The Billionaire’s Secret Wife(56)

Sighing, Vanessa pressed her temples. It would’ve been more logical for Peggy to approach Salazar, but he wasn’t an easy man to get to with his wall of lawyers and assistants. “I’ll see what I can do.” He’d given his other illegitimate child, Blaine, fifty million bucks. Vanessa didn’t see why he wouldn’t be as generous with his daughter.

Still, this would hurt Ceinlys. Vanessa remembered how furious her mother had been when Salazar had claimed Blaine as his own. Couldn’t her father have been more careful? Or maybe her mother would be happy this time, since it would strengthen her position in the divorce proceedings.

Peggy visibly sagged. “Thank you.”

“How can I get in touch with you?”

“Here.” Peggy jotted down ten digits on a napkin and handed it to Vanessa. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I haven’t done anything.” Vanessa sucked down the rest of her smoothie and went outside. She had zero desire to exercise now.

She hopped into her car and drove to the family mansion. Her father lived there alone now, along with staff who kept the place clean and habitable. She’d always thought the place was somewhat ostentatious, but it’d been in the family for generations, and her family wasn’t going to give it up just because she didn’t care for it.

Al, impeccably dressed as always, welcomed her. The butler had been a standard fixture at her house ever since she could remember. “Miss.”

“Is dad home?”

He nodded. “In his study.”

She went to the second level. The study was large, with big windows, and held hundreds of books that nobody had read. Her grandmother, Shirley Pryce, had hated it when people touched them. One pale green wall had portraits of the Pryce grandparents.

Salazar was in a plushy armchair. The smile from the previous evening was gone, along with the sparkle in his eyes. His shoulders were slumped, his face slack like the skin was about to slide off it. The usual crispness of his clothes was gone, leaving him looking…sloppy. He was Dorian Gray after the mirror had broken, showing every year of his age.

Vanessa swallowed a gasp. How could he have changed so quickly? If she hadn’t known how arrogant and proud he could be, she might have suggested he go see a doctor.

“Congratulations on your marriage,” he said without getting up. A small smile ghosted on his lips. “Realized I wasn’t cheery enough yesterday. Justin Sterling is quite a catch.”

“He is, but the ‘catch’ factor isn’t why I married him.”

“Right, right. I heard you’re pregnant. He had to do the right thing. Barron would’ve disowned him otherwise.”

Ignoring the jab, Vanessa sat on a couch perpendicular to his chair. “Dad, is there something you want to announce to the family?”

He frowned. “Like what?”

She sighed. “Have you been getting calls from a woman named Peggy?”

“Not that I know of, but Kim handles those things.”

Breathing deeply, Vanessa gave herself time to prep what she was about to say. “I saw your daughter today.”

He squinted, some of his usual sharpness coming back. “What?”

“Yep. Came up to me in yoga class, introduced herself as my half-sister. She said her mother’s sick with cancer. She wanted to know if I could help out.”

“She’s lying. If she approaches you again, call the police.”

Vanessa gasped. “How can you say that? Her mother’s your former lover.”

“If I ever slept with her, which I doubt. Where is she from and what’s her mother’s name?”

“Her name’s Peggy Teeter, and I don’t know her mother’s name. But she’s from Provo, Utah.” This was probably futile. According to gossip, Salazar had lovers in every city in the country.

“I don’t recall ever sleeping with anyone named Teeter, and I never took a lover in Provo. Just because I have a reputation doesn’t mean I’m not discriminating.” He gave an offhand flick of his fingers. “Uptight religious girls aren’t really my thing.”

“So it’s just that simple to you?” Outrage suddenly seared through her. “I’ve never seen you act this cold toward women before. Are you worried about being responsible for the cancer treatment or is it something else?” She shook her head before he could answer. “No, wait. You want to deny everything, so you’ll look better in the court of public opinion and Mom won’t have as strong a case. Is that it?”

Suddenly Salazar blinked. “Wait, did you say Provo? And this woman claims she’s your sister?”