Page 67 of Black Mark's Heart

Again, I nodded. "I didn't know who he was, he didn't know whose daughter I was. It stayed that way for six years. Last January, we got married. My father was caught in Paris at a meeting and ran late for the ceremony. When he arrived and Darius realized I was the daughter of his mentor, he ended the relationship." I frowned, "Rather brutally." I took a breath. "Two weeks later, I discovered I was pregnant. I never told him about it."

Jack was listening carefully, writing notes.

"Darius applied for annulment. I never signed the forms. I burned them, actually." I fidgeted with the manila envelope in my lap. "Yet again, I never told him."

"Why didn't you take the annulment?" Jack queried.

"I wouldn't have sex with Darius until the ceremony. He claimed me as his wife between the ceremony and the reception. Our son was conceived at that time, but Darius applied for the annulment stating the wedding was never consummated," I explained.

"You didn't want to perjure yourself?" Jack asked. I nodded. "So how did we get the second child?"

"We ran across each other earlier this year, as our industries cross paths occasionally," I clarified, seeing the next question. Jack nodded. "We had a moment. A few weeks later..." I pointed to my stomach.

Jack wrote it down. "Has Darius found out about the children?"

"Yes," I sighed. "Our son is legally registered as his. The fact we are still married all came to light when his tax agent went to submit his tax claim earlier this year. He confronted me, I confessed, he walked away from me for a second time." I swiped at the tear on my cheek.

"I moved to Scotland permanently in September. There are no formal custody agreements, and, in fact, other than a handful of afternoons, Darius has had nothing to do with our son. I'm seeking full custody of both children and a divorce."

Jack sat back. "The custody will most likely not be an issue. However, you've been married nearly two years, living together or not. Legally, you are entitled to financial recompense for that time, and certainly child support." Jack twiddled his fingers. "You're right, his lawyers are going to go for the neck to stop you getting a cent."

I placed the envelope on his desk. "We have a prenup. I don't want his money, his business, or anything from him. All I ever wanted was him, and I can't have that. I want a divorce and my children. That's all I want."

Jack sat forward, astounded. "He's worth billions, Ms. Blake. You should at least go for the child support."

"I am worth millions, Mr. Carter. I don't want his money, and I don't feel right taking child support for children he won't see. If he feels the need to financially contribute, he can put the money into a trust for them."

Jack reached across the table, taking the papers and pulled them out to read through it. He finished, stroked his chin in thought. "No one even knows he married you, do they?" Jack asked, a spark in his eye. "Last I heard, he's still being voted bachelor of the year down there in London."

I tilted my head. "Are you playing dirty, Mr. Carter?"

Jack shrugged. "I'll draw up the paperwork. If he agrees to your terms without issue, you'll be divorced before anyone knows the wiser. If he fights it..." Jack smirked. "We'll see how he likes having his private life in the tabloids."

"I don't want my private life in the tabloids, Mr. Carter," I scolded.

"Oh, I wasn't going to mention your name, Ms. Blake. There would just be a rumor, that's all." Jack smiled, standing. "Can you come back next week to sign the papers?"

I nodded and stood, taking Jack's offered hand. "No dirty tactics, Mr. Carter. No rumors. Just the divorce."

Jack assessed me. "You must love him very much. Normally, even if you weren't a gold digger, the hurt of being cast aside is enough to make a scorned lover go for the vault."

I smiled at the reference. "Did you use to moonlight as a bank robber, Mr. Carter?"

He laughed. "No. Until next week, Ms. Blake."

I went home. Bill was out on the trampoline with Jacob, writing notes while Jacob jumped all around him. I smiled and went out to join them.

***

I stormed into Jack Carter's office a week and a half later and threw a tabloid down on his desk. "Did you do this?" I asked angrily.

"Mora," Jack jumped up in surprise. He looked at the front of the tabloid and growled. "No. It's too early to show our hand. I only sent the paperwork yesterday." Jack shut his office door, instructing his assistant to cancel his next meeting. "Sit down, I'll sort this out."

I sat down and listened while Jack called someone. He asked to speak to the journalist who ran the story. 'Darius Rafal secretly marries then dumps his pregnant wife’ glared at me from the front of the tabloid. Thankfully, it didn't mention me by name, but it wouldn't take long for someone to find it. I'd seen it while shopping this morning and jumped on the train to Edinburgh to confront Jack.

"I see. Well, I need to know where the leak came from or my client will litigate the paper for slander," Jack threatened. "Oh, but the story is so wrong. No, I won't. You can ask Mr. Rafal for that. I want the name of your source, or at least who they work for." Jack started tapping his pen.

A smile blooming across his face. "I see. No, that is enough. Only that you are two years late on the story." Jack hung up and looked at me. "It came from his public relations office," Jack explained. "There is a second part of the story that will be released in a few days, which will claim you cheated on Darius and are pregnant with your lover's child."

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