Semua Bab His Billion-Dollar Regret: The Forgotten Wife Returns: Bab 121 - Bab 130

POV: Lewis | EdinburghLewis came through the front door at quarter past nine with a box of Claire's forgotten art supplies tucked under one arm.Yessica was standing in the middle of the hallway, not moving.In her hand was a cream-colored envelope with a legal firm's return address."What is that?" he asked."It came for you." She held it out. "Whitmore and Associates. Family law."He set down Claire's box and took the envelope. The reference line printed on the back flap stopped him cold.Regarding Lewis Sterling. Paternity Claim filed by Regina Ravenscroft. Minor Child Ethan, age three. Mandatory DNA testing order enclosed."Lewis." Yessica's voice was completely level. "Tell me you know who Regina Ravenscroft is.""She was my head of marketing. Four years ago." He looked up. "I have not spoken to her since.""And the child?""I did not know about a child.""Did you sleep with her?"The hallway went completely still.Lewis opened the envelope and pulled out the legal document. Reg

POV: Yessica | EdinburghEleanor Vance's office was on the fourth floor of a glass building in the city center. She had the kind of posture that made people sit up straighter in her presence.She had cleared her morning schedule when Lewis called at seven."Walk me through it from the beginning," Eleanor said. "Everything. No summaries."Lewis laid it out in order. The Whitmore envelope. Regina's phone call. Catherine's six months of visits. Sienna Hargrave as the connecting point.Eleanor did not take a single note. She listened with both hands folded on the desk, and when Lewis finished, she was quiet for four seconds."Sienna Hargrave is a board partner at Whitmore and Associates," Eleanor said. "The same firm filing the paternity claim against you.""Correct.""Then we have a conflict of interest argument that could suspend the entire filing until the court investigates the firm's financial ties to this case." She looked at Lewis directly. "That buys us time."Yessica spoke for th

POV: Lewis | EdinburghThe café was small and neutral. Regina had chosen it deliberately — no Sterling Industries associations, no media foot traffic, a corner table already reserved when Lewis arrived.She was already seated. A small boy sat beside her with a stuffed rabbit on the table, a cup of warm milk in front of him, and a coloring sheet he was working through with absolute concentration.Lewis stopped three feet from the table.The boy looked up. Dark eyes, Lewis's jaw line, Lewis's way of tilting his head slightly to the left when assessing something unfamiliar.Three years old and unmistakably a Sterling."Mr. Sterling," Regina said. "Thank you for coming."Lewis sat down across from them. He could not stop looking at the boy."Ethan," Regina said gently. "This is the man Mummy told you about."Ethan looked at Lewis with complete seriousness, clutching the rabbit. Then he picked up a green crayon and went back to his coloring sheet.Lewis exhaled.Regina poured tea from the

POV: Lewis | EdinburghMarcus arrived at seven-fifteen with two laptops and no coffee. He sat across from Lewis at the dining table and opened the first screen without greeting."Forensic accounting worked through the night," Marcus said. "You need to see this before the DNA results come back."Yessica came downstairs, heard him, and sat down without being asked.Marcus pulled up a corporate registry document. "Sienna Hargrave incorporated Hargrave Consulting LLC eighteen months ago. Primarily a financial advisory firm on paper. But her actual client list is almost entirely litigation support." He scrolled. "She retained Whitmore and Associates as the exclusive law firm for all client referrals six months after incorporation.""She built the firm," Yessica said. "Then fed cases into it.""And took a commission on case outcomes." Marcus pulled up a second screen. "We found three other families in the past fourteen months. All Sterling Industries business partners or investors. All hit

POV: Yessica | EdinburghMarcus had his laptop open before Lewis finished the call with Hargreaves."Sienna holds fourteen percent of Hargreaves Industries," Yessica said. "She is not just coordinating the legal attacks. She owns enough of the acquiring company to block or redirect the acquisition entirely.""If Sterling Industries is devalued before the board vote," Lewis said, "she benefits as a shareholder on the buying side.""She buys low because she manufactured the low." Yessica turned to Marcus. "I need the Hargreaves shareholder register going back three years. I want to know exactly when Sienna's stake was acquired."Marcus was already typing. "Give me four hours.""You have two. The Hargreaves board call is Thursday."Marcus closed his laptop and left.Lewis stood at the kitchen island, not moving. Rose had been taken upstairs by the nanny. The house was quiet for the first time all morning."She built the entire structure before coming after you," Yessica said. "The Whitmo