Chapter 14 - Brittany’s Confession
Brittany talked for forty minutes.
For once, no cameras watched.
No polished tears.
No performance.
She told us Carlo had controlled Derek since childhood.
Derek had spent his whole life trying to earn approval from a father who treated him like an investment.
Brittany married Derek because Carlo ordered it.
Then Derek was told to seduce me.
“What part did you choose?”
I asked.
She looked down.
“Most of it.”
At least she did not pretend innocence.
She arranged surveillance.
She accessed my work calendar.
She made sure Derek appeared at places I visited.
She introduced him to the jeweler who sold him my engagement ring.
Every beautiful coincidence had been engineered.
“Did you drug me?”
Her silence answered.
I felt physically ill.
“Did you know what they were going to do?”
“Yes.”
Luca turned away.
His hands clenched.
I asked the harder question.
“Why Luca’s genetic material?”
Brittany looked at Alessandra.
“Carlo wanted the strongest possible heir.”
Luca’s father had banked genetic samples years earlier during cancer treatment.
Carlo bribed a clinic administrator.
He believed a child biologically connected to Luca and descended from Alessandra would become nearly impossible for the family council to ignore.
I whispered, “Grace was created as a weapon.”
“No.”
Luca’s voice cut through the room.
Everyone looked at him.
“She was created through a crime.”
He looked at our daughter.
“But she is not the crime.”
Tears filled my eyes.
Brittany continued.
Carlo intended to wait until Grace was born.
Then Derek would challenge paternity publicly.
My emotional response would be recorded.
Medical records would “prove” instability.
Derek would later accept legal paternity after negotiations.
Then Carlo would control Derek.
And through Derek, Grace.
“But Derek refused her immediately.”
I said.
Brittany nodded.
“He panicked.”
The hospital humiliation had not been part of the plan.
Derek’s wounded pride broke the script.
Then Luca appeared.
“And signed the paperwork,” Brittany whispered.
“Which destroyed Carlo’s original timeline.”
For the first time, I understood the true importance of that moment.
Luca had not merely embarrassed Derek.
He had disrupted a plan years in the making.
Brittany gave us a flash drive.
“Everything is there.”
Medical payments.
Messages.
Recordings.
Enough to destroy Carlo.
Luca took it.
“Why help us?”
Brittany laughed bitterly.
“Because Carlo left me tied to a floor after promising Derek he would kill me.”
Fair enough.
Then alarms sounded outside.
Luca’s security chief entered.
“Vehicles approaching.”
“How many?”
“Six.”
Brittany went pale.
“He came back.”
Luca handed Grace to Sofia.
“Safe room.”
I stood.
“I’m staying with her.”
Luca nodded.
Before I left, he touched my hand.
Only briefly.
“Emma.”
I looked at him.
“If something happens…”
“Don’t.”
“Listen.”
“No.”
My voice shook.
“You are coming back.”
His eyes held mine.
May you like
Then he nodded.
“I’m coming back.”
