Ariana’s POV

My hands were still shaking from Dante’s call. Something was wrong, I could hear it in his voice.

He knew.

He must have known about Asher.

I paced my office, my mind racing. What if he hated me? What if he thought I had lied to him all these years? What if he didn’t want Asher anymore? What if he sent him away?

I couldn’t lose Asher.

I couldn’t lose my son, even if he wasn’t biologically mine; he was mine. He was my heart, my soul...my baby.

I grabbed my purse and headed for the door. I needed to go home before he got there.

My phone buzzed.

I looked down.

A text from an unknown number.

Don’t go to Dante; meet me first, or he finds out everything about Asher. - Melissa

My blood ran cold.

Melissa.

Another text came through with an address.

You have one hour and come alone, or I will tell him everything.

I stared at the screen with my hands shaking so badly that I could barely hold the phone.

But what if Melissa got there first? What if she sent him proof? What if she already had?

I typed a quick message to Dante about something that came up, but I’ll be there soon.

I sent it before I could change my mind.

Then I called my driver.

"Take me to this address," I said, showing him the phone. "Quickly."

He nodded, and I got in the car with my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst.

The drive was a blur.

I stared out the window, but didn’t see anything. All I could picture was Asher’s face.

I couldn’t lose him. I would do anything to keep him safe.

Anything.

The car stopped, and I looked up at a small cafe.

The kind of place no one would notice.

"I’ll wait here, Mrs. Russo," the driver said.

"No. Go homo. I’ll call you when I need you."

He nodded and drove away.

I took a deep breath and walked in.

She was there.

In the back corner booth, hidden from the windows, she looked different.

She smiled when she saw me. "Ariana, so nice of you to come."

I sat across from her, not smiling back. "What do you want, Melissa?"

She laughed. "Straight to business, I like it. You’ve changed, not like the old Ariana would have cried first, begged, and now you’re just... cold."

"I learned from the best."

Her smile flickered just for a second. Then it came back. "Fair enough. Let’s get to it then."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a folder, sliding it across the table toward me.

"Open it and see."

I stared at the folder with my hands, and they didn’t move. "I’m not playing games with you, Melissa. What do you want?"

"I want you to read what’s in that folder." Her voice was calm. Controlled. "And then I want you to sign it."

My heart was pounding. I opened the folder.

Legal papers.

I scanned the first page it was a stock transfer shareholder agreement. Legal jargon I barely understood.

"What is this?" I asked again.

"Read the cover letter, it’s from your father."

I looked at the first page again there was a letter typed formally and signed at the bottom.

Dear Melissa,

Enclosed are the documents my daughter needs to sign. Once she does, the shares will transfer to me as agreed. I trust you will handle this quickly and quietly. As discussed, my associates will be in touch regarding the next steps.

Ricardo Melendez

My hands were shaking as I read the rest.

The documents detailed a transfer of shares. Dante’s shares.

Millions of dollars worth of stock in his company to be transferred to my father’s name, signed over by me, his wife. His legal partner.

I looked up at Melissa. "This is insane. I would never sign this. Never."

Melissa smiled. "You don’t have a choice."

"I have a choice. I’m not signing away my husband’s company to my criminal father. I’m not—"

"You’ll sign it," Melissa interrupted. Her voice was cold. "Because if you don’t, I’ll tell Dante the truth about Asher."

I froze. "What truth?"

She leaned forward. "That Asher isn’t his son. That you’ve been lying to him for years. That you tricked him into raising another man’s child."

My blood ran cold. "That’s not true. Asher is his son."

"We both know it isn’t, but who do you think Dante will believe? You? His wife, who has been hiding a secret? Or me? The woman who has proof?"

"What proof? You have no proof."

Melissa pulled out another paper.

It’s a DNA test.

This was what Angelo tried to warn me about.

"I had this done years ago, before everything. Before prison, I wanted to use this against you before I was jailed, but I never got the chance to, but now I do. These results are very clear."

She slid it across the table, and I stared at it.

The words blurred in front of my eyes.

Probability of paternity: 99.99%.