Part 2: The Billionaire's Last Promise
Only a few seconds passed after Victoria whispered, "You were nothing but a bet."
Emma stared at her in disbelief.
"A... bet?"
Victoria smiled without an ounce of shame.
"When Michael announced he wanted to marry a waitress from a small Connecticut diner, Jonathan and I assumed it would last three months. Madison wagered six. Alexis believed you would never even make it to the wedding."
Madison laughed.
"I actually won."
Emma felt something inside her break.
"So every dinner... every family vacation... every insult..."
"It was entertainment," Jonathan answered coldly. "You played your role surprisingly well."
Dr. Morrison stepped between them.
"That's enough. Everyone except the patient must leave immediately."
Victoria ignored her.
"You'll be signing divorce papers within the week."
Alexis gently rubbed her pregnant stomach.
"And don't worry. Michael will finally have a real family."
Emma looked around the room.
Not one familiar face.
Not one person willing to defend her.
Except Rebecca.
Her best friend stepped forward.
"I'll call hospital security."
Jonathan smirked.
"They work for the Sterling Foundation."
Rebecca froze.
Emma suddenly understood.
Money had infected everything.
Even hospitals.
...
Three days later...
Snow covered Connecticut like a white grave.
Emma had been discharged earlier that afternoon despite Dr. Morrison's objections.
Rebecca begged her to stay with her.
"I can make room."
Emma smiled weakly.
"They'll come after you too."
Rebecca hugged her tightly.
"I don't care."
"I do."
Emma kissed Grace's forehead before climbing into the black SUV Michael had sent.
She believed—foolishly—that perhaps he wanted to apologize.
Instead...
The SUV drove directly to Sterling Mansion.
The moment Emma stepped inside, Victoria threw a small suitcase at her feet.
"It contains everything you own."
"My clothes?"
"What was worth keeping."
Emma opened it.
One sweater.
Two baby blankets.
A pair of worn shoes.
Nothing else.
"My wedding dress?"
"Burned."
"My photographs?"
"Disposed of."
"My mother's necklace?"
Victoria smiled.
"Sold."
Emma nearly collapsed.
Michael finally appeared.
For one tiny second...
Hope returned.
He walked toward her.
Emma whispered,
"Michael... please..."
He avoided her eyes.
"You should leave."
She waited.
She kept waiting for him to say he was sorry.
Instead—
"I've already filed the divorce."
Emma looked down.
His signature was already there.
Grace began crying.
Michael never even looked at his daughter.
Security approached.
"Escort her out."
"No..."
Emma begged.
"I just had surgery..."
The guards grabbed her anyway.
Rebecca called repeatedly.
Emma's phone fell onto the marble floor.
One guard crushed it beneath his boot.
The next several minutes became nothing but screams.
The front doors opened.
Wind exploded into the foyer.
Snow rushed inside.
Emma stumbled backward.
Still holding Grace.
Still bleeding.
Then—
The massive oak doors slammed shut behind her.
"This," Victoria called through the storm,
"is where garbage belongs."
...
Emma fell down the icy stone steps.
Pain ripped through her shoulder.
Grace had stopped crying.
Emma pressed the baby against her chest with every ounce of strength she had left.
"Please..."
She whispered through frozen lips.
"Don't leave Mommy..."
Across the street...
An elderly man sitting inside a chauffeured limousine witnessed everything.
His driver asked quietly,
"Sir... should we intervene?"
The old man never answered.
He simply watched as the richest family in Connecticut abandoned a newborn during a blizzard.
His hands began shaking.
"My God..."
The driver frowned.
"Sir?"
The old man's breathing became shallow.
"I know that girl..."
He pointed toward Emma.
"That's..."
Before he could finish—
He clutched his chest.
The driver shouted,
"Call an ambulance!"
But it was already too late.
William Harrington—the billionaire founder of Harrington Global Holdings—collapsed in the back seat.
His final words were barely audible.
"Find... Emma..."
...
Meanwhile...
Emma's vision blurred.
Snow covered Grace's tiny face.
She could barely feel her own fingers.
Then...
Bright headlights pierced the storm.
A delivery truck stopped.
An elderly couple rushed toward her.
"Oh my Lord!"
The woman removed her coat and wrapped Grace.
The man lifted Emma into the truck.
"We're taking you to Mercy General."
Emma barely remained conscious.
"My baby..."
"She's alive."
Emma smiled weakly.
Then darkness swallowed everything.
At exactly 3:41 a.m...
William Harrington was pronounced dead.
At exactly 3:42 a.m...
His attorney opened the sealed emergency succession file.
May you like
Inside was one handwritten sentence.
Find Emma Carter immediately. Everything belongs to her.
