Chapter 10

Before Hudson could speak, Leon smirked and plugged the USB into the screen. "Watch this."

A single audio file played. The voice made Hudson blanch. "Yeah, I'm coming clean. Montclair paid me half a million to pretend to be crazy, stab his wife, and kill his kid. He wanted the boy dead—said he needed to clear the way for his kid with Val, the one turning eighteen…"

"I caught him telling the doctors to remove his wife's uterus when I went to collect my payment…"

Hudson's head swam. He shoved Leon aside, his hands trembling as he checked the file date. Three days ago.

He stumbled back. Holy shit. Reese knew. She had known everything. She'd been planning to leave him.

He'd thought his plan was foolproof. The thought of what she must have endured sickened him. How had it all gone so wrong? This wasn't the plan. He was supposed to set Leon up with the company, reconcile with Val and their child, and then spend forever making amends to Reese.

The room erupted in horrified whispers that quickly escalated into shouts of outrage.

"Now it makes sense why the dude's handing over his empire to his mistress's kid!"

"He killed his wife's baby for his mistress and secret son? And Val knew all along? That's monstrous."

"Showing up to a child's funeral in red, like 'oh sorry, no time to change.' Pure BS. She was flaunting it in Reese's face. Karma's a bitch."

As the room turned against them, Val paled, launching into a tearful performance. "Hudson, baby, they're lying about us. Say something!"

But Hudson, her usual champion, looked right through her. He headed for the door, muttering frantically, "Reese won't leave me. She's fine. I have to find her…"

Then his mother appeared, blocking his exit.