Baby for the Billionaire(35)

Sasha turned to hide her face so that her mother couldn’t read the suspicion in her eyes. Was that just an excuse? Was her father out with his latest mistress?

“Anyway,” Sally said. “It’s just us girls today. We can catch up over coffee.”

“That would be nice, Mum,” Sasha said, regretting having come now. Instead of doubting her suspicions about Nick, this visit was only reinforcing that she could never be like her mother and so accepting of her husband’s lies.

And if she couldn’t trust Nick, then how could she stay married to him?

They chatted over coffee on the patio until Sasha’s cell phone rang. It was one of the contractors handling the renovations. “Let me just get a pen and paper,” she said, looking around for her handbag, remembering she’d left it on the kitchen table.

Sally waved her toward the study.

Sasha nodded and entered by the French doors, hurrying over to her father’s desk. By the time she ended the call, she had the feeling this particular contractor was going to be more trouble than he was worth.

She sighed as she turned to leave and knocked into the bookcase, causing a large vase to fall on the carpet and break.

“Oh no,” she muttered, crouching down to pick up the pieces. She hoped it wasn’t irreplaceable.

Suddenly she realized there was some rolled up paper in the vase that had now spilled out. She picked it up. Her father wouldn’t be pleased to have his things all over the place, though why he would tuck them in a vase like this—

A shiver of apprehension slid down her spine as the paper unraveled and the name “Valente” caught her eye. She didn’t mean to pry but the words “correct figures” had been written in pencil at the top of the paper.

Then she noticed another sheet of paper underneath it, looking like a duplicate of the top sheet except that the numbers were different.

She blinked, then reread them. Was she seeing what she thought she was seeing?

She swallowed hard. Oh God. It hadn’t been enough for her father that she had married Nick. Porter had falsified the numbers to win the contract by undercutting the other tenders by one hundred thousand dollars. No wonder these papers were hidden away.

God, did Nick know? Was that why they’d delayed signing the contract a few weeks ago? She shook her head. No, if Nick knew he’d have done something about it.

Definitely.

“What are you doing with those?” her mother suddenly said in an accusing tone.

Sasha’s head shot up, trepidation filling her. “You know, don’t you?”

Sally rushed toward her and snatched the papers to her breast. “Know what?”

“That Dad falsified the numbers to win that latest contract.”

“Don’t be silly.”

“Mum, I saw the paperwork. It’s there in black and white.”

Her mother flushed, then paled. “Darling, you can’t say anything. Promise me you won’t.”

Sasha gasped. “I can’t make a promise like that. What Dad did isn’t only morally wrong, it’s illegal.”

Sally’s face screwed up. “Yes, and he could go to jail. Oh dear God.”

“Maybe he should have thought of that.”

She grabbed Sasha’s arm in desperation. “Darling, you can’t do this to your father. He can’t go to jail.” She began to sob. “Besides, the deal’s already—” another sob “—signed and delivered and—” sniff “—no one’s ever going to know. Not unless you tell them.”

“I can’t not say anything, Mum.”

“He’s your father.”

“Yes, and I’m married to a Valente.”

“The Valentes have plenty of money. They won’t miss this.”

Sasha couldn’t believe she was hearing this. “Mum, I can’t—”

“Darling, look, don’t do anything yet. Think about it all first. I’m sure you’ll see that remaining quiet is the best thing.”

“Mum—”

“Promise me, darling,” her mother said, her voice getting shrill. “At least promise me you won’t do anything just yet. Give me a chance to speak to him. I’ll get him to pay back the money somehow.”

Sasha was torn and confused and she just wanted to be alone for a while to think things through. “I don’t know.”

“Getting the contract freed up other monies and your father has the money to pay the Valentes back now. He’ll have to find a way to do that without raising suspicion, but I promise he’ll rectify the situation.”