Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 51 - Chapitre 60

Rica looked at him."What?""L.H."He tapped the page."Could be anyone, but—""Liam Hartley," she whispered.Derrick's gaze snapped to hers."You know him?"Rica let out a slow breath."I used to be engaged to him."The words seemed to strike something in Derrick's expression."You were engaged to Liam Hartley?""Yes.""When were you planning to tell me?""When it became relevant.""It became relevant the moment his initials appeared in a financial ledger connected to your father's identity.""I didn't know that until five seconds ago!"Derrick closed his eyes briefly.When he opened them, the controlled executive had returned, but his voice had lost some of its restraint."How long were you together?""Long enough.""Rica.""Do you want the full history, or do you want to investigate the initials?""Both."She

Derrick opened his mouth.Nothing came out.Rica watched him from across the bedroom, her arms folded tightly over her chest. The photograph Liam had sent lay on the bedside table beside her wedding ring. Under the lamplight, the faces of their fathers looked almost peaceful.It was the lie that bothered her most."Derrick."His eyes lifted to hers."Don't tell me you're trying to protect me.""I'm not.""Then answer me."He turned away, dragging a hand over his jaw. "I knew my father had been involved in a financial dispute with Adrian Vale. I knew there had been a transfer that caused problems for the company.""And you didn't think to mention it?""I didn't know it involved your father.""But when Marcus said your mother authorized the original transfer, you reacted as though you'd been expecting to hear her name."Derrick's fingers stopped against his jaw.Rica gave a humorless laugh."You're doing it again.""Doing what?""Deciding which parts of the truth I'm allowed to have.""

"I knew there was a possibility that the account was connected to your family. I didn't know how much you had been told.""That isn't what I asked."Evelyn's eyes shone with frustrated tears."I knew enough to suspect you might be affected by what happened."Rica looked at her in disbelief."And you let me sit at your table. You watched me marry your son. You let me walk into this family without telling me that my father's name was buried in its financial records.""I didn't want to hurt you.""No." Rica shook her head. "You didn't want the truth to hurt you."Evelyn flinched.Derrick stepped closer to Rica, but he didn't touch her."Is there anything else?" he asked his mother. "Anything we haven't found?"Evelyn's eyes moved to the ledger."There was a man who handled the original paperwork. A consultant your father trusted. He arranged meetings with Adrian and managed the transfer documents."

"I don't know.""Then why are you showing me a signature you can't authenticate?""Because it's the only copy I could get."Derrick leaned forward."Where's the original file?"Liam smiled faintly."Now we're asking the right question.""Answer it.""Adrian has it.""Where?""I don't know."Derrick's hand tightened against the edge of the table.Liam looked at Rica."But I know someone who does.""Who?"He hesitated.Then he said, "Your father didn't act alone. There was another person at that meeting. Someone who helped arrange the account and witnessed the authorization."Rica's voice dropped."Who?"Liam looked directly at Derrick."Richard Blackwood's son."The room went silent.Rica turned slowly toward her husband.Derrick stared at Liam."You're lying.""Am I?""I was never at that meeting."

Rica Bloom-White stared at Liam's message.Because if Derrick remembers the rest of that night, he might be the one person you can never forgive.She read it again.Then she typed.Rica: What happened that night?The reply came almost instantly.Liam: Ask him.Her jaw tightened.Rica: You brought this to me. You tell me.Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.Liam: I think your husband should have the courage to tell his wife what he did.Rica's fingers hovered over the screen.Rica: If you have evidence, send it. Otherwise, stay out of my marriage.This time, Liam took longer to answer.Liam: I never wanted to be outside your life, Rica.She blocked him.Then she placed the phone on the bedside table, face down.Her gaze shifted to the wedding ring.Derrick White.She had signed that name on official documents, worn it before cameras, and introduced herself as his wife. Yet tonight, the name felt like a question she hadn't been brave enough to ask.Was she married to a man