"You wanted to meet me by hiding your identity, didn't you? And if I'd ignored your proposal, if I'd never agreed to this meeting, would you have found another way to trick me into seeing you?" She drew a sharp breath. "Why does it even matter to you whether I'm safe or not? We aren't related. We've never been related."
Joseph's face paled. He took half a step forward, then stopped himself, his hands open at his sides as if to show he meant no threat.
"Sara, you're misunderstanding everything," he said but without anger. "I didn't know you existed. Not until very recently. Mom never once mentioned you, not a single time in my entire life." He swallowed hard. "It was only when Luca sent his secretary to me… Asking me to take Mom back, to get her out of your life and away from you… Then only I learned the truth."
