“Help us.”
“And you came to ask me for help?” Nina let out a short, dry laugh.“The wife of the man you were sleeping with for years?”
Vivian couldn’t find an answer. Nina saw hatred flash in her eyes, butVivian pressed it down. She hadn’t come here to fight today.
There was a time when Nina had considered her a good person, a friend, someone she shared her secrets with. Now she felt nothing but contempt. Vivian no longer seemed beautiful or intriguing. She was rotten through and through. Disgusting and shameless.
Nina took a step forward, her voice perfectly steady, surprising even herself with her composure.
“And what does any of this have to do with me?” she asked.“He’syour child, Vivian. Yours and Frank’s. Let him figure out how to support you.”
She stepped closer.
“I have a daughter of my own. And I almost lost her because of your little‘happiness.’Do you honestly think that after everything, I’m going to take care of your child?”
Vivian kept her jaw clenched. Something flickered in her eyes—something human: fear, maybe desperation.
“That’s not my problem. I don’t owe you anything. Especially not you,” Nina said firmly.
Vivian dropped her gaze, her fingers curling into fists.
“Leave,” Nina added quietly but with steel in her voice.“Before I change my mind and call the police.”
“What do you want from me, Nina?” Vivian burst out. Her voice trembled—but not from fear. From rage. From humiliation.“Do you want me to get on my knees for you? Is that what you need?”
Nina stayed silent. Watching her. Letting her speak.
“Why can’t I be happy?!”Vivian’s shoulders shook.“For the first time in my life, something good finally happened. I met Frank. He cared. He loved me. And yes, we had to hide. Keep everything secret. Because of you.”
She stepped forward, flushed and out of breath.
“But everything had finally fallen into place. Everything was good. And now—it’s all over again. Because of you. Again.”
Nina tilted her head just slightly.
“You didn’t lose anything, Vivian,” she answered calmly, almost tiredly.“Because nothing you’re talking about ever belonged to you in the first place.”
She looked straight into Vivian’s eyes.
“Not the man. Not the money. Not the company. All of it was mine. And you should be grateful Frank was decent enough to take all the blame.He told them you didn’t know about the illegal transfer of shares.Otherwise the two of you would be in jail right now, and your son would be in foster care. So go home, Vivian, and count yourself lucky. Start packing care packages. You’ll be waiting a long time. Maybe your son will finishhigh school before Frank gets out.”
It still amazed Nina that Frank really had done that. It meant he truly cared for Vivian—even though he’d been perfectly willing to destroyher, Nina.
Vivian was silent for only a second. Then something inside her snapped.
“You bitch!” she shrieked, lunging forward.
Her self-control didn’t last long. Nina wasn’t surprised. Honestly, she would’ve gladly gouged Vivian’s eyes out herself—but she wasn’t the type to start scenes.
She didn’t even have time to blink—security reacted faster.
One guard grabbed Vivian’s arms and dragged her back. The other stepped between them.
Vivian kicked at the air, screaming.
“You rotten witch!” she shrieked.“You ruined everything! Everything! I hope it comes back to you! I hope you rot in this house alone, unloved, unwanted, with no family—exactly what you deserve!”
Nina stood still. Didn’t blink.She looked at Vivian the way one might look at a wild animal destined to die from its own rage.
