Chapter 184

"What nonsense are you speaking? How could I ever forget you, Nolan?" Laura's fingers traced circles on his chest.

His rough chuckle vibrated against her skin. "You only seek me out when you're lonely, darling."

She sighed dramatically. "Richard shows no interest in me anymore. What choice do I have?"

'Damn that man! If only he'd fulfill his husbandly duties instead of rejecting me night after night. This pregnancy won't conceive itself.'

'Richard brought this upon himself with his coldness. He has no right to judge my actions!'

'Just like with Vivian, I'll simply present another man's child as his heir. The Vanderbilt name will continue through my bloodline, one way or another.'

Nolan exhaled a cloud of smoke. "There's always an ulterior motive with you, isn't there?"

"You know me too well." A venomous smile curled her lips. "Your associates have certain... specialized skills. Name your price, and I'll make it worth your while."

"Sounds messy." His eyes gleamed with dark amusement.

Laura's nails dug into his arm. "There's a pest threatening my daughter's future that needs permanent removal."

The next morning...

Richard arrived at Viana Jewelry carrying an ornate lacquered box. "Zoe, I never imagined Vivian would steal your mother's bracelet. The damage is done, but I'm returning it to its rightful owner."

Inside lay the shattered remains of an heirloom bracelet, its golden filigree the only intact portions. Richard's jaw tightened. He'd been carefully cataloguing Marina's possessions to give Evelyn everything that rightfully belonged to her.

The audacity of those two women invading his private study made his blood boil.

Evelyn closed the box with deliberate calm. "I'll have it restored."

"Zoe, words can't express... I'll ensure Vivian faces consequences this time." His voice cracked. "I've failed you unforgivably all these years."

Her lashes fluttered downward. "I've no right to judge you."

'He's all the family I have left. What else can I say?'

"I'm divorcing Laura after this."

Evelyn's head snapped up. "You're actually leaving her?"

Richard's resolve hardened. "Bringing them into our home was my gravest mistake. I see now how my weakness poisoned your childhood."

His fingers trembled slightly. Nathan's probing questions during their last call had forced him to confront painful truths.

His daughter's distrust of marriage, her emotional walls - all consequences of his failures as a father.

"Zoe, Nathan Goldmann is a good man. He treats you with respect I never showed your mother." Richard's throat tightened. "Don't let my mistakes color your future. True partnership is possible."

After he left, Evelyn sat motionless, staring at the fractured bracelet. The broken pieces seemed to mirror her fragmented family history.