The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 39

Chapter 35: The Truth Revealed-2

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And I stared at that photo of Tom, memorizing every detail of his face, wondering if I’d ever get to hear him call me “Dad.”

By evening, I’d made my decision. I would go public against Jade, would destroy her credibility before she could use Tom as a weapon. And then I would wait, would prove to Bella through actions instead of words that I’d changed. Even if it took years. Even if she never forgave me.

I called my legal team. “File the harassment charges against Jade Hart. Include everything – the fake video, the stalking behavior, the manufactured evidence. I want it public by morning.”

“Sir, this will cause a media firestorm. Your connection to Bella Hart will be exposed, people will dig into your marriage”

“Let them dig,” I said coldly. “The truth is that Jade destroyed my marriage with lies, and I’m done protecting her from the consequences. File the charges.”

“What about Ms. Hart? Won’t this affect her as well?”

I thought about Bella, about how this would drag her name through the media, about how reporters would start asking questions about our marriage and whether there were any

children.

“Draft a separate statement making it clear that Bella Hart is not involved in these charges, that she’s moved on with her life and deserves privacy. Emphasize that this is about Jade’s

current harassment, not about rehashing the past.”

It wasn’t perfect protection, but it was the best I could do without revealing Tom’s existence. That night, I couldn’t sleep. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about my son. What did his voice sound like? Did he laugh like Bella or like me? What were his favorite toys, his favorite foods, his dreams and fears and the thousand little things that made him who he

was?

I’d missed all of it. Every milestone, every moment, years of my son’s life gone because I’d been too damaged to see what I had. At 3 AM, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. I opened it to find another photo – Tom at what looked like a zoo, pointing excitedly at something off-camera, his face lit up with joy.

The message below read: He’s beautiful, isn’t he? Your son. Too bad you’ll never get to know him. Bella will make sure of that. Unless… maybe we could make a deal? – J

Jade. Threatening my son, trying to use him as leverage to get what she wanted. The rage

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Chapter 35 The Truth Revealed-2

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that flooded through me was cold and calculating. I’d been planning to destroy Jade legally, through courts and lawyers and proper channels. But this threat against Tom changed everything.

I called Marcel. “Change of plans. I want everything on Jade Hart. Every dirty secret, every shady business deal, every skeleton in her closet. I want enough ammunition to end her completely.”

“Sir, that kind of investigation could take weeks”

“You have seventy-two hours,” I said coldly. “Because in seventy-two hours, I’m going to make sure Jade Hart never threatens my family again.”

I hung up and sent Jade a response: Touch my son and I will destroy you so completely they won’t find the ashes. This is your only warning.

Her reply came quickly: Your son? I thought Bella aborted that baby. Or has she been lying to you, Caleb? Keeping your precious heir hidden while you pined after her like a fool? The media would love this story. CEO’s Secret Love Child. Has a nice ring to it.

My hands clenched around my phone. She was going to expose Tom, going to drag my three-year-old son into a media circus just to hurt Bella and manipulate me. Unless I stopped

her first.

I spent the next three days building my case against Jade. The fake video, the harassment, the financial fraud she’d committed to fund her schemes. By the end of day two, I had enough to put her away for years. But I wanted more. I wanted her completely destroyed, unable to ever threaten my family again.

On day three, Marcel came through. “Sir, I found something. Jade Hart has been embezzling from Hart Industries for the past eighteen months. She’s been funneling money through shell companies to fund her lifestyle and her schemes against you and Ms. Bella.”

“Can we prove it?”

“Absolutely. I have bank records, transaction histories, everything we need. If we take this to the authorities, she’ll face federal charges.”

Perfect. “Compile everything. The fake video, the harassment, the embezzlement. I want a complete package ready to file by tomorrow morning.”

“Sir, this will destroy her. And likely take down Hart Industries with her.”

“Good,” I said without sympathy. “Richard Hart enabled his daughter’s behavior for years. Let him face the consequences along with her.”

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That evening, I received another call from Jade.”Caleb, please. Can we talk? I made a mistake with those messages. I wasn’t really going to go to the media about Tom.”

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