Chapter 4 - The Marriage Richard Tried to Destroy
Daniel Reeves opened the motel door and immediately tried to close it.
Vincent stopped it with one hand.
“No.”
Reeves went pale.
“Romano.”
Harper stepped forward.
“Mr. Reeves?”
He looked at her.
His fear changed into guilt.
“Harper.”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you hiding?”
Reeves looked down the motel walkway.
Vincent spoke quietly.
“Nobody followed us.”
“That’s what Richard said.”
Harper froze.
“Richard knows where you are?”
Reeves laughed bitterly.
“Richard is why I’m here.”
Vincent stepped inside.
“Talk.”
Harper gave him a warning look.
Vincent corrected himself.
“Please.”
She almost smiled despite herself.
Reeves sat on the bed.
“Your mother discovered missing money before she died.”
Harper’s face tightened.
“What money?”
“Richard had access to one of her investment accounts. She trusted him while she was sick.”
“How much?”
“About two hundred thousand.”
Harper sat down.
Vincent remained standing.
Reeves continued.
“She confronted him. He claimed it was a misunderstanding.”
“It wasn’t.”
“No.”
Reeves opened an old laptop.
“Your mother changed Lily’s trust immediately. She made Harper the preferred guardian and removed Richard from every financial role.”
Harper stared at the screen.
“Why didn’t she tell me?”
“She was trying to protect you.”
Vincent’s jaw tightened at the phrase.
Harper noticed.
Reeves continued.
“After she died, Richard demanded I alter the trust records.”
Harper whispered, “You refused?”
“Eventually.”
Vincent caught the word.
“Eventually?”
Reeves looked ashamed.
“I accepted money to prepare paperwork.”
Harper stood.
“You helped him?”
“I never filed it.”
“You took his money.”
“Yes.”
“And then?”
“I realized what he planned to do. He didn’t want guardianship just for the trust. He intended to borrow against it, drain what he could, and place Lily in boarding school.”
Harper’s eyes filled with fury.
“She’s eight.”
“I know.”
“You knew her.”
“Yes.”
“You came to our house.”
“I know.”
Vincent moved between them before Harper could step closer.
Not to restrain her.
To give her space.
“Evidence,” Vincent said.
Reeves opened a drawer.
Inside was a flash drive.
“Emails. Draft documents. Recordings.”
Vincent took it.
Harper asked, “Why didn’t you go to the police?”
Reeves laughed.
“Because I committed crimes too.”
Vincent nodded.
“At least you’re finally being accurate.”
---
By morning, Samuel had copied everything.
Richard’s emails were explicit.
Once guardianship clears, we control the trust.
Another read:
The girl can go somewhere cheap. Harper won’t have the money to fight after the first hearing.
Harper stopped reading.
Vincent closed the laptop.
“That’s enough.”
“No.”
“You don’t need more.”
“I want to see all of it.”
“Why?”
“Because I need to know exactly who he is.”
Vincent looked at her.
“You already know.”
Harper’s voice shook.
“He held Lily when she was born.”
“I know.”
“He came to Christmas.”
“I know.”
“He called himself family.”
Vincent’s expression darkened.
“Blood doesn’t make someone family.”
Harper looked at him.
“Experience?”
“Yes.”
He offered nothing else.
She didn’t push.
Samuel entered.
“We can give this to the court-appointed investigator.”
Harper nodded.
“Do it.”
Samuel hesitated.
“There’s another problem.”
Vincent leaned back.
“There always is.”
“The federal prosecutor assigned to Vincent’s case learned about the marriage.”
Harper’s stomach dropped.
Samuel continued.
“They’re calling it fraudulent.”
Harper looked at Vincent.
“Can they arrest me?”
“No,” Samuel said. “Not for marrying someone quickly. But if they prove the marriage was staged specifically to interfere with proceedings, they can use it against Vincent.”
Harper turned toward him.
“So divorce me.”
Vincent went still.
“What?”
“Divorce me.”
“No.”
“You got what you needed. I got temporary custody. Richard’s fraud is exposed.”
“No.”
“Vincent.”
“I said no.”
Harper’s eyes narrowed.
“You don’t get to order me around.”
“You signed a twelve-month agreement.”
“You said we could end it if both agreed.”
“I don’t agree.”
“Why?”
Vincent said nothing.
Harper stepped closer.
“Why?”
His phone rang.
He ignored it.
“Vincent.”
His eyes met hers.
“Because leaving now makes the marriage look more fraudulent, not less.”
Harper stared.
“That’s the reason?”
“Yes.”
She nodded slowly.
“Fine.”
She turned away.
Vincent watched her.
Something in his expression suggested the answer had not been entirely true.
---
Richard came to the diner that afternoon.
Harper was working despite Vincent’s objections that she no longer needed the shifts.
Richard sat at the counter.
“Coffee.”
Harper didn’t move.
“You’re not welcome here.”
“You think Romano saved you?”
“He helped.”
“He’s using you.”
“So are you.”
Richard’s smile disappeared.
“You have no idea what kind of man you married.”
Harper leaned across the counter.
“And you have no idea how little I care about your opinion.”
Richard lowered his voice.
“When Romano goes to prison, where will you be?”
Harper’s expression faltered.
Richard saw it.
“There it is.”
“Leave.”
“You think the judge gives Lily to the wife of a convicted mob boss?”
“Leave.”
Richard smiled.
“I don’t have to beat you, Harper.”
He stood.
“I just have to wait for your husband to destroy himself.”
A voice came from behind him.
“That may take longer than you think.”
Richard turned.
Vincent stood near the door.
Black coat.
Dark suit.
Perfectly calm.
Harper frowned.
“What are you doing here?”
“Picking up my wife.”
“I have three hours left.”
“I know.”
Richard laughed.
“Domestic already?”
Vincent ignored him.
Richard stepped closer.
“You can intimidate me all you want.”
Vincent’s expression remained blank.
“I’m not intimidating you.”
“No?”
“No. I’m waiting for you to finish embarrassing yourself.”
Richard’s face reddened.
Harper almost smiled.
Richard walked out.
Vincent watched him leave.
Then Harper asked, “Why are you really here?”
Vincent looked at her.
“The investigator wants to speak with Lily tomorrow.”
Harper’s smile vanished.
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
Fear entered her face.
Vincent lowered his voice.
“She’ll be okay.”
“You don’t know that.”
“No.”
He paused.
“But she won’t face it alone.”
Harper looked at him.
May you like
For the first time since their wedding, she believed him without needing it written in a contract.
---
