Chapter 12
Maya returned to the Vance estate three days later.
Richard was waiting in the library.
He looked exhausted.
For the first time since she had known him, he had no audience.
No Vanessa.
No capos.
No bodyguards inside the room.
Maya placed the orchid ring on the table between them.
Richard stared at it.
“You found it.”
“I always had it.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes.”
Maya sat.
Richard remained standing.
“Where’s Lily?”
“Safe.”
“She’s my daughter.”
“And you will have a relationship with her if you can behave like a father instead of using her mother as a target.”
Richard flinched.
It was small.
Real.
Maya continued.
“You knew my name when I was nineteen.”
Richard looked at the ring.
“Who told you?”
“Eleanor.”
That frightened him.
Maya saw it.
“You found the tapes.”
“Yes.”
Richard lowered himself into the chair.
For several seconds he looked nothing like the man who had attacked her at the birthday party.
He looked tired.
Almost relieved.
“My father gave me your name.”
“Why?”
“He believed Eleanor trusted you.”
“So you found me.”
“Yes.”
“Was the charity event arranged?”
“Yes.”
Maya breathed slowly.
“Did Vanessa know?”
“Yes.”
“Did you marry me for the ring?”
Richard looked at her.
“At first, I stayed close to you because of Eleanor.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“No.”
Maya waited.
Richard’s voice became quieter.
“I married you because I loved you.”
“You were already with Vanessa.”
“I ended it.”
“For a few months.”
Richard looked away.
Maya felt anger rise.
She controlled it.
“What happened?”
“After Lily was born, I wanted out of all of it.”
“Out of what?”
“Victor. Eleanor. The old records. Vanessa. Everything.”
Maya stared at him.
“That sounds convenient.”
“It’s true.”
“Then why start searching again?”
“My father left debts.”
“Not debts. Leverage.”
Richard looked up sharply.
Maya knew she was right.
Victor had controlled people by knowing what their fathers, brothers, and partners had done.
Richard inherited not power, but a trap.
If he stopped paying certain people, they could expose old crimes connected to Victor.
If he continued paying them, he remained tied to the old structure.
Instead of walking away, Richard tried to control it.
Just like his father.
“Thomas Bell?” Maya asked.
Richard said nothing.
“That silence is getting expensive.”
Richard rubbed his face.
“Yes.”
“Who else?”
“I’ll give you every name.”
“In exchange for what?”
“Our family.”
Maya looked at him for a long time.
“No.”
Richard’s face collapsed slightly.
“You don’t even have to answer now.”
“I already did.”
“Maya—”
“You built our marriage around a lie. You brought Vanessa into our home. You searched my things. And when you thought I might expose you, you grabbed me by the hair in front of Lily.”
Richard looked down.
“I panicked.”
“So did Lily.”
That ended the argument.
Richard whispered, “What happens now?”
May you like
Maya picked up the orchid ring.
“Now you tell me everything without knowing whether it saves you.”
