Chapter 62

Vivi paced her bedroom, the morning sun casting long shadows across the hardwood floor. The photos Sophia had shown her last night haunted her thoughts. Her fingers traced the edge of her vanity as she caught her reflection - perfectly coiffed hair, designer dress, every inch the trophy wife she was supposed to be.

"What am I doing?" she muttered, sinking into the plush chair. The mansion felt suffocating, knowing Ava was probably in Damien's room right now, playing him like a fiddle.

A knock at her door made her jump. "Mrs. Blackwood?" It was one of the maids. "Mr. Blackwood asked me to remind you about the charity luncheon at noon."

"Thank you." Vivi checked her watch - three hours to prepare herself to face another social event where she'd have to watch Ava work her magic on the family's social circle.

She moved to her closet, rifling through designer dresses. "Blue says trustworthy," she murmured, pulling out a tailored Chanel piece. "God knows I need that right now."

The sound of Ava's laughter echoed down the hallway, making Vivi's jaw clench. She slammed the closet door harder than necessary.

"Having a rough morning?"

Vivi spun around to find Reginald in the doorway, already dressed in his usual impeccable suit.

"Just a headache," she lied smoothly, forcing a smile. "Nothing to worry about, darling."

"Take something for it before the luncheon. The Hendersons will be there - we need to discuss that merger." He straightened his tie. "And make sure Damien brings Ava. The board loves seeing him settled down."

Vivi's stomach churned. "Of course. I'll remind them."

Reginald kissed her cheek and left, his expensive cologne lingering in the air. Vivi touched the spot where his lips had been, feeling nothing but cold dread. Every public appearance with Ava only legitimized her presence in their lives, made it harder to expose whatever game she was playing.

Vivi moved to her ensuite bathroom, splashing cold water on her face. The marble counter felt cool under her palms as she leaned forward, studying her reflection. Dark circles lurked under her eyes, carefully concealed with expensive concealer.

The sound of footsteps in the hallway made her pause. Damien's deep laugh mingled with Ava's lilting voice, their words muffled but their intimacy clear. Vivi's fingers curled against the counter.

She thought of the evidence Sophia had uncovered - the mysterious meetings, the connections to Romano Industries, the perfectly timed "coincidences" that brought Ava into Damien's orbit. None of it was random.

A soft knock at her door revealed Sophia, laptop tucked under her arm. "I found something else," she whispered, glancing down the hall. "Bank transfers from an offshore account linked to Romano's shell companies. They started right before Ava appeared at that first charity gala."

"Where she just happened to bump into Damien," Vivi finished, letting Sophia into the room and closing the door quietly.

"Exactly." Sophia perched on the edge of Vivi's bed, opening her laptop. "She's good - everything's buried under layers of dummy corporations and false names. But the pattern's there if you know where to look."

Vivi sank into the chair beside her, studying the complex web of transactions on the screen. "The question is how to make Damien see it without him thinking we're just jealous or paranoid."

"That's where you come in." Sophia gave her a meaningful look. "He trusts you, even if he won't admit it."

"Trusted," Vivi corrected, twisting her wedding ring. "Past tense. And now I have to somehow seduce him away from her while maintaining my marriage to his father and not destroying what's left of this family's reputation."

Sophia closed her laptop with a soft click. "The evidence is solid. We just need the right moment to present it."

"And in the meantime, I have to play this ridiculous game." Vivi stood and smoothed her dress, checking her reflection one final time. "Watch my husband's son with another woman while knowing she's working for someone who wants to destroy us all."

"You care about him," Sophia observed quietly.

Vivi's hands stilled on her pearls. "That's not relevant."

"It is when it's making this so hard for you."

"What choice do I have?" Vivi turned from the mirror. "I married Reginald to save my family. Now I have to protect his family too. My feelings don't matter."

A burst of laughter from down the hall made both women pause. Ava's voice carried through the walls, followed by Damien's deeper tones.

"She's good at playing the perfect girlfriend," Sophia said, gathering her things. "But she's getting sloppy. Those transactions are just the beginning. Give me a few more days to dig deeper."

Vivi nodded, her jaw set. "The charity luncheon is in a few hours. I need to focus on maintaining appearances."

"While I work behind the scenes." Sophia squeezed her arm. "We'll figure this out."

As Sophia slipped out, Vivi sank onto her bed, the silk sheets cool against her palms. The weight of everything - her marriage, Damien, Ava's schemes, Romano's threats - pressed down on her shoulders. She straightened her spine, lifting her chin. She couldn't afford to show weakness, not now.

The clock on her nightstand ticked steadily forward. Soon she'd have to go downstairs, smile at Ava, pretend everything was fine. Play the perfect wife and stepmother while watching the woman who threatened everything she'd sacrificed for wrap Damien around her finger.

Vivi descended the grand staircase, each step measured and precise. The sound of her heels clicking against marble echoed through the foyer. She spotted Ava and Damien in the living room, his arm draped around her shoulders as they sat on the leather couch.

"Good morning," Vivi called out, keeping her voice light and pleasant. Her fingers tightened on her clutch as Ava turned, flashing that perfect white smile.

"Mrs. Blackwood! Don't you look lovely this morning." Ava's voice dripped honey. "That Chanel suits you perfectly."

Damien's eyes flickered over Vivi before returning to his phone. "Morning," he muttered.

"The car will be here in twenty minutes for the luncheon," Vivi informed them, moving toward the kitchen where she could hear Sophia making coffee. "Reginald wants us all there early to meet the Hendersons."

"Oh, the merger discussion?" Ava perked up, running her fingers through Damien's hair. "Damien told me all about it. Such an exciting opportunity for the company."

Vivi caught Sophia's sharp glance from the kitchen doorway. Of course Ava would know about the confidential merger talks. She was probably feeding every detail straight back to Romano.

"Yes, quite exciting," Vivi replied smoothly. "Excuse me, I need to check on some details with the staff."

She escaped to the kitchen, where Sophia was waiting with two steaming mugs of coffee. "Did you hear that?" Vivi whispered, accepting one of the cups. "She's not even trying to hide how much she knows anymore."

"Getting cocky," Sophia agreed quietly. "That's good for us. The more confident she gets, the more likely she is to make mistakes."