Chapter 8
Dominic tried to run.
Not far.
Just one panicked step toward the side aisle.
A guard caught his arm.
An agent spoke calmly.
“Dominic Thorne, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit fraud, obstruction, witness tampering, and attempted murder.”
Attempted murder.
The words struck the room like a gunshot.
Gianna screamed.
“I didn’t know. I didn’t know about that.”
Dominic twisted toward her.
“You stupid—”
The agent pushed him back.
His wrists were cuffed.
The sound of metal closing around him was quieter than I expected.
But it echoed inside me forever.
He looked at me then.
Not angry.
Not smug.
Afraid.
“Elena,” he said.
For years, I had waited for him to say my name like it mattered.
Now that he finally did, I felt nothing.
The judge ordered the room cleared except for necessary parties.
But before they took Dominic away, Leo stepped forward.
Small.
Trembling.
Brave.
“Daddy?”
Dominic’s face changed.
For one second, shame touched it.
“Yes, buddy?”
Leo swallowed.
“Did you hurt Grandpa?”
Dominic opened his mouth.
Closed it.
No lie came fast enough.
Lucas began to cry.
I pulled both boys against me as Dominic was led away.
He kept looking back.
But not at them.
At the envelope.
May you like
At the proof.
At the thing he had missed because he thought a wife was too weak to read what she signed.
