Chapter 13 - The Oranges and the Lie
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A nauseating wave of disgust washed over me.
Every sweet memory of my early relationship with Ethan—the romantic dinners, the long walks through Central Park, the way he had courted me for six months before asking me to marry him—was instantly corrupted into a calculated, predatory campaign.
“The oranges...” I whispered, tears burning my throat. “He staged the entire meeting.”
“He tracked your daily routine for six weeks before making contact,” Paul confirmed, turning a page in the file to reveal dates, time logs, and photos taken by a private investigator Ethan had hired back in 2021. “He knew what time you left your apartment, where you bought your coffee, and which grocery store you frequented.”
I buried my face in my good right hand, letting out a ragged, painful laugh.
“I thought I was so lucky,” I choked out. “I thought I had found a charming, successful man who loved me for who I was. I was serving pancakes at a diner, making twelve dollars an hour, and he made me feel like a princess.”
Vincent placed a heavy, reassuring hand on my shoulder. “He is a parasite, Lena. He saw a goldmine, and he thought he was smart enough to dig it out without waking the dragon.”
“How much?” I asked, lifting my head and looking at Paul. “How much is Aurelia Holdings worth?”
Paul closed the folder with a sharp snap. “With current Manhattan real estate valuations, the port shipping contracts, and accumulated interest... the trust is valued at six hundred and twenty million dollars.”
I stared at him, completely speechless. Six hundred and twenty million dollars. I had spent the last five years living on a strict monthly allowance Ethan set for me, begging him for extra money to buy winter clothes or pay for dental visits.
“And the trust terms?” I asked, my voice barely audible. “When was it supposed to activate?”
“Two triggers,” Paul answered cleanly. “Your thirty-fifth birthday... or the birth of your first living child.”
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My eyes snapped wide open as the final, horrifying realization struck me like a physical blow.
“That’s why he wanted me pregnant,” I breathed out, terror chilling my blood. “He didn't want a family. He was waiting for the baby to be born so the money would transfer to my name!”
