Chapter 4 - BLOOD BENEATH THE SNOW
The next morning, Harper received a photograph.
It showed her kissing Dominic.
The message beneath it contained only four words.
He will destroy you.
Harper deleted the message.
But she couldn't delete the doubt.
Dominic noticed her silence at breakfast.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You're lying.”
“I'm learning from you.”
He frowned.
She showed him the photograph.
His expression became murderous.
“Who sent this?”
“I don't know.”
Dominic called security.
Within five minutes, the entire penthouse was locked down.
“No one leaves,” he ordered.
Harper stared.
“You think someone inside the house did this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because that camera was restricted.”
Her stomach tightened.
“What camera?”
“The hallway camera.”
“So someone inside your organization recorded us.”
“Yes.”
Dominic walked away.
Harper followed.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Then find them.”
He stopped.
“I will.”
Hours later, Dominic discovered the leak.
A security technician named Paul had been selling information.
But before Dominic could question him, Paul was found unconscious in an underground garage.
Harper saw the ambulance arrive.
She turned to Dominic.
“Did you do that?”
“No.”
She searched his eyes.
For once, she believed him.
That evening, Dominic received a call.
“Your sister's treatment was canceled.”
Harper's face went white.
“What?”
Dominic immediately grabbed his coat.
“Get the car.”
They rushed to the hospital.
Madison was crying.
“The clinic says the payment was reversed.”
Harper looked at Dominic.
He shook his head.
“I didn't reverse anything.”
A hospital administrator approached.
“Mrs. Hayes, there appears to have been a transfer dispute.”
“Who transferred the money?”
The administrator hesitated.
“A Russo account.”
Harper looked at Dominic.
His face had gone cold.
“I didn't authorize it.”
Someone was using his name.
Later that night, Dominic discovered the truth.
A shell company had transferred money from his organization into Madison's treatment account—and then withdrawn it.
The transactions had been designed to look like Dominic had been laundering money through medical charities.
Harper realized what was happening.
“Someone wants to destroy you.”
“Yes.”
“And they're using me.”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“Why?”
Dominic's expression changed.
“Because you're the only person I care about.”
The words landed harder than any declaration.
Harper stepped closer.
“Dominic…”
His phone rang.
He answered.
A voice whispered:
“You should have left the girl alone.”
The line went dead.
Dominic's face darkened.
“Who was that?”
“Carmine.”
Harper's stomach dropped.
“Why would he threaten me?”
“Because he knows.”
“Knows what?”
Dominic looked at her.
“That I intend to leave the organization.”
She stared.
“You're leaving?”
“Yes.”
“For me?”
“For us.”
Harper couldn't speak.
Dominic touched her cheek.
“I built an empire because I thought power was the only way to protect people.”
“And now?”
“Now I realize power is what keeps putting you in danger.”
Harper covered his hand.
“Then we leave.”
He smiled sadly.
“I don't think they'll let us.”
That night, someone fired three shots into the penthouse windows.
Security rushed Harper into a reinforced room.
Dominic stood at the window.
A bullet had struck the glass directly in front of him.
Harper screamed.
“Dominic!”
He turned.
He was unharmed.
But behind him, on the floor, lay an envelope.
Inside was a photograph of a young Dominic.
And beside him stood Harper's father.
May you like
On the back were six words:
Your marriage was never an accident.
