Chapter 5 - THE FIANCÉE WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Vanessa Caruso arrived at the Bellandi estate the next afternoon with her father and two attorneys.
She was no longer wearing ivory.
Her navy suit was severe, her hair pulled tightly behind her head.
Anthony Caruso entered first.
He was a broad-shouldered man with silver hair and a practiced smile.
“Roman,” he said. “We need to settle this misunderstanding.”
Roman remained standing beside the fireplace.
“There is no misunderstanding.”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“You humiliated me in front of fifty people.”
Roman looked at her.
“You assaulted an employee.”
“She provoked me.”
“No.”
Anthony lifted a hand.
“Let's be reasonable. The wedding is six weeks away. The contracts are already being negotiated.”
Roman's expression did not change.
“There won't be a wedding.”
Vanessa went pale.
“Roman.”
He removed the engagement ring she'd given him as a symbol of their arrangement and placed it on the table.
“I won't marry someone who believes cruelty is a privilege.”
Anthony's smile disappeared.
“You're making a serious mistake.”
“Perhaps.”
Roman leaned forward.
“But it's mine to make.”
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“You're choosing a maid over me?”
Roman looked at her.
“I'm choosing not to marry you.”
She stared.
Then she laughed bitterly.
“You think she's innocent?”
Roman said nothing.
“Ask her why she changed her name.”
The room went still.
Roman's gaze sharpened.
“What?”
Vanessa smiled.
“Norah Bennett wasn't always Norah Bennett.”
Anthony turned toward his daughter.
“Enough.”
But Vanessa continued.
“She was Nora Bell. Different spelling. Different surname. The records are there if you know where to look.”
Roman stood slowly.
“How do you know that?”
Vanessa hesitated.
Anthony stepped forward.
“Roman, my daughter is upset.”
Roman ignored him.
“Vanessa. How do you know?”
She looked away.
“I had her investigated.”
“Why?”
“Because she was getting too close to you.”
Roman's voice dropped.
“And what did you find?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“She was in witness protection.”
Silence.
Roman felt his pulse change.
Witness protection.
A new identity.
Thirteen years of hiding.
Norah had not simply moved away after the fire.
Someone had made her disappear.
Anthony reached for Vanessa's arm.
“We're leaving.”
Roman stepped between them and the door.
“Not until you explain how you obtained sealed information.”
Anthony's expression hardened.
“You don't want to start a war over this.”
Roman looked at him.
“No.”
He paused.
“I want the truth.”
May you like
Anthony's eyes narrowed.
“Sometimes those are the same thing.”
