Chapter 2 - THE CHILD THAT BELONGED TO SOMEONE ELSE
Emma stared at the photograph until the room seemed to tilt.
Gabriel.
The man who had laughed in Dominic’s study.
The man who had known about the hearing lie.
The man who had apparently known far more than she did.
The timestamp on the photograph was six weeks earlier.
Vanessa’s pregnancy was roughly seven weeks along.
Emma zoomed in.
There was no mistaking either face.
Vanessa looked nervous.
Gabriel looked protective.
Not romantic exactly.
But intimate.
Emma’s stomach tightened.
She forwarded the image to Hannah.
Can you find out where this came from?
Hannah called immediately.
“What the hell?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is that Dominic’s friend?”
“Yes.”
“And Vanessa?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think the baby is his?”
“I don’t know.”
Hannah went silent.
Then said, “Do not go back to that house.”
“I’m not.”
“Good.”
Emma looked at the ultrasound beside her.
“But I need to know the truth.”
The next morning, Dominic arrived at Margaret’s hospital room at 7:12.
His mother was awake.
Vanessa slept in the reclining chair beside the window.
Dominic stood in the doorway.
Margaret looked up.
“Where’s Emma?”
“Gone.”
His mother frowned.
“Gone where?”
“She filed for divorce.”
Vanessa woke instantly.
Margaret’s face paled.
“What did you do?”
Dominic almost laughed.
That was the first question his mother asked.
Not what happened.
What did you do?
“Enough.”
Margaret lowered her voice.
“Dominic, you cannot let her leave.”
Vanessa looked away.
Dominic noticed.
“Why?”
Margaret blinked.
“What?”
“You’ve spent years treating her like staff. Why do you care now?”
“Because she is your wife.”
“Yesterday you were calling Vanessa the future of the family.”
Margaret’s expression tightened.
“This is not the time.”
“No. It is.”
Dominic walked farther into the room.
“Vanessa’s child is not mine.”
Margaret froze.
Vanessa went pale.
Dominic continued.
“You knew that.”
Margaret said nothing.
His eyes shifted to Vanessa.
“Who is the father?”
Vanessa looked at her hands.
“Dominic—”
“Who?”
Margaret snapped, “Enough.”
Dominic turned.
“You lied to Emma.”
Margaret’s voice became sharp.
“We protected this family.”
“From what?”
“Scandal.”
Dominic laughed once.
“Scandal?”
Vanessa stood.
“Please stop.”
“No.”
For the first time in years, Dominic heard his own anger echo through a room and did not remove anything from his ears to escape it.
“Who is the father?”
Vanessa’s face crumpled.
“Gabriel.”
Silence.
Dominic stared at her.
“What?”
“It’s Gabriel’s.”
His closest friend.
The man who had been in his study yesterday.
The man who had known the truth about his hearing.
Dominic’s hands curled.
“How long?”
Vanessa whispered, “Eight months.”
Dominic stepped back as if struck.
Margaret spoke quickly.
“Gabriel cannot acknowledge the child.”
“Why?”
Vanessa started crying.
“He’s married.”
Dominic’s head snapped toward her.
Gabriel had been separated for nearly a year.
Or so he had claimed.
“He said the divorce was finalizing.”
“It isn’t.”
Margaret sighed.
“And his wife’s family owns half the financing behind the Harbor development.”
Dominic understood.
If Gabriel publicly admitted an affair and pregnancy, the divorce could destroy a billion-dollar deal.
So Margaret had created an easier story.
Vanessa was Dominic’s longtime family friend.
Dominic was married to Emma, who was private, obedient, and childless.
A scandal could be contained.
His mother had decided he could absorb it.
“You told people the baby was mine.”
Margaret looked defensive.
“I never announced anything.”
“You let them believe it.”
“We needed time.”
Dominic looked at Vanessa.
“And you?”
“I was scared.”
“Emma saw you yesterday.”
Vanessa’s tears stopped.
“What?”
“She heard my mother call your baby her grandchild.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Dominic felt something inside him break.
Not because Emma had misunderstood.
Because every misunderstanding had been built from choices he allowed.
His phone buzzed.
A text from his attorney.
We located Mrs. Moretti’s attorney. She is requesting expedited proceedings and waiving claims to marital assets.
Dominic stared.
She wanted nothing.
No estate.
No cars.
No settlement.
Nothing.
Margaret saw his face.
“What is it?”
“She doesn’t want my money.”
Margaret scoffed softly.
“She’ll change her mind.”
Dominic turned toward her.
“No.”
He knew Emma.
That was the problem.
He had spent years hearing her without listening.
But he knew this.
When Emma left something, she did not come back for the expensive pieces.
He walked out.
Vanessa followed him into the hallway.
“Dominic.”
He stopped.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For letting her think—”
“You didn’t do it alone.”
He looked at her.
Then added, “Where is Gabriel?”
Vanessa’s expression changed.
“He left town.”
“Why?”
“He said something happened yesterday.”
Dominic went still.
“What?”
“He found out someone had been following me.”
Dominic frowned.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Vanessa reached into her purse.
“He gave me this.”
A black flash drive.
“He said if he disappeared, I should give it to you.”
Dominic stared at it.
“When did he give you this?”
“Last night.”
Before Emma left.
Dominic took the drive.
“What’s on it?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
He opened it later in his car.
There was only one video file.
Gabriel appeared on screen.
Pale.
Nervous.
“Dominic, if you’re watching this, you already know about Vanessa.”
He looked over his shoulder.
Then continued.
“But that isn’t the secret that matters.”
Dominic leaned closer.
Gabriel swallowed.
“Three years ago, your hearing did not recover naturally.”
Dominic froze.
“You were never deaf.”
May you like
The recording continued.
“You were poisoned.”
