Becoming strangers again (Lily and Ryan) novel Chapter 153

RYAN

I knew I had to meet Angelo at the club. It was the only place where I could be sure my mother wouldn’t overhear the conversation I was about to have. I couldn’t risk her finding out about any of this—things were already messy enough.

As I stepped into the private booth, the dim lighting and muted sounds of music in the background gave the room atmosphere we needed to have this conversation.

I spotted an extra glass already set on the coffee table. Without a second thought, I grabbed it and poured myself a drink, feeling the burn of the alcohol as I took a sip.

“What do you have on them?” I asked Angelo, cutting straight to the point. This wasn’t the time for small talk.

He didn’t miss a beat. “More on her mother than anyone else,” he replied, leaning back slightly in his seat as he casually placed a thick envelope on the table in front of me. His gesture was almost inviting, beckoning me to take a look.

I didn’t hesitate. My hand quickly reached for the envelope, and as I opened it, I pulled out several photos of men, each face different but all unfamiliar to me. “Who are these guys?” I asked, frowning as I studied their faces, trying to make sense of what I was looking at.

“Salome's scandals,” Angelo answered. He shifted in his seat and leaned over slightly. “All of them are married men. Maya’s mother had affairs with every one of them.”

The realization hit me. “My father wasn’t the first?” I managed to say, disbelief coloring my voice.

Angelo let out a low, almost mocking chuckle. “Not even close. On the list of men she’s been with, your father doesn’t even make the top ten.” He sat back in his seat, crossing his legs nonchalantly, like he was enjoying the absurdity of it all. “I even sat down with some of the angry ex-wives. Trust me, they didn’t have anything flattering to say about her.”

I continued flipping through the photos, each one making me feel more disgusted. I couldn’t believe my father had gotten himself involved with someone like this. “And what exactly did they say she did, besides wrecking their marriages?”

“Her strategy was simple but effective. She’d get hired as a nanny, worm her way into their lives, and then start an affair with the husband. After that, the blackmail started. She’d demand money, threatening to expose the affair to the wife if they didn’t pay up. But here’s the thing—most of the men didn’t even care about saving their marriages. They beat her to the punch by confessing to their wives before she could do any damage.”

I shook my head, trying to process it all. “So my father’s case is different,” I mumbled, more to myself than to Angelo.

He nodded. “Yeah, it seems she figured out early on that your father actually loved his wife. That’s why she went for something bigger—something that could give her a lifetime of financial security.”

Pregnancy. Of course. It was the oldest trick in the book, and yet my father had fallen for it. “For someone with her kind of character,” I said, my voice heavy with skepticism, “there’s a lot to doubt.” The question that had been gnawing at me for some time rose to the surface. “Is Maya even his daughter?”

I couldn’t trust them. None of them. I turned to Angelo. “I need you to go to the estate and get me a sample of her hair. I want a DNA test.”

Angelo raised an eyebrow. “Do you want her to know about this?”

I shook my head. “No. I’d rather find out without her knowing a thing.” If she’s not related to me, I’ll sit back and see what game she’s really playing. Because if she doesn’t get what she wants, she’ll go public. She’ll claim she’s my father’s illegitimate daughter, and when that happens, I’ll have her arrested for defamation.”

Angelo cleared his throat. “No offense, but getting into the estate without knowing if she’s home could be tricky.”

I was already ahead of him. “I’ll take care of that. I’ll invite her and her mother to a meeting at my office tomorrow. While they’re here, you’ll have access to the estate. The security system hasn’t worked since the house went up for sale, so you won’t have to worry about being caught on camera.”

Her mother met my eyes, unfazed. “Go ahead.”

“Didn’t he pay child support? Didn’t he give you anything that can offer you a life of luxury?” I asked, my voice calm but pointed.

She folded her arms and looked down for a moment before speaking. “He was ashamed,” she said softly. “Ashamed of what he had done. He barely acknowledged Maya as his daughter, only giving us just enough to live on.”

I raised an eyebrow, not buying her sob story. “You’ve been living in an entire estate. That’s a bit more than ‘just enough,’ don’t you think?”

Maya rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed. “We were living there with an expiration date. That much was obvious.”

She was more vicious than her mother, more cunning. “So, let me get this straight—you want the estate signed over to you?” I asked, already knowing the answer. “And in exchange, you’ll keep this out of the media?”

Maya smiled,m. “Exactly. So, do we have a deal?”

Before I could respond, my phone chimed. I glanced at the screen.

YOU CAN END THE MEETING. I HAVE THE HAIR SAMPLE.