Chapter 3 - The Betrayal Behind the Engagement Ring
"Your fiancée has been sleeping with your cousin, Dominic. And I can prove it."
The words came from a woman Dominic had never expected to hear from again.
Isabella Moretti.
Forty-one years old, a respected criminal defense attorney who had once represented Romano Holdings during a federal investigation.
She stood inside Dominic's Manhattan office holding a sealed envelope.
Dominic remained behind his desk.
"Be careful what you accuse people of."
Isabella placed the envelope in front of him.
"Open it."
Inside were photographs.
Victoria entering a private condominium in Tribeca.
Adrian following twenty minutes later.
Victoria and Adrian kissing inside a parked car.
A hotel invoice for a presidential suite booked under a corporate account.
And a series of messages that left little room for misunderstanding.
Dominic read one aloud.
"Once Dominic signs the restructuring agreement, everything belongs to us."
He looked up.
"Where did you get these?"
"An internal compliance investigator hired by your father before his stroke. He contacted me after discovering that his own access had been revoked."
"Why didn't he come to me?"
"Because someone inside your organization was intercepting his communications."
Dominic stared at the photographs.
"How long?"
"The affair appears to have started at least eighteen months ago."
Eighteen months.
Dominic remembered the evening Victoria had accepted his proposal.
The diamond ring.
The champagne.
The promise that she wanted nothing more than a family.
He had believed her.
He had also believed Adrian when his cousin said Victoria was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
"There's more," Isabella said.
Dominic looked up.
"The affair isn't the worst part."
Across town, Victoria sat in a luxury beauty salon while a public relations consultant reviewed a prepared statement.
The headline was carefully designed.
Pregnant Domestic Worker Investigated After Elderly Businessman's Medical Emergency.
Victoria studied the draft.
"Make the accusation stronger."
The consultant hesitated.
"We cannot claim she poisoned him without evidence."
"Then say the family has serious concerns about missing prescriptions."
"That still carries legal risks."
Victoria leaned forward.
"Do you know how much I'm paying you?"
"Yes, Ms. Sterling."
"Then make the public believe what I need them to believe."
Her phone rang.
Adrian.
She stepped into a private room.
"What?"
"Dominic knows."
Victoria froze.
"Knows what?"
"About us."
For several seconds, she could hear only the faint music playing through the salon speakers.
"How?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes, Adrian. It matters because I'm wearing a four-million-dollar engagement ring, and our entire plan depends on him signing those documents."
Adrian lowered his voice.
"We move the timetable forward."
"What about Antonio?"
"He's still alive."
"Then finish what you started."
Adrian said nothing.
Victoria continued.
"And make sure that maid takes the blame."
At St. Catherine's, Emily sat beside Antonio's hospital bed.
His condition had improved enough for him to remain awake for longer periods, though speaking was still difficult.
A speech therapist had restored access to a simplified communication board.
Emily held it where he could see.
"Are you comfortable?"
Antonio slowly selected YES.
She smiled.
"Good."
His eyes moved toward her stomach.
"Grace is doing fine," Emily assured him. "She's apparently decided that sleeping at night is optional."
Antonio's lips moved.
A faint sound escaped.
Emily leaned closer.
"What was that?"
He tried again.
"Gra..."
"Grace?"
His eyes brightened.
Emily laughed softly.
"That's right."
Then Antonio reached toward the board.
His trembling finger touched several letters.
M.
A.
R.
Emily waited.
He continued.
G.
A.
R.
E.
T.
"Margaret?"
Antonio nodded.
Emily frowned.
"That's my mother's name."
His breathing quickened.
He pressed another word.
KNEW.
Emily stared at him.
"You knew my mother?"
Antonio closed his eyes.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
Before she could ask another question, the door opened.
Dominic entered.
He carried a small paper bag containing food from the hospital café.
"You haven't eaten," he told Emily.
"I'm fine."
"That's what you said six hours ago."
He placed the bag on the table.
Antonio watched the exchange with an expression Dominic couldn't interpret.
"How is he?"
"Better. He recognized Grace's name."
Dominic smiled faintly.
Then Emily hesitated.
"He also typed my mother's name."
Dominic stopped smiling.
"Your mother?"
"Margaret Carter."
Antonio's fingers began moving urgently.
He pointed toward Dominic.
Then toward Emily.
Then toward the communication board.
Dominic leaned down.
"Dad, what are you trying to tell us?"
