Chapter 11 - Derek Begs
Derek came to Luca’s Manhattan office voluntarily.
He looked terrible.
His suit was wrinkled.
His face was unshaven.
Brittany was gone.
Carlo had vanished.
Derek wanted protection.
Luca left him waiting for two hours.
I watched from behind one-way glass.
The man I had once planned to marry sat alone, shaking.
Finally Luca entered.
I followed.
Derek stared at me.
“Emma.”
“Don’t.”
He closed his mouth.
Luca sat opposite him.
“Talk.”
Derek swallowed.
“My father is going to kill me.”
“Probably.”
Derek paled.
“You can’t let him.”
“I can.”
“Luca.”
Derek leaned forward.
“We’re family.”
Luca’s expression did not change.
“You spent three years deceiving the mother of my child.”
Derek flinched.
“So choose your next words carefully.”
Derek looked at me.
“I didn’t know about the embryo.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That’s your defense?”
“No.”
He rubbed his face.
“Carlo told me Emma had inherited something from Eleanor.”
“So you dated me for money.”
“At first.”
“At first?”
“I fell in love with you.”
“Stop.”
“I did.”
“You married Brittany.”
“That was arranged.”
“You stayed married.”
“She was part of my father’s network.”
I stared at him.
“You let me build a life around a lie.”
“I know.”
“No.”
My voice shook.
“You don’t.”
Luca remained silent.
He let me speak.
Derek finally admitted that Carlo ordered him to get me pregnant.
When months passed without success, Carlo became furious.
Derek confessed his infertility.
“That’s when Brittany arranged the gala.”
My skin crawled.
“You knew they planned something.”
“I thought they were going to use donor material connected to me.”
“You let them perform a procedure on me while I was unconscious?”
His eyes filled with shame.
“I told myself you wanted children anyway.”
Luca moved so fast the chair crashed backward.
He grabbed Derek by the collar.
I had never seen rage like it.
“Luca.”
He stopped.
Not because Derek deserved mercy.
Because I asked.
Luca released him.
Derek collapsed into the chair.
I whispered, “You are disgusting.”
Derek began crying.
For three years, I had wanted him to care when he hurt me.
Now his tears meant nothing.
“What does Carlo want next?”
Derek wiped his face.
“The family council.”
Luca frowned.
“What council?”
“The old charter.”
Alessandra had mentioned no council.
Derek continued.
“If a direct blood heir is born from two recognized branches, the child’s guardian can challenge control of certain legacy holdings.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed.
“Carlo wants guardianship of Grace.”
“Yes.”
“He has no standing.”
“He will.”
Derek looked at me.
“Because Brittany has already filed documents claiming Emma is mentally unstable.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
May you like
Derek’s voice cracked.
“And they have video from the night of the gala.”
