Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

Chapter 153

RYAN

I knew I had to meet Angelo at the club. It was the only place where I could be sure my mother wouldn't overhear the conversation I was about to have. I couldn't risk her finding out about any of this things were already messy enough. As I stepped into the private booth, the dim lighting and muted sounds of music in the background gave the room atmosphere we needed to have this conversation.

I spotted an extra glass already set on the coffee table. Without a second thought, I grabbed it and poured myself a drink, feeling the burn of the alcohol as I took a sip.

"What do you have on them?" I asked Angelo, cutting straight to the point. This wasn't the time for small talk.

He didn't miss a beat. "More on her mother than anyone else," he replied, leaning back slightly in his seat as he casually placed a thick envelope on the table in front of me. His gesture was almost inviting, beckoning me to take a look.

I didn't hesitate. My hand quickly reached for the envelope, and as I opened it, I pulled out several photos of men, each face different but all unfamiliar to me. "Who are these guys?" I asked, frowning as I studied their faces, trying to make sense of what I was looking at. "Salome's scandals," Angelo answered. He shifted in his seat and leaned over slightly. "All of them are married men. Maya's mother had affairs with every one of them."

The realization hit me. "My father wasn't the first?" I managed to say, disbelief coloring my voice.

Angelo let out a low, almost mocking chuckle. "Not even close. On the list of men she's been with, your father doesn't even make the top ten." He sat back in his seat, crossing his legs nonchalantly, like he was enjoying the absurdity of it all. "I even sat down with some of the angry ex-wives. Trust me, they didn't have anything flattering to say about her."

I continued flipping through the photos, each one making me feel more disgusted. I couldn't believe my father had gotten himself involved with someone like this. "And what exactly did they say she did, besides wrecking their marriages?"

"Her strategy was simple but effective. She'd get hired as a nanny, worm her way into their lives, and then start an affair with the husband. After that, the blackmail started. She'd demand money, threatening to expose the affair to the wife if they didn't pay up. But here's the thing-most of the men didn't even care about saving their marriages. They beat her to the punch by confessing to their wives before she could do any damage."

I shook my head, trying to process it all. "So my father's case is different," I mumbled, more to myself than to Angelo.

on that your father actually loved his wife. That's why she went for

Of course. It was the oldest trick in the book, and yet my father had fallen for it. "For someone with her kind of character," I said, my voice heavy with skepticism, "there's a lot to doubt." The question that had been gnawing at me for some time rose to the surface. "Is Maya

them. None of them. I turned to Angelo. "I need you to go to

eyebrow. "Do you want her to know

what game she's really playing. Because

getting into the estate without

mother to a meeting at my office tomorrow. While they're here, you'll have access to the estate. The security system hasn't worked since the house went

said with

her to set up a

************

following day,

entered the room with a cool, collected demeanor. It was unsettling how well she masked the evil she was capable of. "Please, have a

waiting for me to explain why I had called them here. "After thinking it over," I began

eyes flickered

the other hand, wasn't satisfied. She leaned forward, her voice steady but demanding." "That's not enough, Mr. Williams. The deal has changed. We don't just want you to keep the

want it transferred

us."

her audacity. "You want the house?" I

his daughter," she said, "I'm entitled

giving her property, money, or something else, but the way her daughter is fighting for a house tells a different