I Faked My Death to Take His Empire

The woman's voice was lazy, satisfied.

"Thank you for remembering I like pink diamonds. And one more thing, I like strawberry flavor. Don't bring the wrong kind next time."

The pink-diamond bracelet he'd outbid everyone for at last year's auction, paying a fortune for it.

It turned out that, too, had been for Seraphina.

He held out his hand to me.

"That bracelet wasn't a good piece. I'll have my assistant pick out a better one tomorrow to make it up to you."

I stood.

"Val James, I want a divorce."

The moment he heard those words, he caught my wrist.

He didn't grip hard, but his eyes had already gone cold.

"Stop this. I don't like you when you're like this."

"And where would you go without me? Crawling back to that nouveau-riche brute?"

"Let go. Where I go is none of your business." I stared coldly at the hand clamped around mine.

His eyes darkened, and in the end he slowly eased his grip.

He drew a deep breath and put on that long-suffering, indulgent look.

"Penny, don't throw a tantrum. I promise, I'll see her as little as I can from now on."

Just then his private phone rang in his pocket, that special ringtone.

It was the number he'd set up just for me, so I could reach him first the moment anything urgent happened.

Val's brows drew together as he answered.

Seraphina's voice came through, thick with tears.

"Val, I'm so scared."

His voice snapped taut.

"What? You cut your wrist?"

He turned without a second's hesitation.

"I have to go out. Get some rest, don't wait up."

"Val." A dragging ache spread low in my belly.

My hand went to my stomach on instinct, the other reaching out to catch the hem of his coat.

Impatience crossed his face.

"Penny, don't pick now to put on a jealous little act."

"She's in real danger right now. I have to go to her."

He pried my fingers loose, one by one.

He didn't spare me another glance. He walked out, long strides, and was gone.

I sank down onto the floor, cold sweat soaking through the back of my shirt.

I called 911 and went to Downtown General alone.

I lay in the hospital bed, holding the thin slip of paper from the test, my hand resting over the belly that didn't show yet.

Baby, I'm sorry. You really couldn't have picked a worse time to come.

I curled my hand into a fist.

But now that you're here, Mommy is going to take you with me and raise you.

I called my lawyer.

After I sent the evidence, I got up to leave.

That was when I saw Val, carefully supporting Seraphina as the two of them came out of the VIP ultrasound room.

There was a cartoon bandage on her finger.

He was murmuring something to her, his expression tender.

Seraphina lifted her head and met my eyes.

She stopped, and tugged at Val's sleeve.

He followed her gaze, and his face shifted slightly.

She slipped free of his hand and walked straight up to me.

She studied my face.

"How nostalgic. I'd almost forgotten myself, that I used to look like this."

Those weightless words landed like a hard slap across my face.

She raised her hand to touch my cheek.

I turned my head away. "Don't touch me. I'm not you."

Seeing me refuse, she swung her hand back and struck me across the face.

The sting burned hot, and I lifted my own hand to hit her back.

Val crossed the space in a few quick strides and stepped between us, shielding her.

"Penny, she's sick. Don't stoop to her level."

I drove my palm across his face without holding back.

He didn't get angry. His eyes dropped to the test results in my hand.

He pulled the slip away and scanned the result on it.