Chapter 10
Alexander
Clara looked at me as if I’d just spoken in another language.
"The one who wanted me gone?"
I nodded my head.
Her expression turned harsh.
“Who?”
I turned my head.
That was the error.
Her eyes narrowed instantly.
You know who it is.”
“Clara.”
"No." She drew closer. “You don’t do that anymore.”
“What?”
“Give me half a truth and expect me to be grateful.”
They hit harder than they should have.
Because she was correct.
Six years I had spent giving Clara everything except the truth.
Cash.
Safety.
A Nice Home
A life of ease.
Everything but me.
I rubbed a hand across my face.
Six years ago, before Noah was born, I found some discrepancies in the books of the company.
Clara raised her arms.
“Where are the irregularities?”
“Millions of dollars moved through shell companies.
Her face altered.
"Millions?
“Yes.”
“And you thought someone in your family was stealing from you?”
“I didn't think it.”
I looked directly at her.
“I knew.”
Silence.
Clara's arms slowly dropped.
“Who?”
“I didn't know at first.”
I walked toward the window.
The lake outside was calm.
Too calm.
“I had our financial team investigate. Every time they got close to something, the evidence disappeared. Files were altered. Accounts were closed. People who had worked for my family for years suddenly resigned.”
“And you said nothing to me?”
“You were pregnant.”
Her jaw tightened.
“That doesn't answer my question.”
“It answers more than you think.”
She shook her head.
“No, Alexander. It doesn't.”
I turned around.
“The people behind it started targeting anyone they believed mattered to me.”
Her face went still.
“One of my senior accountants was followed home. A lawyer working on the investigation received threats. Someone broke into my father's office.”
I paused.
“Then they started asking questions about you.”
Clara's eyes widened.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you were carrying my child.”
She looked down.
I remembered that time too clearly.
The hospital.
The pregnancy test.
The fear on her face.
The way my entire world had changed in a matter of minutes.
“I knew if the wrong people discovered how important you were to me, you'd become leverage.”
Clara offered a bitter laugh.
“So you married me.”
“Yes.”
“Because you were afraid someone would hurt me.”
“Yes.”
She stared at me.
For a second, something softened in her eyes.
Then it disappeared.
“So you decided to make me believe you didn't love me.”
I swallowed.
“I thought distance would protect you.”
“Distance?”
Her voice cracked.
“You ignored me.”
“I know.”
“You missed Noah's first recital.”
"I know.
“You missed birthdays.
“I know.”
“You made me feel like I was some embarrassing obligation you couldn't wait to escape.”
Every word was like a punch.
“I know.”
She laughed again, but there was no merriment in it.
“You always know after the damage is done.”
I had no defence.
Because there wasn't one.
“I thought if you believed I didn't care, you wouldn't become a target.”
Her eyes flooded with tears.
“So you made me hate myself instead?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
She pointed to her chest.
“You don't get to decide what protecting me looks like when you never gave me a choice.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“And I was trying to make you love me!”
The room went silent.
Her words tore through me.
She turned aside hastily, wiping her face.
I longed to draw her into my arms.
I didn't.
She had spent six years under the weight of decisions I made without her.
I wasn't going to make another one.
“There was another reason,” I said.
She gently turned back.
“What?”
“The person behind the scheme wasn't some stranger.”
Her eyes intensified.
“Who was it?”
“I still don't know for certain.”
"You said you knew."
“I know who had access to it.”
"Who?
I ceased.
That pause said everything.
“Alexander.”
"He was someone I could trust.
Her face grew pallid.
“Anyone in your family?”
Someone who can follow my moves. Someone who knew about the investigation before I did.”
“And they’re still here?”
“Yes.
She took a step backward.
“The person who wanted me gone is still somewhere in your family’s circle?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that before?”
“Because each time I got close to proving it, something happened.
“What sort of something?”
“My investigator’s gone missing.”
Clara came to a skid.
“What?”
"He wasn't killed. I don't think he did, anyway. He disappeared three years ago.
Her lips opened.
"And you never told the cops?
"Yes, I did.
Then why isn’t this individual in jail?
"Because I never had enough proof."
I saw the wrath turn to terror in her eyes.
That frightened me more than her rage did.
I walked slowly across the room.
“I didn’t tell you because I thought the less you knew, the more you’d be safe.
She shook her head.
"You thought you were protecting me by keeping me in the dark.
“Yes.
Now what?
I was wrong; I know that now.
She looked into my eyes.
I didn't hide for once.
"I should have believed in you.
“Yeah.
I should have told you everything.
Yes.
“I should’ve let you decide whether you wanted to stay.
Her eyes were shining.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Yeah,” I nodded.
"You are right."
The words seemed surprisingly liberating.
No excuses.
No explanations.
Just the truth.
“I destroyed our marriage trying to protect it.”
Clara looked away.
I stepped closer.
“But there's one thing you need to understand.”
She stared at me again.
“The danger didn't disappear when you left me.”
Her face stiffened.
“What do you mean?” I
I dug into my pocket and took out the image I had been holding for weeks.
I passed it to her.
She looked down.
Our residence," it said.
Taken from across the street.
On the back was a sentence written by hand.
You should have left her alone.
Clara turned pale.
“When did you take this?
“Last week.”
Her hands were shaking.
"Alexander…
I know.”
She looked up at me.
She didn't see the billionaire for the first time since our divorce had started.
She saw the man who was afraid of losing her.
“I can keep you safe,” I told her.
She shook her head.
“I don’t want you to protect me.
“Then let me be with you.”
She looked at me.
I stared at her.
I spent six years working out what was best for you.
My voice sank.
"Not doing that again."
She glanced at the photo.
Then back to me.
“Whoever did this…"
I nodded.
They're not through.
She gulped.
"And you know where they are?
"No.
I moved closer.
"But I know one thing.
“Wha?”
I couldn’t look away from her.
“The one who wanted you gone never stopped."