The Last Night at Home

PART 2: The Bracelet That Exposed Everything

“Miss Carter,” I said calmly, “would you mind explaining why you’re wearing my wedding anniversary bracelet?”

Sophia’s face immediately turned pale.

She glanced at Vincent before lowering her eyes.

“Mr. Moretti gave it to me,” she whispered.

I smiled.

“Really? That’s interesting. Because my father gave that bracelet to me before he passed away. Vincent only borrowed it from my jewelry box to have it cleaned last month.”

Vincent’s jaw tightened.

“Claire, stop making a scene.”

“A scene?” I repeated. “Your secretary is wearing my personal jewelry, and somehow I’m the one making a scene?”

Richard slowly turned toward his son.

“Vincent, is that true?”

Vincent rubbed his forehead.

“It was a misunderstanding. Sophia liked the bracelet, so I let her borrow it.”

“Borrow?” I asked. “Then why did she tell me you gave it to her?”

Sophia’s eyes filled with tears.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Mrs. Moretti.”

I looked at her.

“You’ve been sending me photographs of yourself with my husband for months. I think you’ve already made your intentions quite clear.”

The room fell silent.

Richard stood up.

“Sophia, take that bracelet off and leave.”

“Father,” Vincent protested.

Richard raised his hand.

“Not another word. This is a family matter.”

Sophia reluctantly removed the bracelet and placed it on the table. Before leaving, she looked at Vincent with an expression that made me understand everything.

She expected him to defend her.

And he did.

“Dad, Sophia has done nothing wrong. She’s an excellent employee.”

I laughed softly.

“Then perhaps you should marry her, Vincent. You clearly care more about keeping her comfortable than protecting your wife.”

His eyes flashed.

“Enough, Claire! You think you can destroy three years of marriage because of a few nights at a hotel?”

I opened my handbag and placed a folder on the table.

“Five nights. Five documented incidents. Messages, photographs, hotel records, and financial transactions.”

His expression changed.

I continued.

“I also have records showing that you transferred nearly two hundred thousand dollars from our joint account to Sophia over the past six months.”

Richard grabbed the folder.

“What?”

Vincent stood abruptly.

“Those were business expenses!”

“Then your accountant should have no trouble explaining them.”

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Finally, Richard looked at me.

“Claire, I apologize. I didn’t know things had become this serious.”

I nodded.

“Thank you. But an apology won’t repair this marriage.”

Vincent walked toward me.

“Let’s go home. We’ll talk privately.”

I stepped back.

“There is no home for us anymore.”

He stared at my bare ring finger.

“You’re really going to throw everything away?”

“No, Vincent. I’m simply returning everything that was never mine to keep.”

I picked up the bracelet and placed it inside my handbag.

Then I handed him another envelope.

“The divorce papers. Nathan Brooks will be representing me. You can contact his office.”

Vincent didn’t take it.

“You won’t get a divorce without my agreement.”

I met his eyes.

“Then we’ll let the court decide.”

And with that, I walked out of the Moretti estate.

For the first time in three years, I felt like I could breathe.

But I had no idea that Vincent was about to discover something far more important than the end of our marriage.

He was about to learn that I had never needed his money, his name, or his empire.