Chapter 6
The downfall of Victor Moretti was swift and absolute.
Within twenty minutes, federal agents marched into the 70th-floor boardroom, placing handcuffs on Victor and marching him past the throngs of reporters waiting in the lobby.
By noon, news of the scandal had exploded across every major television network and social media platform. Headlines dominated the front pages:
MORETTI BIO-TECH CEO ARRESTED FOR MURDER & EMBEZZLEMENT! SECRET FOUR-BILLION-DOLLAR PATENT DECIPHERED BY NEWBORN HEIRESS! TATTOOED BILLIONAIRE LUKA MORETTI SAVES SLAIN SCIENTIST’S DAUGHTER!
Back at the Moretti estate, the afternoon passed in a whirlwind of legal filings, board restructuring, and media management. Luka was officially appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Moretti Bio-Tech, while I was confirmed as the seventy-percent majority shareholder of the entire conglomerate.
At 4:00 PM, I was sitting on the sunlit terrace, watching the lake breeze ripple across the green gardens, when Marco, Luka’s chief security officer, walked out holding a thick manila envelope.
"Mrs. Moretti," Marco said respectfully, bowing his head slightly. "Your ex-husband, Mark, is outside the main gates. He brought a team of high-profile divorce lawyers."
I frowned, setting down my tea cup. "What does he want now? He has a restraining order against him."
"His lawyers claim that because you were legally married when Maya was born, the restraining order doesn't invalidate his parental rights under Illinois state law," Marco explained grimly. "He’s demanding a court-ordered paternity test and ten million dollars in settlement cash, or he promises to leak private family documents to the press."
Before I could answer, Luka stepped out onto the terrace. He had removed his jacket and unbuttoned his collar, looking relaxed yet imposing.
"Tell Mark to come up to the library," Luka instructed Marco flatly.
"Luka?" I turned to him, panic flaring in my chest. "We can't let him in here! He’s dangerous, he’s desperate—"
"Mark is a rat trapped in a corner, Clara," Luka said gently, sitting beside me and taking my hand. "And rats only stop biting when you break their teeth. It's time to end this once and for all."
Ten minutes later, Mark was escorted into the grand mansion library. He was flanked by two slick attorneys in high-end suits, holding expensive leather briefcases. Mark attempted to look confident, standing tall in his designer jacket, but the nervous twitch in his left eye gave away his terror.
"Clara," Mark began, trying to sound reasonable and warm. "Look, things got out of hand at the hospital. I was stressed, I wasn't thinking clearly—"
"Save it, Mark," I cut him off, my voice cold as ice. "You walked out with Brenda. You told me to call you when I could think clearly."
"That was a mistake!" Mark insisted, taking a step toward me, only for Luka to step into his path like a brick wall. Mark flinched, taking an immediate step back.
"My client," Mark’s lead attorney stepped forward nervously, "is prepared to sign a full waiver of parental rights and drop all claims to the Hayes estate in exchange for a lump-sum settlement of twelve million dollars. Otherwise, we will file a petition in family court tomorrow morning demanding full custody of Maya Evelyn Hayes based on biological paternity."
Luka picked up the manila envelope Marco had left on the table. He tossed it casually into Mark’s lap.
"Open it, Mark," Luka said softly.
Mark frowned, pulling out a set of official medical documents bearing the seal of the University of Chicago Medical Center. As his eyes scanned the first page, his face drained of all color.
"What... what is this?" Mark whispered, his hands beginning to shake uncontrollably.
"That is a medical record from five years ago, Mark," Luka revealed, his voice dripping with sinister delight. "A private fertility clinic in Boston. You underwent a procedure after a severe case of mumps."
Mark’s jaw dropped. "How... how did you get this?!"
"You are completely infertile, Mark," Luka stated flatly, his gray eyes locking onto Mark’s soul. "You have zero sperm count. You’ve been incapable of fathering a child for over half a decade."
Mark looked at me, his eyes wide with horror and confusion. "Clara... what... who...?"
May you like
I stood up, holding Maya in my arms, looking at the man I had spent three years with—a man who had lied to me, cheated on me, and tried to destroy my life.
"Arthur Hayes knew you were infertile before you even married me, Mark," I revealed, the final piece of my father’s brilliant plan slipping into place. "He knew you were Victor’s spy. And he knew that if I got pregnant through IVF, you would assume the baby was yours and fall right into his trap."
