Chapter 2

The entire lobby went silent for a few seconds.

The money came from the sale of a historic townhouse in Manhattan.

The property had belonged to the family trust.

My father had transferred my share to me.

He told me to buy a seaside estate, or do anything else that made me happy.

I refused.

I'd wanted to move the money into the bank Julian managed and prop up his worst-performing year yet.

Now I'd changed my mind.

After a brief silence, Diane was the first to laugh.

“Twenty million dollars?”

“Do you even know how much money that is?”

The others laughed with her.

“If she really had $20 million, she'd sit in the regular customer area for half an hour?”

“The private banking team would've been lined up waiting for her.”

“Did she print those papers herself?”

Just then, Emily Carter hurried over from behind the counter.

She looked uneasy.

“Vanessa, there really is a scheduled transfer of $20 million in trust assets in the system today.”

“The client's last name is Moretti. Her first name is—”

“Enough!”

Vanessa cut her off sharply.

“Moretti isn't exactly a rare last name.”

“How could a woman like this possibly be that client?”

She pointed at the computer.

“Pull up the appointment record. I want to see who she really is.”

Emily went even paler.

“But the client's privacy permissions—”

“I told you to look it up!”

“If anything happens, my husband will take responsibility.”

Emily bit her lip and had no choice but to turn away.

I didn't want to waste another second there.

I bent down to pick up my handbag.

Once my mother arrived, I would take her and leave.

As for Julian, I would go home and settle this with him.

But just as my hand reached the strap, Vanessa kicked the edge of the bag.

It flipped over.

My phone, lipstick, card holder, and keys scattered across the floor.

“Trying to leave the second you hear we're going to verify your identity?”

She sneered.

“If that isn't a guilty conscience, what is?”

I straightened.

“Is this how you treat customers?”

“The lobby cameras will record everything you're doing.”

“The system will also log the fact that you pressured an employee to make an unauthorized search.”

“That alone is enough for Compliance to suspend you pending an investigation.”

“Suspend me?”

She looked like she'd heard a joke.

“Julian is in charge here.”

“And I'm the woman he's about to marry.”

“Who would dare investigate me?”

She jabbed a finger at my shoulder.

“I think those documents of yours are fake.”

“You're only trying to run now because you don't want to be exposed in front of everyone.”

Then her gaze dropped to the floor.

She bent down and picked something up.

It was the charm on my car key.

Black onyx was set into a platinum base, ringed with tiny diamonds.

The back bore the understated Moretti Family crest and a unique serial number.

Only two existed in the world.

Julian had the other one.

Vanessa's eyes flew wide.

“Why do you have this?”

She clenched it in her fist.

“This belongs to Julian!”

I looked at her.

“I commissioned it from a jeweler, and I paid for it. Give it back.”

“You commissioned it?”

Her face flushed red.

“This is obviously the matching piece to Julian's!”

“No wonder you've been picking a fight with me this whole time.”

“So you're the woman he's been keeping on the side!”

With that, she raised her hand and smashed the key charm down onto the marble floor.

One of the diamonds flew loose.

A thin crack split the black onyx.

I stared at that crack.

The last bit of warmth inside me disappeared.

“There are cameras here.”

I spoke each word clearly.

“That charm has an insurance appraisal, purchase records, and a unique serial number.”

“You just deliberately destroyed my private property.”

“I can call the police right now.”

“The police?”

Diane spat on the floor.

“She smashed something Julian gave you.”

“If anyone has the right to go after her, it isn't some shameless mistress.”

“If you're the other woman, you should know your place.”

Vanessa lifted her chin again.

“You show up in front of me wearing something my man gave you, trying to rub it in my face.”

“You really think I won't put you in your place?”

At that moment, the bank doors opened.

My mother, Donna Moretti, strode inside.

She'd been waiting for me at a restaurant on the corner for lunch.

When I didn't show up, she'd come looking for me herself.

She saw the things scattered across the floor, then the crowd surrounding me.

Finally, her gaze settled on Vanessa.

“Who did you just call the other woman?”