It’s an abomination. I’ll contest it.”
“You could try. Liam tied it up pretty good. As it stands, you’ll have just enough to live on, and certainly nothing like the standard of living you have now,” he mocked, glancing around the room.
The spacious town house was a showcase of modern living, with a design reflecting space and light, a white-on-white decor, state-of-the-art technology second to none, and a private courtyard ideal for extensive entertaining. He’d been here only a few times, but he’d always thought it was ideal for them both.
Yet studying Cassandra now, he realized she didn’t seem to fit in the place at all. Had it suited Liam more? And why suddenly not her? The coolness, the whiteness, the automation of it all should fit her, but it didn’t, and he didn’t know why it wasn’t reflecting what he knew of this woman.
He grimaced to himself at that. Hell, what did he care, anyway? Damn Liam for entangling him in all this. If only he hadn’t unknowingly gone to the hospital that day to see Liam during the artificial insemination process. If only…
“You forget that I have this town house, Dominic,” she said, sounding more in control now. “I could sell it. Nicole and I could live on the proceeds.”
Her voice drew him from his thoughts. “The town house is in my name, Cassandra. Liam deeded it over to me a month ago.”
She lost more color. “Oh, God, he didn’t want me to get any of it, did he?”
“No, he didn’t.”
Hurt flashed across her face so fast, he almost missed it. He allowed her that. Having a husband do this to you wouldn’t be an easy thing to accept, no matter that she’d done the wrong thing by Liam in the first place.
Of course, she’d never loved Liam. She’d proven that when she’d pushed him to go home to their parents’ house to die, rather than letting him die in his own home with his wife beside him. As it should be. Oh, she’d acted like she’d been there for him until the end, and she’d cried after it was over, but a truly grieving widow? He didn’t believe so.
“I’ll say he wasn’t in his right mind,” she said, desperate now.
“His lawyer will attest to the opposite.”
More panic flared in her eyes. “What’s to stop me from marrying you, then getting the money and walking away?”
Dominic knew it was time to wrap this up. He didn’t want to see this woman beg—not unless it was in the bedroom. At the thought, he could hear the blood fighting through his veins to get to her, like it always did.
It gave him the impetus to say what needed to be said. She was the mother of a nine-month-old Roth child—a child who was right now asleep in the bedroom and had no idea of what was going on out here in the living room with the adults. And whether either he or Cassandra liked it or not, this had to be done.
“If you don’t marry me, or you marry me and then ask for a divorce, I’ll fight for custody of Nicole.”
She swayed a little and flopped back down on the sofa, closing her eyes. He went to go to her, then stopped. He had no doubt she loved her child now. It was her one and only saving grace, regardless that Liam had told him she hadn’t wanted a baby at first. But he had to remember he was fighting for the rights of that child. Nicole deserved to be brought up a Roth.
If only he could put paid to all this by telling Cassandra the truth about her daughter. But dammit, he couldn’t say a word. Not until the time was right. He’d promised Liam he’d keep the secret to himself until Nicole’s future was cemented, and only after he and Cassandra were married. And then there were his parents to consider. He had to wait until their grief eased before he dumped another bombshell on them.
“Look around you,” he said, letting his gaze sweep the magnificent living room. “You and Nicole are living a first-class lifestyle. You don’t think a judge couldn’t be persuaded that money and privilege aren’t your child’s right?”
All at once she had a fierce look about her. “A mother’s love is more important.”
“Yes, if you get a judge who believes love comes before the rest. Regardless of that, a wife who could be unfaithful to her husband would make the judge question that woman’s