Chapter 9 - THE CHOICE DOMINIC HAD NEVER MADE BEFOREThe legal consequences arrived quickly.
Matthew Mercer was charged with attempted murder, conspiracy, kidnapping, evidence tampering and multiple financial crimes.
Marianne Mercer faced charges connected to Daniel Carter’s death, obstruction and conspiracy.
Victor Hale accepted responsibility for helping orchestrate the crash that killed Daniel and for years of illegal surveillance.
Anthony Mercer’s confession opened investigations stretching across three states.
Gabriel Moretti did something nobody expected.
He walked into a federal office voluntarily.
Dominic found out from Nathan.
“He’s cooperating.”
Dominic looked up from his desk.
“With what?”
“Everything.”
Nathan handed him a letter.
Gabriel had documented twelve years of payments, false companies, hidden surveillance and attempts to expose Anthony.
Some of Gabriel’s actions were illegal.
Very illegal.
Cooperation would not erase them.
Dominic went to see his brother.
Gabriel sat inside an interview room wearing a suit without a tie.
“You didn’t need to come,” Gabriel said.
“That’s usually what people say when they want someone to come.”
Gabriel smiled faintly.
“Ethan?”
“Home.”
“Lily?”
“Also home.”
“Sophia?”
Dominic paused.
“Home.”
Gabriel noticed.
“You said that differently.”
“Don’t.”
“You like her.”
Dominic stared.
Gabriel laughed.
“There he is.”
Dominic sat.
“Why are you confessing?”
“Because Daniel died while I was trying to control everything without trusting anyone.”
“That sounds familiar.”
“Yes.”
Gabriel looked through the glass.
“I thought protecting you meant solving Dad’s death before telling you.”
“You were wrong.”
“I know.”
“I could have helped.”
“I know.”
“Daniel could have lived.”
Gabriel’s eyes lowered.
“I know.”
That ended Dominic’s anger more effectively than denial would have.
Gabriel whispered, “I can’t change what happened. I can stop lying about my part.”
Dominic nodded.
The brothers sat quietly.
Then Gabriel asked, “Do you forgive me?”
Dominic considered it.
“No.”
Gabriel smiled sadly.
“Fair.”
“But I’m here.”
Gabriel looked at him.
Dominic continued.
“I think forgiveness may take longer than one conversation.”
“Also fair.”
Dominic stood.
“I’ll come tomorrow.”
Gabriel’s eyes filled.
“Okay.”
Dominic left.
That evening he found Sophia in the estate kitchen.
Not the service kitchen.
The family kitchen.
Lily sat on the counter eating strawberries.
Ethan was teaching her to say “anaphylaxis.”
She was failing spectacularly.
“Ana-phil-laps.”
Ethan sighed.
“We’re doomed.”
Sophia laughed.
Dominic stopped in the doorway.
The sound did something to him.
For seven years after Elena’s death, the Moretti estate had remained full of people and somehow empty.
Employees.
Guards.
Visitors.
Business associates.
But not laughter like this.
Not small shoes beneath the table.
Not strawberry juice on a marble counter that cost more than most cars.
Ethan noticed him.
“Dad.”
“What?”
“Lily thinks the EpiPen is called the Ethan pen.”
Lily held up a trainer device.
“Efan pen!”
Dominic smiled.
“Reasonable.”
Sophia turned.
Their eyes met.
The distance between employer and employee had become increasingly difficult to locate.
That frightened Dominic.
He waited until the children went upstairs.
Then he found Sophia on the terrace.
Snow covered the lawn.
She wore Daniel’s watch.
Dominic noticed immediately.
“It suits you.”
She touched it.
“It’s too big.”
“You’ll resize it.”
“No.”
“Why?”
She looked through the windows toward Lily.
“One day it belongs to her.”
Dominic nodded.
Sophia studied him.
“How is Gabriel?”
“Confessing.”
“Good.”
“He may serve time.”
“I know.”
“He’s still my brother.”
“I know that too.”
Dominic leaned against the railing.
“I spent most of my life believing loyalty meant protecting people from consequences.”
Sophia waited.
“My father did it. Gabriel did it. Daniel did it.”
She looked at him.
“You did it.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I think we were all wrong.”
Sophia smiled faintly.
“Careful. Personal growth can be dangerous.”
He almost laughed.
Then his face became serious.
“I owe you something.”
“You already paid Daniel’s funeral.”
Dominic froze.
Sophia raised an eyebrow.
“You thought I never figured that out?”
“I did it anonymously.”
“You used the Moretti foundation.”
“That is supposed to be anonymous.”
“The check had your accountant’s extension at the bottom.”
Dominic stared.
Sophia smiled.
“You’re not as mysterious as you think.”
