Chapter 13 - THE FATHER WHO CAME TO COLLECT
Lorenzo Rossi arrived at my study fifteen minutes later.
He was furious.
“Roman!”
I stood.
“Lorenzo.”
He looked toward Vivien.
“What happened?”
She began crying.
“Daddy—”
Lorenzo turned toward me.
“You're humiliating my daughter.”
I stared at him.
“She entered my safe.”
He waved a hand.
“She's your fiancée.”
“Not anymore.”
The words hung in the air.
Lorenzo's face changed.
“You can't do this.”
I looked at him.
“I already have.”
He stepped closer.
“Do you have any idea what this will cost you?”
I smiled faintly.
“Less than marrying her.”
Lorenzo's expression hardened.
“You think you're untouchable.”
“No.”
I looked toward Detective Hayes.
“I think the law applies to all of us.”
The investigation into Lorenzo's financial activities continued.
Records showed that his firm had attempted to use forged and misleading documents to obtain control over assets connected to my companies.
Vivien's access to the safe had been part of that plan.
Additional evidence supported the threats made against Claire.
The wedding was canceled.
Guests were informed.
The flowers remained.
The music stopped.
And the woman I had planned to marry left Ravenwood without a wedding ring.
That afternoon, I stood alone in the garden.
Rain began falling again.
I looked at the empty chairs.
The untouched champagne.
The white roses.
And realized something.
May you like
I had nearly married a woman who knew every secret I had ever told her.
But I had trusted her less than a three-year-old child who barely knew how to pronounce my name.
