Page 174 of Filthy Promises

PAYMENT HISTORY ATTACHED

PRIMARY TASK: MONITOR SUBJECT’S PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, REPORT ANY CONTACT WITH GRIGOR PETROV OR KNOWN ASSOCIATES

Natalie. My best friend. The person I’ve told everything to.

Every secret.

Every hope.

Every fear.

She’s been working for Vince all along.

I slam the laptop closed as the bathroom door opens. Vince emerges in a cloud of steam, towel wrapped around his waist, hair damp against his forehead.

“Morning, beautiful,” he says, smiling that rare, genuine smile that I thought was just for me. “Sleep well?”

I stare at him, this stranger I thought I knew.

“Who am I?” My voice doesn’t sound like my own.

His smile falters. “What?”

I point to the laptop. “Who am I, Vince? Or should I be asking, who doyouthink I am?”

All the color drains from his face. For once, Vincent Akopov looks genuinely caught off-guard.

“Rowan—”

“Don’t.” I stand, backing away from him. “Don’t you dare ‘Rowan’ me right now. Not until you explain why you have five years of surveillance on me. Not until you explain why your laptop thinks I’m Grigor Petrov’s daughter.”

He doesn’t deny it. Doesn’t even look surprised by what I’ve found.

And that’s when I know it’s all true.

“Were you ever going to tell me?” I whisper.

“Yes.” He takes a step toward me. I take a step back. “… Eventually.”

“When? After we were married? After the baby was born? When you finally figured out how to use me in whatever sick game you’re playing with the Petrovs?”

“It’s not like that.” His voice takes on that edge of control I used to find so sexy. Now, it just sounds cruel. “Let me explain.”

“Please do.” I wrap my arms protectively around myself. Around our baby. “Explain why you’ve been stalking me since I applied for an internship. You paid my best friend to spy on me, Vince. It didn’t occur to you to mention that,oh, by the way, you think I’m the daughter of your family’s biggest enemy!”

He moves to the bed, sitting on the edge, running a hand through his wet hair. “I don’t think, Rowan. Iknow. The DNA doesn’t lie.”

“And I’m just supposed to believe that? My entire life is a lie, but I should believe you? The man who’s clearly been manipulating me from the start?”

“I never manipulated you.”

I laugh, the sound sharp and painful on its way out of me. “Right. You just happened to hire the daughter of your enemy, sleep with her, get her pregnant, and propose marriage. Total coincidence.”

“It wasn’t like that.” For the first time, I hear frustration creeping into his voice. “Yes, I knew who you were when you applied. And yes, I had you investigated. I had to know if you were a plant. If Grigor sent you to infiltrate Akopov Industries.”

“And did he? Because this is all news to me, Vince.” My voice breaks. “I thought my father was some nobody asshole whoabandoned us. I thought… You know what? I don’t even know what I thought anymore.”

I trail off. I don’t know how to go on.

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