“Eight months after divorcing me because I “couldn’t give him a family,”

Trusting his mother because she had managed his life since childhood.

Patricia smiled bitterly.

“You wanted success. I gave it to you.”

Ryan whispered, “What about the embryo?”

Her face remained calm.

“Mia’s grandmother created a trust.”

I held the folder tighter.

“How did you know?”

Patricia looked at me.

There was something almost triumphant in her expression.

“Because Eleanor told me.”

That shocked me.

“What?”

Patricia stepped toward me.

“You think your grandmother trusted you with everything?”

Elias appeared at the ballroom entrance.

He had been listening.

His face went pale.

Patricia saw him.

“Hello, Elias.”

“Patricia.”

“You should have told her.”

I turned toward him.

“Told me what?”

Elias looked suddenly older.

“Your grandmother and Patricia knew each other long before you met Ryan.”

My skin prickled.

Patricia smiled.

“I worked for Eleanor Carter for eleven years.”

I stared at her.

“That’s impossible.”

“Before Ryan was born.”

“Why didn’t she ever tell me?”

“Because she fired me.”

The ballroom seemed very far away.

Patricia continued.

“I helped build the financial structure that became Carter Biomedical.”

Elias interrupted.

“You were a junior accountant.”

“I protected that company.”

“You embezzled from it.”

Ryan shut his eyes.

Lauren whispered, “Oh my God.”

Patricia turned on Elias.