Chapter 77 The news
Vivienne's POV
I clicked on the link with shaking hands.
There was a photo. Raphael in a tuxedo at some gala in Monaco, his arm around a stunning blonde woman. Sherlyn Voss.
Margot's Daughter.
But the article described her as the daughter of a major shipping magnate. Described the engagement as a "strategic alliance" between the Moreau and Voss shipping empires.
The article was dated yesterday.
Such a big lie.
I scrolled down, reading more. The engagement had been announced at a charity gala. Raphael had given a quote about being "excited for this new chapter" and building a future together. There was mention of a business merger, the Moreau and Voss fleets combining into a major new shipping conglomerate.
And then, at the bottom, almost like an afterthought:
"Moreau's previous romantic entanglements, including a brief liaison with Vivienne Moreau, wife of Moreau Industries CEO Raphael Moreau, appear to have been temporary connections while he positioned himself for this more advantageous match. Industry insiders suggest Mrs. Laurent-Moreau served as a useful contact into American business circles but was never a serious relationship prospect."
I read it three times.
Temporary connections.
Served her purpose.
Never a serious prospect.
I started laughing. I couldn't help it. The sound came out harsh and bitter, but I couldn't stop.
"What?" Sarah asked, alarmed. "What is it?"
I handed her my phone, still laughing.
"Read it. Read what it says."
She read silently, her expression darkening with each line.
"That son of a bitch," she said quietly.
"I'm pregnant with his baby," I said, and the laughter turned into something that might have been crying. "I'm pregnant with his baby and he's engaged to someone else and apparently I was just a 'temporary connection' who 'served her purpose.'’
Sarah looked up at me. "Viv—"
"This is not your fault," Sarah said firmly.
"You didn't know Raphael was planning to get engaged. You didn't know he saw you as some kind of business opportunity. He lied to you. Just like Damien was about doing,"
But I had known, hadn't I? That he was going to treat me exactly like cabbage. Some part of me knew that he was way out of my league.
I just hadn't expected to end up pregnant from it.
Pregnant with the child of a man who was now engaged to someone else. A man who had apparently been using me to make business connections while planning to marry someone more "advantageous."
My phone rang. Monica.
I stared at it, not wanting to answer. Not wanting to have this conversation.
But Sarah was right. Monica needed to know.
I answered.
"Vivienne, I just got some concerning information," Monica said immediately.
"There are tabloid stories circulating about you and Raphaal.Do you know anything about this?"
Of course. Of course the tabloids had already picked it up. Of course Rapheal's lawyers had probably already seen it.
"I need to come to your office," I said. "There's something I need to tell you. In person."
There was a pause. "This sounds serious."
"It is."
"Can you be here in an hour?"
"Yes."
I hung up and looked at Sarah. "I have to go tell Monica everything."
"I'm coming with you," Sarah said immediately
.
"You don't have to—"
"I'm coming with you," she repeated firmly. "You're not doing this alone."
When I finished, she was quiet for a long moment.
"Okay," she said finally. "This is... complicated. But it's not impossible."
"Rapheal is going to use this against me," I said. "He's going to claim I was unfaithful."
"Were you and Raphael still intimate two months ago?"
"Yes. We hadn't been intimate in at least four months before that night, he blames it
on stress from work."
"And had he already started the process of asking for the divorce?"