His Fiancée Faked a Pregnancy to Steal His Empire — Then the Billionaire Discovered the Woman Driving Him for Eight Years Was the Only One Who Saved Him.

PART 2

Sophia’s response came through her attorney within hours.

She was filing a counter-suit for breach of confidentiality, defamation and fraud. She claimed Nathaniel had paid someone to falsify the DNA test. She announced that she was going public with her version of events before his legal team could destroy her credibility.

The story exploded across social media by evening.

Half the internet believed Nathaniel had orchestrated the whole situation. The other half began examining Sophia’s past, which revealed three previous allegations of fraud that had been quietly settled. A business she’d started that had collapsed under investigation. Several men she’d dated who’d reported missing money or forged signatures.

The pattern was clear to anyone looking.

Nathaniel watched the coverage from his penthouse while Vera stood beside the window.

“She’s going to disappear,” Vera said quietly. “Rich people with consequences usually do.”

“Not before she tries one more thing.”

His phone rang.

Catherine’s voice was carefully controlled. “The board is asking whether you intend to remain CEO through this investigation.”

“What’s your opinion?”

“That you’ve done nothing wrong. But that won’t matter if customers start requesting different leadership.”

“Then I’ll resign.”

“Nathaniel—”

“I won’t use my position to survive this.”

He ended the call.

Vera remained motionless beside the window.

“What?” he asked.

“You gave up the company.”

“For now.”

“That company is your entire life.”

“No,” Nathaniel said, meeting her eyes in the glass. “For the last eight years, my entire life has been in a car driving through this city. I just didn’t realize it until someone decided to destroy me for existing.”

Vera turned to face him directly.

“I should resign,” she said.

“No.”

“This will follow you. Anyone connected to you will be damaged.”

Nathaniel stepped closer. “You think I haven’t noticed that you’re the only person in my world I actually trust?”

“I work for you.”

“You stop me from becoming like my mother. You remind me that money doesn’t solve anything. You listen to things I can’t say anywhere else.”

Vera’s voice became very quiet. “You can’t ask me to stay because you’re lonely.”

“I’m not.”

“Then why?”

He looked at this woman who had never wanted anything from him except to be driven safely to places that mattered. Who asked nothing and judged nothing and somehow understood him better than he understood himself.

“Because I’m in love with you,” he said.

The words hung in the silence.