Chapter 7 - A Husband's Second Betrayal
Victor gripped the table and whispered, "Richard Hale is my son."
Matteo placed Richard's birth certificate beside Damien's DNA report.
The father's name had been left blank.
A private genetic test filled the missing line.
Victor Vale.
Richard and Damien were half brothers.
The revelation changed everything.
Richard had spent decades near the Cole empire because it was personal.
Marcus had raised Damien.
Marcus had built the fortune.
Victor had fathered both Damien and Richard.
And Richard believed all of them had stolen a life that should have belonged to him.
"Does Damien know?" Isabelle asked.
Victor nodded.
"For two years."
That explained their alliance.
But not why it was collapsing.
Damien had disappeared from the warehouse.
Blood had been found.
Not enough to prove serious injury.
Police were searching.
Richard was unreachable.
Isabelle felt no desire to rescue Damien from consequences.
But he was still the father of her child.
And if Richard intended to kill him, she couldn't ignore it.
Then the DNA laboratory called.
The final report was ready.
Isabelle authorized Matteo to receive it.
He opened the encrypted document.
His eyes stopped.
"What?"
He looked at Isabelle.
"The fetal sample wasn't used only for comparison to Marcus."
Her heart began pounding.
"What else?"
"Damien ordered a paternity test."
Silence.
Isabelle stared at him.
"A paternity test against himself?"
"Yes."
Her face burned.
After everything they had endured to conceive.
After fertility treatments.
After planned procedures.
Damien had secretly questioned whether the child was his.
"What does it say?"
Matteo hesitated.
"Damien is the biological father."
Isabelle laughed.
A single empty laugh.
Of course he was.
The betrayal wasn't the result.
It was that he had tested at all.
Then Matteo continued.
"But there's another test."
"Against whom?"
He looked at Victor.
"Richard."
Luca swore.
Isabelle stared.
"Why would Damien compare my baby to Richard?"
Nobody knew.
Until Vanessa spoke.
"Because Richard told Damien he'd slept with Isabelle."
Everyone turned toward her.
Isabelle's mouth fell open.
"What?"
"He said it during a fight."
"When?"
"Months ago."
"And Damien believed him?"
Vanessa looked ashamed.
"Damien was jealous of everyone."
Isabelle remembered Richard's attentiveness.
His compliments.
His invitations.
She had never crossed a line.
Richard apparently knew that.
But he had planted suspicion anyway.
Another wedge.
Another manipulation.
Damien had tested the baby and discovered the truth.
He was the father.
Yet he had continued the affair.
Continued stealing.
Continued planning.
There was no excuse left.
At midnight, Damien finally called.
"Isa."
He sounded injured.
"Where are you?"
"Don't ask."
"Police are looking for you."
"Richard took me."
Isabelle stood.
"Where?"
"I escaped."
"Then go to the police."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because Richard has evidence making it look like I planned everything."
"You did plan some of it."
Silence.
"Yes."
The admission surprised her.
"I stole money."
She closed her eyes.
"I forged documents."
Her brothers listened.
"I slept with Vanessa."
Vanessa looked away.
"And I hit you."
His voice broke.
"I did all of that."
Isabelle said nothing.
"But I never planned to hurt you physically. Richard did."
"You already hurt me physically."
"I know."
"No, Damien. I don't think you do."
He began crying.
Once, those tears would have destroyed her.
Now they simply made her tired.
"Where are you?"
He gave an address.
Matteo silently wrote it down.
Then Damien said:
"Richard has the original amendment."
"What amendment?"
"The one Marcus signed before he died."
"What does it say?"
"If you die before the baby is born, the trust doesn't go to me."
Isabelle felt cold.
"Who gets it?"
Damien whispered:
"Richard."
Every brother went still.
"That's why he needs you dead."
A crash sounded through the phone.
Damien gasped.
Then another voice appeared in the background.
Richard.
"Who are you calling?"
Damien whispered one word.
"Run."
The line went dead.
Police raced to the address.
Isabelle waited.
Ten minutes.
Twenty.
Thirty.
Then Matteo's phone rang.
He listened.
His expression darkened.
"What happened?" Isabelle asked.
"They found Damien."
"Alive?"
"Yes."
She exhaled.
"And Richard?"
"Gone."
"Anything else?"
Matteo looked at her.
"They found the original trust amendment."
"Good."
"No."
He swallowed.
"Isabelle, Damien lied about what it says."
She stared.
Matteo slowly unfolded the photographed page.
The beneficiary listed after Isabelle's death wasn't Richard.
May you like
It was someone else.
Someone whose name made Vanessa scream...
