Unaware His Pregnant Wife Was A Trillionaire Boss’s Daughter, He Threw Her Luggage Into The Rain…
Thomas continued, the calmness somehow more terrifying than yelling. “Did you really think my daughter, educated at Wharton, fluent in five languages, holding an MBA in finance, couldn’t track household spending? She knew about Miss Victoria within three weeks of your first encounter. She knew about every lie, every manipulation, every moment you made her feel small while you inflated your own importance.”
Daniel finally found air. “She’s known,” he rasped. “How long?”
Elena answered before her father could. “Two years,” she said, voice steady. “I discovered I was pregnant fourteen months into our marriage. That’s when I told Father everything. He wanted to intervene immediately. I asked him to wait.”
Her gaze pinned Daniel in place.
“I thought a child might change you,” she continued. “Might remind you of what matters. I gave you every chance. And tonight, when your mother spat on me while I carried your child, you did nothing. You said nothing. You stood there and watched.”
It was true. The truth of it crashed over Daniel like a wave. In the moment he should have protected his wife, he had calculated. He had wondered what defending Elena would cost him with Victoria, with his mother, with the social ladder he’d been climbing his entire adult life.
He had chosen wrong, and the choice had taken everything.
“The house,” Thomas said, voice turning crisp, “is owned through a subsidiary of Wellington Holdings. The mortgage payments you thought you were making? They feed a trust for Elena. Richardson Consulting acquired? Wellington Enterprises bought it eight months ago.”
Daniel’s knees went weak.
“In essence,” Thomas finished, “you’ve been living in my daughter’s house, working at my company, and feeling superior to the woman subsidizing your entire existence.”
Daniel tried to swallow. The rain felt suddenly heavier, as if the sky itself had gained weight.
“You are fired effective immediately,” Thomas said. “You have seventy-two hours to vacate this property. My attorneys will contact you regarding custody arrangements. Given your demonstrated character, I suspect visitation will be limited.”
Then Thomas turned his attention to Victoria, and Daniel saw, with a bitter flash of irony, that Victoria was not a person to Thomas Wellington. She was a line item.
“Miss Victoria,” Thomas said, “your lease will not be renewed.”
Victoria’s lips parted in a soundless protest. She’d spent months laughing at Elena’s invisibility. Now her own future was being erased with a sentence.
Thomas faced Margaret. “Mrs. Harrison,” he said, and Margaret flinched at the title she’d once worn like armor, “your country club membership, revoked. Your charity board position, concluded. Catherine sits on that committee.”
read more in next page