Antonio selected three words.
ASK.
HER.
MOTHER.
Dominic looked at Emily.
She looked equally confused.
Before either could speak, Antonio's monitor sounded an alert.
A nurse hurried into the room.
"Please step outside."
That afternoon, Dominic summoned Adrian to his office.
His cousin arrived wearing a navy suit and an easy smile.
"How's Uncle Antonio?"
"Recovering."
"That's good news."
Dominic gestured toward a chair.
"Sit down."
Adrian did.
For several minutes, Dominic said nothing.
Then he placed a photograph on the desk.
Victoria and Adrian.
Kissing.
Adrian's smile disappeared.
"Dominic—"
"How long?"
"It's not what you think."
"That's a disappointing answer."
Adrian rubbed his forehead.
"It happened when you were traveling. Victoria was lonely."
Dominic stared at him.
"You betrayed me because my fiancée was lonely?"
"We made a mistake."
"A mistake happens once."
Dominic placed six more photographs on the desk.
"This happened repeatedly."
Adrian lowered his gaze.
"I'm sorry."
Dominic leaned forward.
"Did you also make a mistake when you helped isolate my father?"
Adrian looked up sharply.
"What?"
"Did you make a mistake when his money started disappearing?"
"Dominic, listen—"
"Did you make a mistake when someone changed his medication schedule?"
Adrian stood.
"You're accusing me of trying to kill my own uncle?"
"I'm asking you to explain the evidence."
Adrian's face hardened.
"You have no idea what Antonio was planning."
Dominic rose slowly.
"Then tell me."
For a moment, Adrian appeared ready to speak.
Instead, he laughed bitterly.
"You always were his favorite."
Dominic said nothing.
"I spent twenty years protecting this family. I built relationships you inherited. I cleaned up problems you never even knew existed."
"And that entitled you to steal from him?"
"That entitled me to something."
Dominic walked around the desk.
"You had a salary larger than most people earn in ten lifetimes. You had properties, investments, and authority."
"I had whatever you allowed me to have."
There it was.
Not remorse.
Resentment.
Dominic opened the office door.
"Leave."
Adrian stared at him.
"You're making a mistake."
"Your credentials are suspended. You no longer represent Romano Holdings. My attorneys will contact you."
"You can't throw me away."
"Watch me."
Adrian stepped closer.
"You think that pregnant maid is innocent? You think she just happened to show up when Antonio needed saving?"
Dominic's expression darkened.
"Don't mention her."
Adrian smiled.
"Then ask yourself why your father knew her mother's name."
He walked out.
That evening, Emily returned to her temporary apartment near the hospital.
She had barely unlocked the door when she noticed an envelope beneath it.
Inside was a photograph.
Her mother lying in a hospital bed.
Taken that morning.
On the back, someone had written:
STOP ASKING QUESTIONS, OR SHE WILL BE NEXT.
Emily's hands began shaking.
She reached for her phone.
Before she could dial, an unfamiliar number called.
A woman's voice spoke.
"Miss Carter?"
"Who is this?"
"You should have stayed in your place."
"Victoria?"
A soft laugh.
"You're carrying a child, Emily. It would be tragic if your curiosity destroyed two generations of your family."
The call ended.
Emily stood frozen.
Then someone knocked.
Three times.
She backed away.
"Who's there?"
"Dominic."
She opened the door.
He saw the photograph in her hand.
"What happened?"
Emily tried to speak.
Instead, she began crying.
Dominic took the envelope, examined it, and called his security team.
Then he looked at her.
"You're not staying here tonight."
"I can't go back to your mansion."
"You're not going back there."
"Then where?"
"Somewhere Victoria can't reach you."
Emily shook her head.
"You don't understand. My mother—"
"I'll arrange independent security at her hospital, with her consent."
Emily searched his face.
"Why are you doing this?"
Dominic looked at the threatening photograph.
"Because my family has already taken enough from yours."
He was about to say more when his phone rang.
Isabella.
"Dominic, we found the beneficiary of the offshore accounts."
"Who?"
"Victoria's private investment company."
He closed his eyes.
"How much?"
"Forty-six million dollars that we can trace so far."
Dominic felt the betrayal settle into something colder than anger.
Then Isabella added one final sentence.
May you like
"And Dominic? We found a document suggesting Victoria had arranged to marry Adrian after you were removed from the company."
End of Chapter 3.
