Chapter 11 - Dominic’s Betrayal
“Mara?”
The voice came from the other side of the door.
Mara froze.
Dominic raised his weapon.
Michael stepped backward.
“No,” he whispered.
The door opened another inch.
A man stood in the hallway.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
A scar running from his left temple to his jaw.
Mara stared at him.
She had never seen his face.
But somehow, every part of her recognized him.
The man looked directly at her.
“My daughter.”
Mara stopped breathing.
Dominic moved in front of her.
“Stay back.”
The man smiled.
“You always were protective.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“Who are you?”
The man's gaze shifted toward him.
“You know.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
The man lifted one hand.
“Look at the watch.”
Dominic stared at his wrist.
The same silver watch from the photograph.
His father's watch.
The man smiled.
“I wondered how long it would take.”
Michael whispered,
“Victor.”
Mara's eyes widened.
“You're my father?”
Victor looked at her.
“Yes.”
Mara couldn't move.
For twenty-nine years, she had lived without a father.
She had imagined his face a thousand times.
She had imagined him dead.
Gone.
A stranger.
Never this.
Never a man standing in a hospital hallway while her newborn daughter was being held somewhere by another woman.
“You're alive.”
Victor nodded.
“Barely.”
“Why did you leave?”
“I didn't.”
“Then why was I raised by strangers?”
“Because your life depended on it.”
Mara's voice shook.
“You let me believe my mother abandoned me.”
“I protected you from the people who killed her.”
“You didn't protect me.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You watched me.”
Victor's expression softened.
“Yes.”
“You watched me get married.”
“Yes.”
“You watched me leave Dominic.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I was pregnant.”
“I knew.”
Mara stepped forward.
“Then why didn't you come to me?”
Victor looked at Dominic.
“Because I needed to know whether he was like his father.”
Dominic's face hardened.
“You don't know anything about me.”
“I know enough.”
“You took my daughter.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
“Then where is she?”
“Safe.”
“Give her back.”
Victor looked at Mara.
“She is yours.”
“Then where is she?”
Victor's expression changed.
“She is with the only person who can keep her alive.”
Mara's heart sank.
“Celeste.”
Victor didn't answer.
Dominic stepped closer.
“You're working with her.”
“No.”
“Then who is?”
Victor looked toward the hallway.
“Someone you trust.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“My security chief.”
Victor nodded.
“He opened the hospital systems.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“Why?”
“To create a path for Celeste.”
“Where is my daughter?”
Victor looked at Mara.
“In the estate.”
Mara took Dominic's hand.
“We go now.”
Victor shook his head.
“You cannot.”
“Why?”
“Because the estate is a trap.”
Dominic stared.
“You invited us.”
“I invited Mara.”
“Not me?”
Victor smiled.
“You were never part of the plan.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“What plan?”
Victor looked at Mara.
“The truth.”
Then he stepped backward.
Dominic raised his weapon.
“Don't move.”
Victor stopped.
“You won't shoot me.”
“You don't know that.”
“I know you.”
Victor looked directly at him.
“Your father taught you one thing better than anything else.”
Dominic said nothing.
“Never kill a man before you know what he knows.”
Victor smiled.
“And I know everything.”
Dominic lowered the weapon slightly.
“Start talking.”
Victor glanced at Michael.
“Not here.”
Michael nodded.
“The estate.”
Victor looked at Mara.
“Bring the key.”
Mara touched the old key in her pocket.
“Why?”
“Because your mother left something for you.”
“What?”
Victor's expression became unreadable.
“The truth about Dominic.”
Dominic froze.
Mara looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
Victor said nothing.
Then the hospital lights came back.
The hallway was empty.
Victor was gone.
Dominic ran after him.
No one.
Only a red elevator light blinking.
Michael hurried toward the stairs.
“He knows the old routes.”
Dominic turned.
“Where would he go?”
“The basement.”
They ran.
Mara followed.
At the bottom of the stairs, they found the elevator doors open.
Inside was a hospital wheelchair.
Empty.
On the seat was another note.
Dominic picked it up.
HE WILL BETRAY YOU BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
Mara stared.
“Who?”
Dominic looked at Michael.
Michael shook his head.
“Not me.”
Dominic folded the note.
“Then we find out.”
They returned to the room.
Mara's hospital bag was still there.
Her phone was missing.
Her identification was missing.
Even her wedding ring was gone.
She touched her bare finger.
“I had it here.”
Dominic frowned.
“Who had access?”
Michael looked at the door.
“Anyone who entered while you were unconscious.”
Mara looked at Dominic.
“Celeste.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because she didn't need your ring.”
Mara stared.
“What do you mean?”
Dominic reached into his pocket.
He pulled out his phone.
There was one new file.
An audio recording.
He played it.
Celeste's voice came through.
“You don't understand what Mara is.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
Another voice answered.
His security chief.
“I understand exactly.”
“You don't.”
“She is the heir.”
“She is a threat.”
“Not if we control her.”
Mara's eyes widened.
Dominic looked at Michael.
The recording continued.
