Chapter 8 - THE CALLAWAY MOTHER
Roman hadn’t spoken to his mother in two years.
Victoria Callaway lived in Connecticut on a private estate with iron gates, twelve cameras, and enough staff to pretend she was never alone.
When Roman walked into her breakfast room carrying the photograph of the little girl, Victoria barely reacted.
Sophia remained outside with Marcus and Gabriel.
Roman wanted this conversation alone.
He placed the photograph in front of his mother.
“Who is she?”
Victoria stared at it.
Then picked up her coffee.
“I don’t know.”
Roman placed the payment record beside it.
“Try again.”
Her hand stopped.
That was enough.
Roman leaned forward.
“Evelyn’s baby survived.”
Victoria looked toward the window.
“Roman—”
“Did my daughter survive?”
“Lower your voice.”
He laughed.
“Eleven years of lies and you’re worried about volume?”
Victoria’s face tightened.
“Your father made decisions.”
“You signed the transfer.”
“I did what I had to do.”
Roman went completely still.
“What did you do?”
Victoria looked at him.
For the first time, she looked old.
“Your father believed children were leverage.”
Roman’s stomach turned.
“He said Evelyn made you weak.”
“So he stole my daughter?”
“He intended to.”
Roman’s eyes narrowed.
“Intended?”
Victoria swallowed.
“I changed the destination.”
Roman stared.
“What?”
“I knew what he would do with her. So I paid someone to move the baby before his people arrived.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Roman slammed both hands on the table.
“Stop lying!”
“I’m not!”
Her voice cracked.
“I gave her to someone who promised to erase her completely.”
Roman backed away as if struck.
“Who?”
Victoria’s lips trembled.
“I never knew her real name.”
Roman stared at his mother in disgust.
“You stole my child from me.”
“I saved her.”
“You let me bury her.”
“I saved her!”
Roman’s voice fell low.
“You saved yourself.”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
Then she said the one thing Roman did not expect.
“Vincent helped me.”
Roman froze.
“What?”
“He was supposed to disappear that same week. Before he left, he arranged the transfer.”
Roman felt the room tilt.
“Vincent knew my daughter lived?”
“Yes.”
Roman turned for the door.
Victoria called after him.
“Roman!”
He stopped.
“There is something else.”
He looked back.
Victoria’s face had gone white.
“Your father knew Vincent survived.”
Roman stared.
“What?”
“He let him live.”
“Why?”
Victoria whispered:
“Because Vincent agreed to give him something more valuable than his own life.”
Roman’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
She looked toward the front gates.
May you like
Then back at her son.
“Your daughter’s location.”
