Chapter 8 - The InheritanceDaniel survived.
Barely.
Marcus got him to a private surgical unit under another name.
Roman stayed beside him.
Sophia stayed with Gabriel.
At 3:17 a.m., Daniel opened his eyes.
“Roman.”
“I'm here.”
Daniel swallowed.
“They're coming.”
“Who?”
“The people who own your empire.”
Roman frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Daniel smiled weakly.
“You never asked why a twenty-year-old man inherited billions.”
Roman went silent.
His father had died when Roman was twenty-four.
The inheritance had seemed simple.
But Daniel shook his head.
“Your father left everything to you under one condition.”
“What condition?”
“You had to prove Vincent was dead.”
Roman stared.
Daniel continued.
“The inheritance wasn't released because you were the oldest.”
“It was released because you were the only surviving Callaway.”
Roman remembered the documents.
He remembered the lawyers.
He remembered signing them.
And he realized something terrifying.
He had unknowingly signed a legal declaration that Vincent was dead.
Daniel whispered:
“And now Gabriel makes that declaration false.”
Roman's face hardened.
“Because he's Vincent's son.”
“Yes.”
“If Vincent is alive…”
“Then your inheritance was never legally yours.”
Roman stood.
“Who knew?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Three people.”
“Who?”
“Your father.”
“Your mother.”
“And the man who is currently managing your entire corporation.”
Roman froze.
“Marcus?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Graham Vale.”
Roman's chief legal adviser.
The man who had been beside him for eleven years.
Roman's phone rang.
Graham.
Roman answered.
“Where are you?”
Graham's voice was calm.
“At your headquarters.”
“What do you want?”
“To warn you.”
“About what?”
A pause.
Then Graham said:
“Your mother is lying.”
Roman's gaze shifted toward the hallway.
Graham continued.
“Vincent isn't alive.”
Roman frowned.
“You just told me that.”
“No.”
Graham's voice became colder.
“Someone wants you to think he is.”
“Why?”
“So you surrender everything.”
Roman's grip tightened.
“Who is doing this?”
Graham laughed softly.
“Roman, you really haven't understood.”
“Understood what?”
“Gabriel isn't Vincent's son.”
Silence.
Graham whispered:
“He's yours.”
The call ended.
Roman stood frozen.
Sophia appeared in the doorway.
She had heard enough.
“Roman?”
He looked at her.
For the first time, neither of them knew what to say.
Then Gabriel began crying.
Roman entered the room.
He looked down at the baby.
And something impossible happened.
The baby opened his eyes.
May you like
Gray.
Exactly like Roman's.
