Chapter 3 - THE SISTER WHO WANTED EVERYTHING
Lydia arrived at the Russo estate that afternoon wearing oversized sunglasses.
Damian was in his office.
She entered without knocking.
“Damian?”
He looked up.
“What?”
Lydia hesitated.
“Have you heard from Evelyn?”
“No.”
She approached his desk.
“She's always been emotional.”
Damian stared at her.
Lydia continued.
“She'll come back.”
He said nothing.
“She loves you too much to stay away.”
Damian looked at her.
“Why are you here?”
Lydia blinked.
“I wanted to help.”
“Then leave.”
Her expression changed.
“Damian—”
“Now.”
Lydia stepped back.
For the first time, she seemed to understand that kissing her sister's husband hadn't made her important.
It had made her disposable.
But Lydia wasn't ready to surrender.
She had spent years envying Evelyn.
The beautiful estate.
The designer clothes.
The powerful husband.
The way people lowered their voices when Evelyn entered a room.
Lydia wanted that life.
She told herself Evelyn didn't appreciate it.
She told herself Damian deserved someone more exciting.
Someone who understood his world.
Someone like her.
But when she looked into Damian's eyes now, she saw something she'd never expected.
Not desire.
Regret.
And anger.
That evening, Lydia called Evelyn.
Evelyn let the call go to voicemail.
Lydia left a message.
“Evie, please. We need to talk. You don't understand what happened.”
Evelyn listened once.
Then saved it for her attorney.
She didn't call back.
Later that night, Damian received a report from Victor.
“Sir, we've reviewed the household communications.”
Damian frowned.
“And?”
“Mrs. Russo's sister had been receiving information about her movements.”
Damian looked up.
“From whom?”
Victor hesitated.
“Several staff members believed you authorized it.”
Damian's jaw tightened.
“I asked Lydia to tell me if Evelyn seemed frightened.”
Victor nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
“But not to monitor her.”
Victor looked at him.
“There's more.”
He placed a folder on the desk.
Inside were messages between Lydia and Damian's financial adviser, Nicholas Vane.
Damian opened the first page.
Then the second.
His expression changed.
Lydia hadn't merely been reporting on Evelyn.
She had been asking questions about Evelyn's inheritance.
Her accounts.
Her foundation.
And the legal structure of the Russo estate.
Damian looked up slowly.
“Why?”
Victor said nothing.
May you like
Damian stared at the messages.
For the first time, he wondered whether the kiss had been less spontaneous than he'd believed.
