Chapter 3 - His Childhood Sweetheart Framed His Pregnant Wife—But the Evidence She Wanted Destroyed Exposed a Betrayal Nobody ExpectedI didn't sleep that night.
Every sound outside my apartment made me jump.
A car door closing.
Footsteps in the hallway.
The elevator opening.
I kept imagining Samantha standing outside, waiting for me to leave.
At seven the next morning, Rebecca arrived with Thomas and a security consultant.
They reviewed the messages.
Then Thomas asked me to describe everything that had happened at the storage facility.
I did.
He listened carefully.
"Did you notice anyone following you?"
"No."
"Any unfamiliar vehicles?"
"I don't remember."
He nodded.
"We'll request available surveillance footage through the proper channels."
Rebecca looked at me.
"Claire, you need to report these threats."
I swallowed.
"Will the police believe me?"
"That isn't something we can guarantee. But preserving the evidence and making a report creates a record."
I nodded.
"Okay."
The forensic review of Daniel's flash drive took two days.
I spent those forty-eight hours trying not to imagine the worst.
I attended my prenatal appointment.
The baby's heartbeat was strong.
My doctor reassured me that the pregnancy was progressing normally.
For a few minutes, listening to that steady rhythm, I forgot everything else.
Then I walked outside and saw a black sedan parked across the street.
My stomach tightened.
A man sat behind the wheel.
He wasn't looking at me.
But I recognized the car.
It belonged to Moretti Security.
Vincent's company.
I called Rebecca.
"Someone from Vincent's security team is outside the clinic."
She asked me to stay inside while she contacted the appropriate people.
Twenty minutes later, the car left.
I didn't know whether Vincent had sent it to protect me or monitor me.
And that was the problem.
I no longer trusted him enough to tell the difference.
That afternoon, Thomas called.
"We've reviewed the drive."
I sat down.
"What did you find?"
"Financial records. Emails. Transaction histories. And a series of scanned documents."
My heart pounded.
"Does it prove Daniel was innocent?"
"It supports his account. The records show that he raised concerns about missing funds."
I closed my eyes.
"And Samantha?"
"Her name appears repeatedly."
I swallowed.
"Was Vincent involved?"
Thomas hesitated.
"His name appears in correspondence, but we need to distinguish what he knew from what others claimed he knew."
I nodded.
Then Thomas continued.
"There's something else."
"What?"
"One email refers to you."
I froze.
"Me?"
"Yes."
He read it aloud.
Cross has become too close to the Hayes girl. Make sure the student doesn't receive the archive.
I stared.
"The Hayes girl?"
"That may refer to Samantha. But the student appears to be you."
My mouth went dry.
Thomas continued.
"Another message, sent months later, says someone believed you had the missing files."
I looked toward the window.
"So Samantha has been watching me for years?"
"We can't establish that yet. But someone was concerned about what you might know."
I pressed a hand against my stomach.
"And Vincent?"
Thomas paused.
"There's an email from his father."
My heart stopped.
"What does it say?"
Thomas read carefully.
Keep the girl away from the business until we know what Cross gave her.
I stared at the wall.
Vincent's father.
The man who had welcomed me into the family with a diamond necklace and a speech about loyalty.
The man who'd told me I was fortunate to marry his son.
He had known about me before Vincent and I met.
I swallowed.
"Does that mean Vincent was told to marry me?"
"We don't have evidence of that."
"But it's possible."
"Yes."
I closed my eyes.
Suddenly, every romantic memory felt uncertain.
The dinner deliveries.
The flowers.
The proposal.
The promises.
Had any of it been real?
Vincent appeared at Rebecca's office the following afternoon.
He'd requested a meeting through his attorney.
I agreed only because Rebecca would be present.
When he entered, he looked exhausted.
His dark hair was uncombed.
There were shadows beneath his eyes.
He stopped when he saw me.
"Claire."
I didn't stand.
"Vincent."
He sat across from me.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he said, "Samantha told me about Daniel."
I watched him.
"What did she tell you?"
"That he was involved in financial crimes."
"And?"
"That you had a relationship with him."
I felt a familiar ache.
"Do you still believe her?"
Vincent looked down.
"No."
I stared.
He continued.
"I contacted the university. They confirmed the conference. They confirmed Daniel's wife attended."
My eyes filled.
"Congratulations. You discovered something you could have learned by asking me."
He flinched.
"I know."
I leaned back.
"Why are you here?"
He swallowed.
"Because Samantha has been lying to me."
I almost laughed.
"That's not news."
His expression hardened.
"She told me Daniel stole money from her family's foundation."
"And?"
"Now I think she was involved."
I watched him carefully.
"What changed?"
Vincent hesitated.
Then he said, "My father left documents."
My stomach tightened.
"What documents?"
"Records from the old foundation."
