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We had fought together, struggled together,survivedtogether. He had been there for me through every crisis, every setback, refusing to let me fall alone.
And despite everything—the chaos, the sabotage, the uncertainty—he was the one person I trusted completely.
And now, there was this baby. Our baby.
I hadn’t even told him yet.
A pang of guilt twisted in my chest. He deserved to know. This wasn’t something I could—or should—keep from him much longer.
Soon, I thought, inhaling deeply.
Because no matter how much fear lingered at the edges of my mind, one thing was certain.
This wasn’t just my future anymore.
It was ours.
CHRISTIAN
I had her.
The evidence was airtight. Emails. Phone records. Financial transactions.
Victoria had covered her tracks well, but not well enough.
My investigator had connected the dots, proving beyond a doubt that she had been the one sabotaging Scarlett’s business from the start.
And now?
Now, she was about to pay.
I clenched my fists as I stepped into the private lounge of an upscale hotel, where Victoria had agreed to meet me.
She was already seated, sipping a glass of red wine like she didn’t have a single care in the world.
She glanced up as I approached, a slow, knowing smile spreading across her lips.
"Christian Valen,” she purred. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
I sat across from her, barely keeping my anger in check.
"Cut the bullshit, Victoria." I tossed a thick manila folder onto the table between us. "I know everything."
Her expression barely flickered, but I caught the slight tightening around her eyes.
She set her wine glass down carefully, then leaned back, crossing her legs. "Everything, hmm?"
"Emails ordering the placement of the contaminated ingredient in Amélie’s kitchen," I said, my voice ice-cold. "Records of you paying off the health inspector. And my personal favorite—bank transfers to the supplier who conveniently 'lost' Scarlett’s shipment before her biggest event."
I watched her face closely, waiting for the cracks to show.
But instead of fear, Victoria just laughed.
A soft, mocking sound.
"That’s impressive," she admitted, tilting her head. "You really went all out, didn’t you?"
I leaned forward, my jaw tightening.