He looked away, almost embarrassed.
“I owe you more than money.”
“You owe me the truth.”
“Yes.”
“Then give me that.”
Dominic took a breath.
“When you first applied here, I knew who you were.”
Sophia’s expression changed.
“I suspected.”
“I hired you partly because of Daniel.”
“Guilt?”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
“I wanted to know you were safe.”
“That sounds dangerously close to protection without permission.”
“It was.”
Sophia folded her arms.
“Keep going.”
“I checked on Lily’s medical insurance.”
“I know.”
Dominic blinked.
“You know that too?”
“My insurance suddenly became excellent.”
He nodded.
“I had your salary increased.”
“I assumed Mrs. Reynolds finally recognized my genius.”
“She did.”
“That answer saved you.”
Dominic smiled.
Then grew serious again.
“I watched you rebuild your life while knowing part of the truth.”
Sophia’s eyes hardened.
“That still hurts.”
“I know.”
“I may be angry about that for a long time.”
“I know.”
“You cannot fix it by giving Lily a trust fund.”
Dominic hesitated.
Sophia stared.
“You already created one.”
“It’s modest.”
“How modest?”
“Define modest.”
“Dominic.”
He looked away.
“Enough for college.”
“All of college?”
“Yes.”
“What if she wants community college?”
“Then she can buy several community colleges.”
Sophia covered her face.
“This is exactly what I meant.”
“I can cancel it.”
She peeked through her fingers.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
He smiled.
Sophia lowered her hands.
“You are impossible.”
“I have been told.”
The smile faded between them.
Dominic looked through the glass at Ethan and Lily.
“I’m afraid.”
Sophia stared.
It was perhaps the strangest sentence Dominic Moretti had ever said.
“Of what?”
“This.”
He gestured between them.
“What is this?”
“I don’t know.”
“That seems unusually vague for you.”
“I know what happens when I care about someone.”
Sophia’s expression softened.
“You become controlling?”
“Yes.”
“You hide information?”
“Yes.”
“You open college funds without asking?”
“Yes.”
She almost smiled.
Dominic continued.
“And I lost Elena.”
Sophia became still.
“I loved her.”
“I know.”
“After she died, I decided Ethan was enough.”
Sophia waited.
“Then you and Lily arrived.”
“I’ve worked here six years.”
“You were staff.”
“That sounded terrible.”
“It did.”
He corrected himself.
“You were someone I refused to see because seeing you made things complicated.”
Sophia’s heart beat faster.
“And now?”
“Now my son asks whether Lily can live here forever.”
Sophia smiled.
“Lily already behaves like she owns the west wing.”
“She attempted to fire a guard yesterday.”
“She’s three.”
“She said his shoes were ugly.”
“That is valid management feedback.”
Dominic laughed.
Then he looked at her.
Really looked.
“I care about you.”
Sophia’s smile disappeared.
“I know.”
“That isn’t a request.”
“Good.”
“I’m not asking you for anything.”
“Good.”
“I just promised myself I would stop hiding truths because I was afraid of what happened after I said them.”
Sophia’s eyes filled.
“So I care about you.”
She looked away.
“That was unfairly effective.”
Dominic stayed where he was.
He did not touch her.
Did not push.
After a long silence, Sophia whispered, “I care about you too.”
Dominic stopped breathing.
“That also isn’t a request.”
“Understood.”
“I’m still grieving Daniel.”
“I know.”
“I will always love him.”
“You should.”
Sophia looked at him sharply.
Dominic continued.
“I don’t need your past erased to want a place in your future.”
Her eyes filled.
This time she stepped toward him.
Not far.
Just enough to rest her head briefly against his chest.
Dominic’s arms remained at his sides.
Sophia looked up.
“You may hug me.”
“Permission?”
“Yes.”
“Very modern.”
“Don’t ruin it.”
He wrapped his arms around her.
Inside, Ethan spotted them through the glass.
His eyes widened.
Lily pressed her face against the window beside him.
Ethan whispered something.
Lily immediately waved.
Sophia laughed against Dominic’s chest.
“They’re watching.”
Dominic looked over.
His son gave him two enthusiastic thumbs up.
Dominic closed his eyes.
“I’m sending him to boarding school.”
“You are not.”
“Fine.”
Lily shouted through the glass.
“Mr. Dom kiss Mommy!”
Sophia went red.
Dominic stared at the toddler.
“She’s fired.”
“You cannot fire my child.”
“She assaulted birthday cake.”
“She saved Ethan.”
“Fine. Final warning.”
Sophia laughed.
And for the first time, Dominic understood that happiness did not arrive quietly.
May you like
Sometimes it burst into your ballroom in white sneakers, broke a plate, ruined your carefully controlled life—
and saved everything.
