Chapter 3 - THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATION
“I Walked In On My Sister’s Secret Baby Shower—And Delivered A Gift That Stopped Her Heart!”The Peninsula Hotel’s private dining room was decorated in soft pastel blues and creams. “Welcome Baby Vance!” a massive balloon arch proclaimed.
Daniel had spared no expense. He wanted the world to see how happy he was. He wanted to rub his new, younger, pregnant partner in the face of everyone who had judged him at the gala.
Lily sat at the center of the room, looking radiant in a white silk dress that draped over her growing belly. She was surrounded by high-society women who, just days ago, had snubbed her, but were now eager to get back into Daniel’s good graces.
At the head of the table sat Julian Vance, looking distinguished in a charcoal suit, raising a glass of sparkling water to his brother.
"To the next generation of the Vance family," Julian announced, his voice smooth and authoritative. "May he be as bold as his father."
Daniel beamed, puffing out his chest. "Thank you, Julian. I couldn't have done any of this without your support. In business, and in life."
Just as the guests began to clap, the double doors of the dining room swung open.
The room went instantly silent.
I walked in, wearing a stunning, tailored crimson suit that screamed power. My heels clicked rhythmically against the hardwood floor. In my hand, I carried a beautifully wrapped gift box with a giant black satin bow.
Daniel's smile vanished. He stood up, his face flushing red with anger. "Evelyn? What the hell are you doing here? This is a private event. Security!"
"Relax, Daniel," I said, my voice dripping with honeyed poison. "I’m not here to make a scene. I’m here as a sister. Despite our... differences, Lily is still my family. I couldn't let her celebrate her pregnancy without giving her a proper gift."
Lily looked terrified. She instinctively clutched her stomach, her eyes darting toward Julian, then back to me. "Evie... please, just leave. We don't want any trouble."
"Trouble? I’m bringing gifts!" I laughed, walking right up to the head table. I placed the heavy black-ribboned box directly in front of Lily. "Go ahead, Lily. Open it. It’s something extremely sentimental. Something from our past."
The guests whispered, leaning forward. Daniel took a step toward me, but Julian held up a hand, stopping him. Julian’s eyes were narrowed, studying me like a poker player trying to read an opponent's bluff.
"Let her open it, Daniel," Julian said smoothly. "Let's see what my lovely sister-in-law has brought."
Lily’s hands shook as she reached for the black ribbon. She untied it, her fingers trembling so much she nearly ripped the paper. She lifted the lid of the box.
Inside was a silver-plated baby rattle.
But beneath the rattle lay a stack of glossy, high-resolution photographs.
Lily gasped, her face draining of all color as she saw the top image—a crystal-clear shot of her and Julian kissing passionately on the deck of the yacht in October.
"What is this?" Daniel demanded, reaching into the box to grab the photos.
Before he could touch them, I leaned down and whispered in Lily’s ear, loud enough for only her and Julian to hear.
"The original digital files are currently scheduled to be sent to Julian’s wife’s lawyers in exactly ten minutes," I whispered. "Along with the DNA paternity test results from the prenatal blood draw I bribed your clinic nurse to obtain. Unless..."
Julian’s eyes flared with a sudden, violent panic. He stood up so fast his chair scraped loudly against the floor. "Evelyn. My office. Now."
"What’s going on here?" Daniel asked, looking between his brother, his pregnant girlfriend, and his ex-wife, completely lost in his own ignorance. "Julian? Lily? What's in the box?"
"It’s just... some old family photos, Daniel," Julian lied quickly, his voice tight. He grabbed the box, slamming the lid shut. "Evelyn and I have some family estate matters to discuss. Excuse us."
"But Julian—" Daniel protested.
"Sit down, Daniel!" Julian snapped, his authoritative voice cutting through his brother’s ego like a knife.
I smiled at the stunned guests. "Enjoy the cake, everyone. It looks delicious."
I followed Julian out of the dining room and into a private conference room down the hall. As soon as the door closed, Julian turned on me, his face twisted in a snarl.
"You think you’re smart, Evelyn? You think you can blackmail me?" Julian hissed, stepping into my personal space. "I can ruin you. I can make sure your divorce lawyer leaves you with nothing but the clothes on your back."
"Oh, you mean Mr. Aris?" I chuckled, pulling out my phone. "The lawyer you paid off to sabotage my case? I’ve already fired him. In fact, I’ve already reported him to the Illinois State Bar Association for conflict of interest and ethical violations. I have the wire transfer receipts from your offshore account to his."
Julian froze. For the first time in his life, he looked genuinely afraid.
"Here is how this is going to go, Julian," I said, leaning against the mahogany conference table. "You are going to sign over 50% of Daniel’s construction company to me. It’s my marital property, and since you own the majority of the debt, you have the power to restructure the shares. You will do this today."
"And if I don't?" Julian growled.
"If you don't, your wife’s family will pull their billions from your investment fund by tomorrow morning. You’ll be bankrupt, divorced, and the laughingstock of the entire country. Oh, and Daniel will find out that his 'heir' is actually his nephew."
Julian’s chest heaved. He stared at me, realizing he was completely trapped.
May you like
"You're a monster, Evelyn," he whispered.
"No, Julian," I smiled. "I’m just a woman who finally stopped playing nice."
