Chapter 8 - THE TRUTH ABOUT DOMINIC
Dominic sat inside the empty church with his father across from him.
For the first time in his life, he was looking at the man he had mourned.
“You're alive.”
His father nodded.
“Why?”
“Because I had to disappear.”
“Everyone thought you were dead.”
“I needed them to.”
Dominic's hands clenched.
“Mom believed you were dead.”
“She did.”
“Then why did you let her suffer?”
His father looked down.
“Because I believed she was safer believing I was gone.”
Dominic shook his head.
“You destroyed your own family.”
“I know.”
“You destroyed Audrey's family too.”
His father closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“Why was I supposed to marry her?”
“You weren't.”
Dominic stared.
“What?”
“The arrangement was never a marriage contract.”
His father explained.
The two families had created a trust intended to protect both children.
Audrey would inherit control of the technology and investment assets.
Dominic would inherit the operational side of the construction company.
The families believed the two could eventually work together.
But no one had required them to marry.
Dominic laughed bitterly.
“So everything was a lie.”
“No.”
His father leaned forward.
“The only real thing was what happened after you met.”
Dominic looked away.
“I cheated on her.”
“Yes.”
“I let my mother humiliate her.”
“Yes.”
“I thought she was poor.”
“I know.”
“I nearly destroyed the woman who owned most of the life I was bragging about.”
His father nodded.
“And now?”
Dominic's eyes filled with tears.
“Now I want to make it right.”
His father studied him.
“You can't undo what happened.”
“I know.”
“You can't bring back the child.”
Dominic's face collapsed.
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
Dominic whispered:
“Because I need to tell Audrey the truth myself.”
The church doors opened.
Audrey stood there.
Dominic froze.
She had heard everything.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Dominic approached her.
“I am sorry.”
Audrey's eyes remained cold.
“Sorry doesn't fix it.”
“I know.”
“You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“You betrayed me.”
“Yes.”
“You allowed your mother to hurt me.”
His voice broke.
“Yes.”
Audrey looked at him.
“And you were with Paige while I was carrying our child.”
Dominic lowered his head.
“I didn't know about the baby.”
“But you knew you were betraying me.”
“Yes.”
Audrey nodded slowly.
That honesty hurt more than another lie would have.
Then Dominic said:
“There is one thing I never knew.”
“What?”
“That my father ordered the original plan.”
Audrey stared at him.
“What plan?”
“To make our families dependent on the trust.”
Audrey's expression changed.
“Why?”
“Because he believed if the company collapsed, the trust would activate.”
“And who benefited?”
Dominic looked at her.
“You.”
Audrey shook her head.
“No.”
She suddenly understood.
“Not me.”
She looked toward Dominic's father.
“Your father wanted the trust to protect someone else.”
His father said nothing.
Audrey stepped closer.
“Who?”
The old man finally answered.
“Your mother.”
Audrey froze.
“My mother died when I was twelve.”
“I know.”
“Then how could she be the beneficiary?”
His voice was barely a whisper.
May you like
“She wasn't dead.”
Audrey's entire world seemed to stop.
