Chapter 2 - Two women, one lie
Her name was Amelia Grant.
And she wasn't Dominic's mistress.
At least, not in the way I'd assumed.
Dominic had married her nine years earlier in Connecticut.
He married me eight years ago in New York.
My stomach turned.
“That isn't possible.”
Amelia pulled a photograph from her purse.
Wedding dress.
Dominic.
A church.
A marriage certificate photographed beneath it.
The boy was Noah.
His son.
Dominic grabbed Amelia's wrist.
“Stop.”
She ripped free.
“You said Vivienne died before Sophia was born!”
My daughter heard her name.
I immediately asked Victor's security team to take both children into a private lounge with a female staff member.
Sophia started crying.
“Mommy, did I do something wrong?”
That nearly destroyed me.
I kissed her forehead.
“Nothing. Daddy made a grown-up mistake. Mommy is fixing it.”
When the door closed, I faced Dominic.
“Explain.”
He couldn't.
Victor arrived carrying a corporate folder.
He didn't strike Dominic.
Didn't threaten him.
He simply placed documents on the reception desk.
Sterling Capital hadn't technically owned Vanguard Horizon.
It controlled the investment entities holding 38 percent of its voting shares and substantial portions of its debt.
Dominic's career hadn't been imaginary.
But its extraordinary rise had been quietly protected by my family because my brothers believed they were protecting me.
Victor leaned toward him.
“You weren't successful because of us.”
Dominic looked surprised.
Victor continued.
“But every time your incompetence should have destroyed you, Vivienne asked us to keep you standing.”
That hurt more.
Because it was true.
Then Amelia interrupted.
“There's something you need to know.”
She opened her phone.
For six months, Dominic had been transferring money into accounts she didn't recognize.
Millions.
Not company money.
Not Amelia's.
Not mine.
Victor examined the numbers.
His expression changed.
“Where did you get these?”
“Dominic's laptop.”
Victor showed me one recipient.
STERLING FAMILY TRUST — S7.
I stared at him.
“What's S7?”
Victor didn't answer.
“Victor?”
My brother slowly closed the folder.
May you like
“Our family doesn't have an S7 trust.”
Across the lobby, Dominic suddenly ran.