I stared.
"You knew about this?"
"Not everything."
"Vincent."
He rubbed his forehead.
"My father warned me years ago that someone connected to Daniel Cross might have financial records."
I felt cold.
"Did he tell you my name?"
Vincent looked at me.
Then away.
And I knew.
I whispered, "He did."
Vincent closed his eyes.
"Claire—"
"Did you know who I was before we met?"
Silence.
My heart began pounding.
"Answer me."
Finally, he said, "Yes."
The room seemed to tilt.
I stared at him.
"You knew?"
He nodded.
"My father mentioned you."
I felt sick.
"Before our first date?"
"Yes."
I covered my mouth.
Rebecca leaned forward.
"Vincent, I strongly suggest you answer carefully."
He looked at me.
"My father believed you had documents connected to Daniel."
I stared.
"So you approached me?"
"At first."
The words hit harder than I expected.
I looked down.
My hands were shaking.
"At first?"
Vincent's voice broke.
"Claire, I fell in love with you."
I laughed bitterly.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"It's true."
"You came into my life because your father wanted information."
"Yes."
"You pursued me."
"Yes."
"You proposed."
"Because I loved you."
I stared at him.
"And after the wedding?"
He looked away.
I waited.
Finally, he whispered, "Samantha told me you were hiding something."
I felt tears sliding down my face.
"So you started treating me like a criminal."
"I was confused."
"No. You were cruel."
He lowered his head.
I continued.
"You married me while hiding the reason we met. Then you punished me because another woman told you lies."
Vincent's eyes filled.
"I know."
I shook my head.
"No, Vincent. You don't."
I stood.
Rebecca rose beside me.
Vincent looked up.
"Claire, please."
I stared at him.
"For six months, I thought I'd done something wrong. I thought I wasn't beautiful enough, interesting enough, loving enough."
My voice broke.
"But you were looking at me through a lie you helped create."
He stood.
"I loved you."
I looked directly into his eyes.
"Maybe. But you didn't respect me."
Then I walked out.
That evening, Samantha arrived at the Moretti mansion.
Vincent later described the conversation during his cooperation with investigators.
She entered wearing a red dress and carrying a bottle of wine.
"Vinnie."
He stood beside the fireplace.
"Sit down."
She smiled.
"That sounds serious."
"It is."
Her smile faded.
Vincent placed a folder on the table.
"Daniel Cross."
Samantha went still.
"What about him?"
"He's alive."
Her face changed.
Vincent watched her.
"You told me he stole from your family's foundation."
"He did."
"Then why do the records show you authorized transfers he questioned?"
Samantha stared.
"Where did you get those?"
Vincent didn't answer.
Her expression hardened.
"Claire."
He remained silent.
"She found the drive."
Vincent looked at her.
"What drive?"
Samantha realized she'd said too much.
She stepped backward.
"Vincent, you don't understand."
"Then explain."
Her eyes filled.
"My father made me do things."
"What things?"
"Sign documents. Move money. I didn't know what it meant."
Vincent stared.
"Then why did you accuse Claire of cheating?"
Samantha began crying.
"Because I was afraid she'd ruin everything."
He looked at her.
"Everything?"
"Our families."
Vincent's expression darkened.
"You mean your family's money."
She shook her head.
"Vinnie, please."
He stepped away.
"Get out."
Samantha froze.
"What?"
"Leave."
She stared.
"You can't do this."
"I can."
Her expression changed.
"You think Claire will take you back?"
Vincent said nothing.
Samantha laughed bitterly.
"She won't. She hates you."
He looked down.
"I know."
For a moment, Samantha seemed genuinely stunned.
Then she whispered, "I loved you first."
Vincent looked at her.
"That never gave you the right to destroy my wife."
She slapped him.
He didn't move.
Then she walked out.
The next morning, investigators received the preserved financial records.
Daniel agreed to provide a statement.
The evidence raised questions about several people connected to the old foundation, including members of both families.
Vincent's attorney advised him to cooperate.
He did.
But the investigation was only beginning.
And Samantha wasn't finished.
That afternoon, I received a call from my doctor.
"Claire, we need you to come in."
My heart stopped.
"Is something wrong with the baby?"
"Your recent blood pressure reading was elevated, and I'd like to reassess you."
I swallowed.
"Okay."
I went immediately.
The doctor repeated the measurements and ordered additional tests.
She explained that one elevated reading didn't establish a diagnosis, but careful monitoring was important.
I nodded.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from Samantha.
You think Vincent will protect you once he knows what your father did?
I stared.
Another message appeared.
Ask your mother why Daniel Cross really disappeared.
My blood ran cold.
My father had died when I was nineteen.
May you like
My mother rarely spoke about his final years.
And suddenly, the story was reaching into parts of my life I had never questioned.
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