Chapter 237
“I’m sorry it took me so long,” Arthur said. “But no one threatens my daughter.”
With Arthur’s testimony secure and the SEC investigation stalled by the revelation of witness tampering, the pressure eased. But the war was not over.
Skye sat in her office, looking out at the city.
Her phone rang. It was Seraphina.
“You think you won?” Seraphina hissed. “I’m having the baby tonight. Beatrice is bringing the doctors here. Once the heir is born, you are nothing.”
Skye checked the date. It was too early.
“You’re staging the birth?” Skye asked. “Inducing labor in a house? That’s dangerous.”
“It’s necessary,” Seraphina said. “Liam needs a win. And I’m giving him a son.”
Skye hung up and called Julian.
“It’s happening,” Skye said. “Tonight. At the Manor.”
“Oksana is ready,” Julian said. “We have the FBI on standby.”
“Let’s go to the Manor,” Skye said. “I want to be there when the lie breaks.”
The Kensington Manor was lit up like a fortress.
Skye and Julian arrived at the gates. Alistair was there, waiting.
He leaned against his car, arms crossed. He looked furious.
“You didn’t call,” Alistair said.
“I’m calling now,” Skye said, getting out of the car. “We’re going in.”
“To a birth?” Alistair asked.
“To a crime scene,” Skye said.
They stormed the house. Beatrice tried to stop them in the foyer.
“You cannot go up there!” Beatrice screamed. “She is in labor!”
“She’s faking it!” Skye shouted, pushing past her.
They burst into the master bedroom.
Seraphina was in the bed, screaming. A doctor—a shady one Skye recognized from the files—held a baby who looked remarkably clean and alert for a newborn.
“It’s a boy!” the doctor announced.
𝗔𝗅l nо𝗏e𝗅𝘀 𝗳rее оn 𝖻е𝗅𝗇𝘰𝘷𝖾𝘭𝘴.с𝗼m
Liam stood there, crying tears of joy. “A son. I have a son.”
Seraphina looked triumphant. She reached for the baby.
“That’s not her baby,” Skye said from the doorway.
Everyone froze.
“What?” Liam turned.
“That baby belongs to Oksana Volkov,” Skye said. “She’s eighteen. She’s from Belarus. And Seraphina bought him for fifty thousand dollars.”
“Liar!” Seraphina screamed, clutching the baby.
“FBI!”
Agents burst into the room. They had Oksana with them.
Oksana saw the baby and screamed. “My baby! Give me!”
She ran forward. Seraphina tried to hold on, but the agents pulled her away.
Liam watched in horror as the baby was handed to the crying Russian girl.
“Seraphina?” Liam whispered. “Is it true?”
Seraphina looked at him. The mask fell. She looked like a cornered rat.
“You needed an heir!” she screamed. “I gave you one! Who cares where it came from?”
Suddenly, Seraphina’s eyes went wild. She pointed a shaking finger at Alistair.
“I have insurance! I know secrets! I know where the body is, Alistair! The one your family buried! If you arrest me, I’ll tell the world about the Thorne—”