.”
“You expect me to believe you signed a medical transfer without reading it?”
“I was told Isabella was unstable. They said she had become paranoid and dangerous.”
“Who told you?”
She hesitated.
“Your uncle.”
“Vincent?”
Vanessa nodded.
“He said Isabella had discovered something that could destroy your family. He said she was planning to take the baby and disappear.”
Sebastian's eyes narrowed.
“What had she discovered?”
“I don't know.”
“Try again.”
Vanessa's tears began to fall.
“She found evidence that money was being moved through the family's legitimate businesses. She thought someone was using the medical foundation to hide payments.”
Sebastian felt a chill.
The Romano Medical Foundation had been established by his late father to fund hospitals and children's care. Sebastian had expanded it after taking over the family organization.
If money had been diverted through the foundation, the scandal would threaten not only his business but every hospital and clinic that depended on its grants.
“Who was moving the money?”
“Vincent handled the foundation's accounts.”
“And your father?”
Vanessa went still.
Sebastian noticed.
“Richard Sterling knew?”
“He was an adviser. He helped structure some of the companies.”
Sebastian stood.
“So my uncle and your father were stealing from a medical foundation, Isabella found out, and they made her disappear.”
“No!” Vanessa cried. “They said they were protecting the family!”
“By declaring the mother of my child dead?”
“I didn't know they would do that!”
“Then why did you tell me she was dead?”
Vanessa covered her face.
“Because Vincent said she had died during an emergency procedure. He showed me the certificate. He said the baby had died too.”
Sebastian stared at her.
“But you knew she was pregnant.”
“I knew she was pregnant. I didn't know she had delivered.”
“You signed a transfer authorization three weeks ago.”
Vanessa lowered her hands.
For the first time, her tears seemed genuine.
“They told me the baby was born prematurely and had been taken into protective custody. They said Isabella was unfit to raise her.”
“Who told you that?”
“Richard.”
Sebastian looked toward Marco.
“Get a warrant for every record held by Sterling Holdings.”
Vanessa rose abruptly.
“You can't do this. My father will destroy you.”
Sebastian's expression did not change.
“Your father can explain himself to investigators.”
She moved toward the door.
Marco stepped in front of her.
Vanessa turned back to Sebastian.
“You don't understand. If Isabella returns, she will tell you what she saw. She will turn you against your own blood.”
Sebastian's voice dropped.
“You turned me against the woman I loved by letting me believe she was dead.”
Vanessa's face crumpled.
“I loved you.”
“No. You loved the life you thought you could have beside me.”
He removed the engagement ring from her hand.
She stared at it.
“Sebastian…”
“It's over.”
“You'll regret this.”
“Perhaps. But I will never regret protecting my daughter.”
Vanessa left the study under Marco's supervision.
For several moments, Sebastian remained motionless.
Then Lily began to cry.
He lifted her carefully, awkwardly adjusting the blanket.
“I don't know how to do this,” he whispered.
Clara appeared in the doorway.
“Neither did Isabella, at first.”
Sebastian looked at her.
“She was afraid?”
“Terrified. She kept asking whether she'd be a good mother.”
He swallowed.
“What did you tell her?”
“That love doesn't require you to know everything. It requires you to keep showing up.”
Sebastian looked down at Lily.
For the first time in eight months, he allowed himself to imagine a future that did not revolve around revenge.
But the past had not finished with him.
Marco returned with a message.
Vincent Romano had left his home.
May you like
His private jet was preparing to depart.
And he had taken the original medical foundation ledger with him.
