I didn't move immediately after ending the call.
I stood beside the reception desk with Sophia's small hand in mine.
The necklace was still pressed against her dress.
Chloe looked at my phone.
Then at me.
"Who was that?"
I slipped the phone into my handbag.
"My brother."
She gave a short laugh.
"Your brother?"
I didn't respond.
She seemed to take my silence as proof that she had nothing to worry about.
"Vivienne, I really don't think you understand the situation."
I looked at her.
"Then explain it."
Her expression became uncomfortable for half a second.
She recovered quickly.
"Dominic has moved forward with his life. You should respect that."
Moved forward.
I almost repeated the words.
Instead, I asked something else.
"How long have you known?"
Chloe looked away.
"Known what?"
"About the woman upstairs."
She tapped her tablet.
"I have work to do."
That was her answer.
And it told me more than she intended.
Sophia leaned against my leg.
"Mommy, can we go see Daddy now?"
I looked down at her.
"Not yet, sweetheart."
"But I made him a present."
"I know."
She examined the necklace.
One of the little heart stickers had started peeling away.
She pressed it down with her thumb.
I wanted to cry.
But I didn't.
Not in front of Chloe.
Not in a lobby full of people who had apparently been waiting for me to discover something humiliating.
A hotel employee approached us.
"Mrs. Hayes?"
I turned.
He was holding a small envelope.
"Mr. Hayes asked that this be given to you if you arrived."
My stomach tightened.
"Dominic left this?"
The employee nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
I took the envelope.
My name was written across the front.
Vivienne.
The handwriting was his.
I opened it carefully.
Inside was a short message.
It said that an unexpected business matter had come up and that I should take Sophia home.
There was no explanation.
No apology.
No mention of why he couldn't call.
Just a few words telling me to leave.
I read it twice.
Then I looked at the employee.
"Who gave you this?"
"Mr. Hayes's secretary."
I turned toward Chloe.
She didn't look surprised.
In fact, she seemed almost satisfied.
I held the paper between my fingers.
"So you knew I was coming."
Chloe shrugged.
"I was asked to make sure you didn't cause a scene."
Those words landed harder than the letter.
Cause a scene.
My daughter had spent the afternoon making a gift for her father.
And someone had already decided that our presence was a problem.
I folded the note.
"Thank you."
The employee looked uncomfortable.
He nodded and walked away.
I could have left then.
I could have taken Sophia home, closed the front door, and waited for Dominic to invent another explanation.
That was what I had done many times before.
When he missed dinner.
When he canceled family plans.
When he said his phone had died.
When he returned home with a story that didn't quite match the one he had told me earlier.
I had made excuses for him.
I had told myself that business was demanding.
That success required sacrifice.
That marriage meant patience.
But there was a limit to how many explanations a person could accept before they became part of the lie.
I looked at Sophia.
She was studying the envelope.
"Is Daddy busy?"
I swallowed.
"Yes, sweetheart."
"Can I give him this tomorrow?"
I looked at the paper necklace.
"Maybe."
She nodded.
Children often accept answers because they trust the person giving them.
That trust is something adults should be careful with.
I had not been careful enough.
My phone vibrated.
Victor.
I stepped a little away from the reception desk.
"Viv, are you somewhere private?"
"Not really."
"Is Sophia with you?"
"Yes."
"Keep her close."
I looked toward the elevators.
"What did you find?"
"I've started reviewing the company's current financial structure."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Dominic's business has several layers of outside support. I want to verify every agreement before we move."
I pressed my lips together.
"Was I right about the investments?"
"Yes."
He paused.
"More than you realize."
I stared at the polished floor.
"Tell me."
"Not over the phone."
"Victor."
"I don't want you hearing partial information and making decisions without understanding the whole picture."
I hated that he was right.
"Then what should I do?"
"Stay where you are. Don't sign anything. Don't agree to any private conversation with Dominic until we've reviewed the documents."
I looked at the envelope in my hand.
"He sent me a message telling me to go home."
Victor was silent.
Then he asked:
"Did he know Sophia was coming?"
"I believe so."
"All right."
That was all he said.
But I knew my brother.
When Victor became quiet, he was usually thinking several steps ahead.
I ended the call.
A few seconds later, a man in a dark suit approached Chloe.
He whispered something.
Her expression changed.
She looked down at her tablet and began typing.
Then she looked toward me.
"Vivienne, perhaps you should leave now."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"There's a private family gathering upstairs."
"I understand."
"And you're not on the guest list."
I glanced at the reception desk.
"Interesting."
She frowned.
"What is?"
"Dominic is my husband. I thought his wife would be welcome at a company celebration."
Chloe's cheeks colored.
"Please don't make this difficult."
I almost laughed.
She had spent the last several minutes making a spectacle of my marriage.
Now she wanted me to protect her from embarrassment.
Before I could answer, a voice came from behind us.
"Chloe?"
We both turned.
A senior company employee was walking toward the desk.
He looked at me, then at Sophia.
His face became serious.
"Mrs. Hayes, I didn't realize you were here."
I nodded.
"Good evening."
He glanced at Chloe.
"Has Mr. Hayes been informed?"
Chloe hesitated.
"I was handling it."
The man didn't seem satisfied.
He looked at me again.
"Would you like me to arrange a private room?"
I shook my head.
"No, thank you."
I wasn't interested in hiding.
The man lowered his voice.
"There's something happening upstairs that you may want to know about."
Chloe immediately interrupted.
"That's not appropriate."
He ignored her.
"Mr. Hayes has been introducing someone as his wife."
I felt Sophia's fingers tighten around mine.
The man looked uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry."
I nodded slowly.
"Thank you for telling me."
He stepped away.
For a moment, I couldn't hear anything.
Then my phone vibrated again.
A message from Victor.
He had sent only one sentence.
Don't leave the building until I speak with you.
I read it twice.
Then I looked at the elevators.
Whatever Dominic had built upstairs, whatever story he had told those people, I knew one thing.
My brother was beginning to uncover the truth.
And I was no longer going to pretend I hadn't seen it.
Click here to continue reading: PART 3: The Company That Made My Husband Powerful Had Been Standing on My Family’s Money Without His Knowledge
The Little Girl With a Handmade Gift Was About to Discover That Her Father Had Built a Second Family
Part 2 of 20
