(Emily's POV)
I woke up to my phone buzzing on the nightstand, the guest room still dark. My eyes burned from last night's tears at the gala, Adrian's cold stare replaying in my head. The screen showed Nathaniel's name. I answered, keeping my voice low.
"Em, I'm coming over," he said, no hello. "We need to talk."
"Now?" I glanced at the clock, 7:15 AM. "Nate, it's early."
"Don't care," he said. "I'm five minutes out. Be ready."
He hung up before I could argue. I dragged myself out of bed, pulling on jeans and a sweater. Adrian was probably still asleep, but I didn't want Nate storming in and waking him. My heart raced as I slipped downstairs, Victoria's letter to "J" and its mention of a son gnawing at me. My son will know his father's name. Was it true?
In the kitchen, I started coffee, the machine hissing as I checked my phone. The gala photos were everywhere, me and Adrian smiling, Margaret's fake praise trending. I looked happy. What a lie.
The elevator dinged, and Nathaniel strode in, his leather jacket scuffed, his eyes sharp. "You look like hell," he said, tossing his keys on the counter.
"Thanks," I said, handing him a coffee. "What's so urgent?"
He glanced around, lowering his voice. "I've been digging on Victoria. You're in over your head, Em."
My stomach dropped. "What'd you find?"
He leaned closer. "She was mixed up with some bad people. Big money, shady deals. And there's talk of a kid."
"A kid?" My voice shook, the letter flashing in my mind. "Like… her kid?"
"Maybe," he said. "I don't have proof yet, but she's not who she seems. You need to get out of this fake marriage before it blows up."
"It's not that simple," I said, gripping my mug. "The certificate's filed. It's legal."
"Legal?" His eyes widened. "Jesus, Em. You didn't tell me that."
"I didn't know until yesterday," I said, my face hot. "Adrian filed it."
Nate cursed, pacing. "He's using you. You gotta walk away."
"I can't," I said, my voice breaking. "Not yet."
He stopped, staring at me. "You love him, don't you?"
I looked away, my throat tight. Before I could answer, footsteps came from the hall. Adrian walked in, his hair messy, his shirt unbuttoned. "What's going on?" he asked, eyeing Nate.
"Just checking on my sister," Nate said, his tone hard. "You got a problem with that?"
Adrian's jaw tightened. "She's fine. You don't need to barge in."
"Funny," Nate said, stepping closer. "She doesn't look fine."
"Enough," I said, stepping between them. "Nate, I'll call you later. Adrian, I'll get breakfast ready."
Nate glared at Adrian, then grabbed his keys. "Watch yourself, Em. I'm not done digging." He left, the elevator doors slamming shut.
Adrian turned to me. "What was that about?"
"Nothing," I lied, grabbing eggs from the fridge. "He's just protective."
He didn't push, just nodded and sat at the counter, scrolling his phone. I cracked eggs into a pan, my mind racing. A kid. Victoria's kid. I needed answers.
After breakfast, Adrian left for a meeting, and I called Sophia. "I need a favor," I said when she answered.
"Another one?" she teased, but her voice softened. "What's up?"
"I need to talk to Victoria's maid," I said. "The one from her hotel. Can you get me her number?"
"Why?" she asked, suspicious. "Em, what're you doing?"
"Just trust me," I said. "Nate found something weird. I need to check it out."
She sighed. "Fine. I'll text you her contact. But be careful."
"Thanks," I said, hanging up. Minutes later, Sophia sent the number, Maria, the maid. I dialed, my hands sweaty.
"Hello?" a woman answered, her voice wary.
"Maria, this is Emily Carter," I said. "I work for Adrian Sinclair. Can we meet? I need to talk about Victoria."
A long pause. "I don't know anything," she said.
"Please," I said. "It's important. Just ten minutes."
Another pause. "Fine. Coffee shop on 5th. One hour."
The coffee shop was crowded, the air thick with espresso and chatter. I spotted Maria at a corner table, her gray hair pulled back, her hands twisting a napkin. She looked nervous as I sat down.
"Thanks for meeting me," I said, sliding her a coffee. "I won't take long."
"What do you want?" she asked, her eyes darting.
"I need to know about Victoria," I said. "Why she left. And… if she had a kid."
Her face paled. "I can't talk about that."
"Please," I said, leaning closer. "I found a letter. It mentioned a son. I need the truth."
She made no move to respond, so I brought out a stack of $100 bills. Perks of being Adrian's 'wife'.
She stared at me, then reached into her purse, pulling out a small photo. She slid it across the table, her hand shaking. "Don't tell anyone I gave you this."
I picked it up. Victoria, smiling, holding a little boy, maybe four or five, with brown curls and big blue eyes. My breath caught. "Who's this?"
"Julian," she whispered. "Her boy."
"Her son?" My voice was barely audible. "Is he… Adrian's?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. She never said. But she loved that kid. Kept him hidden."
"Why?" I asked, gripping the photo.
Maria glanced around, her voice dropping. "She was scared. Said people were after her. That's why she ran."
"People?" My heart raced. "Who?"
"I don't know," she said, standing. "I've said too much. Keep that photo. I'm done."
"Wait," I said, but she was already halfway to the door. I stared at the photo, Julian's face burning into me. Victoria's son. Hidden. Scared.
Back at the penthouse, I hid the photo in my suitcase, my mind spinning. I needed to tell Adrian, but how? Hey, your missing fiancée might have a secret kid? I paced the living room, the yacht photo of Victoria and Adrian staring at me. I turned it face-down again.
My phone buzzed, Daniel. "Em, you free?" he asked when I answered.
"Not really," I said, sitting on the couch. "What's up?"
"I'm worried about you," he said. "Saw the gala photos. You looked… lost."
"I'm fine," I said, my voice tight. "Just dealing with stuff."
"Stuff like Victoria?" he asked. "I heard rumors. She was into some shady guy before she left."
My grip tightened on the phone. "What guy?"
"Dunno," he said. "Just talk. Rich, connected. Not Adrian."
I swallowed, Vanessa's words from the gala echoing. "Thanks, Daniel. I'll call you later."
"Be careful, Em," he said before hanging up.
I leaned back, the photo of Julian flashing in my mind. I needed to see Maria again. I grabbed my phone, dialing her number. She answered on the third ring.
"Maria, it's Emily," I said. "I need more. Who was Victoria running from?"
"I told you, I'm done," she snapped. "You don't get it. She's dangerous."
"Dangerous how?" I pressed.
A pause, then her voice dropped to a hiss. "He's Victoria's secret child. And she's coming back with him."