Celeste whispered,
“Dominic will never cooperate.”
“He doesn't have to.”
“What does that mean?”
“He trusts Mara.”
“So?”
“So if Mara believes Dominic betrayed her…”
Celeste went silent.
Then the security chief said,
“She'll come willingly.”
The recording stopped.
Mara stared at Dominic.
He said nothing.
Another file appeared.
Dominic played it.
His own voice came through.
“Take Mara to the old house.”
Mara froze.
“That isn't me.”
The recording continued.
“Tell her Dominic sent you.”
Dominic's face hardened.
“It's fabricated.”
Mara stepped away.
“I know.”
He looked at her.
“You believe me?”
“I know your voice.”
Dominic looked at the phone.
“But they can fake it.”
Mara stared at the screen.
“They're trying to make me doubt you.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“So I'll go to them.”
Michael stepped closer.
“That's the trap.”
Mara looked at him.
“What happens if I go?”
“They'll separate you from Dominic.”
“And then?”
“They'll use the baby.”
Mara's face went pale.
Dominic stepped toward her.
“I won't let that happen.”
She looked at him.
“You promised you'd come back.”
“I did.”
“Then don't break that promise.”
“I won't.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Dominic's phone rang.
His security chief.
Dominic answered.
“Where are you?”
Silence.
“Answer me.”
The man's voice finally came through.
“Boss.”
“Where is my daughter?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I swear.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
“Who is with her?”
“I can't tell you.”
“You can.”
“No.”
“Then I'll find you.”
The line went silent.
Dominic stared at the phone.
Michael whispered,
“He's afraid.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Of what?”
“Not you.”
A pause.
“Of whoever is above him.”
Dominic's phone vibrated.
A live location appeared.
The old Vascari estate.
Dominic showed Mara.
“We're going.”
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
Dominic turned.
“You're coming.”
“I can't.”
“You know the estate.”
“I know what is waiting there.”
“Then you'll be useful.”
Michael looked at Mara.
“I won't let you go.”
Mara nodded.
“Neither will I.”
They left through the service entrance.
Rain had stopped.
The city was silent.
Dominic drove.
Mara sat beside him.
Michael sat in the back.
No one spoke for several minutes.
Then Mara asked,
“Dominic.”
“Yes?”
“If you had known who I was…”
He glanced at her.
“Would you have married me?”
“Yes.”
“Even knowing my family?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Dominic's eyes returned to the road.
“Because I married you.”
Mara looked out the window.
Tears gathered in her eyes.
“I wish you'd said that eight months ago.”
“I know.”
They reached the estate.
The gates stood open.
No guards.
No cameras.
No lights.
Dominic stopped the car.
“This is wrong.”
Michael looked toward the mansion.
“They're expecting us.”
Dominic stepped out.
Mara followed.
The front door opened by itself.
Inside was darkness.
Dominic reached for Mara's hand.
“Stay close.”
They entered.
The door closed behind them.
A light turned on.
A table stood in the center of the foyer.
On it was a small white box.
Mara recognized it immediately.
“My mother's.”
Michael stared.
“How did they get that?”
Mara walked toward it.
Dominic stopped her.
“Wait.”
She looked at him.
He examined the box.
No wires.
No trap.
Just a small brass lock.
Mara pulled out the key.
It fit.
She opened it.
Inside was a stack of letters.
A wedding photograph.
A hospital bracelet.
And one envelope.
On the front:
MARA — READ THIS BEFORE YOU TRUST YOUR HUSBAND AGAIN.
Mara looked at Dominic.
He shook his head.
“Don't.”
She opened it.
Inside was one page.
She read the first sentence.
Her face changed.
Dominic stepped closer.
“What does it say?”
Mara looked at him.
Tears filled her eyes.
“It says you knew.”
Dominic went still.
“Knew what?”
Mara read the next line.
Her hands began shaking.
“You knew I was pregnant before I left.”
Dominic stared at the letter.
“No.”
Mara looked at him.
“You knew.”
“I didn't.”
The room fell silent.
Michael took the letter.
He read it.
His expression changed.
“This isn't possible.”
Dominic grabbed the page.
At the bottom was a signature.
His signature.
Mara stepped backward.
Dominic stared at the ink.
The signature was identical to his.
Then another line appeared beneath it.
I TOLD DOMINIC ABOUT THE BABY EIGHT MONTHS AGO.
Mara's breath caught.
Dominic shook his head.
“I never received this.”
The lights suddenly came on throughout the mansion.
A voice came from the staircase.
“Of course you didn't.”
Dominic looked up.
Celeste stood there.
She was holding the baby.
Behind her stood Dominic's security chief.
And beside them was an elderly man wearing the silver watch.
Celeste smiled.
“You were never supposed to see the real letter.”
She held up another envelope.
Then looked directly at Mara.
“Because your husband didn't betray you.”
She paused.
“The man who signed that document wasn't Dominic at all.”
May you like
The elderly man stepped forward.
And Mara heard him say her name in a voice she had heard only once before—on the night her mother disappeared…
