Vanessa laughed, a bitter sound. "Of course you'd believe that. You were his precious little girl, after all. But let me tell you something, Isabella. Years ago, your father betrayed my family. He made promises, partnerships, but when things went wrong, he abandoned us and left us to deal with the fallout. My father lost everything because of your father's greed."
My heart sank as Vanessa's words pierced through me, my mind racing to make sense of the accusation. "No… That doesn't sound like my father. He wouldn't have done that."
"Oh, believe what you want," Vanessa sneered, her gaze darkening. "But I remember. I was just a teenager when it happened, but I saw the way my family suffered because of your father. I swore that one day, I'd make him pay—and since he's not around anymore, you'll have to do."
