Chapter 2 - THE LEDGER WITH DOMINIC’S NAME

Dr. Keller arrived twelve minutes later.

He had treated Dominic’s family for twenty years.

He asked no questions when security locked the medical room behind him.

He simply examined Mia.

Dehydration.

Bruising.

Severe exhaustion.

Cuts around her wrists.

But no life-threatening injuries.

“She needs a hospital.”

“No hospital yet,” Mia said immediately.

Dr. Keller frowned.

Dominic did too.

“Mia.”

She shook her head.

“If Claire and Nathan did this, I don’t know who else is involved.”

Dr. Keller looked at Dominic.

Dominic understood.

A hospital created records.

Records created questions.

Questions created opportunities for whoever was watching.

“Treat her here tonight.”

Dominic turned toward Daniel.

“Double security.”

Daniel nodded.

“Nobody comes near this wing without my approval.”

“Not even Claire.”

Daniel hesitated.

“Where is she?”

That question bothered Dominic.

Claire had left the estate that afternoon.

According to the household schedule, she was attending a bridal fitting in Manhattan.

Dominic checked his phone.

Seven missed calls from her.

Three messages.

Welcome home, darling.

Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back early?

Call me when you can.

Normal.

Warm.

Perfect.

Dominic stared at them.

Then deleted nothing.

Evidence mattered now.

Emotion could wait.

He walked into his study and locked the door.

The black ledger sat on his desk.

Daniel stood across from him.

For fifteen minutes they examined every page.

Daniel’s expression became darker with each one.

“These aren’t just stolen funds.”

“I know.”

“They moved money through seven of your holding companies.”

“I know.”

Daniel pointed toward another entry.

“This shipment never existed.”

“It did.”

Daniel looked up.

Dominic’s voice hardened.

“It just wasn’t mine.”

The realization settled between them.

Someone had used Vale-controlled routes to move illegal goods.

Someone had collected money under Dominic’s name.

Someone had signed orders with his authorization codes.

If authorities discovered the records without context, Dominic would appear responsible for all of it.

Nathan had not merely been stealing.

He had been building a second empire inside Dominic’s.

An empire designed to collapse on top of him.

Daniel turned another page.

Then stopped.

“What is V-17?”

Dominic looked.

The code appeared repeatedly.

V-17.

Always beside large transfers.

Always followed by dates.

The final entry was six weeks away.

Dominic’s wedding day.

Daniel stared at it.

“That can’t be coincidence.”

“It isn’t.”

A knock came at the door.

Three slow taps.

Daniel reached toward his jacket.

Dominic watched the door.

“Who?”

Elena’s voice answered.

“It’s me.”

Dominic unlocked it.

Elena stepped inside.

Harper stood behind her holding a glass of water.

“She refused to sleep.”

Harper looked at Dominic.

“I promised Mommy.”

Dominic’s expression softened slightly.

“She’s awake.”

Harper hurried past him.

Then stopped beside the desk.

Her eyes landed on the photograph.

Dominic moved to cover it.

Too late.

Harper pointed at Claire.

“Miss Claire wore that dress when Mommy cried.”

Dominic froze.

“When?”

Harper looked confused.

“At the party.”

“What party?”

“The one when everybody was outside.”

Dominic remembered.

Three months earlier.

A summer charity gala on the estate lawn.

More than three hundred guests.

Claire had disappeared for nearly forty minutes.

She claimed she had a migraine.

Nathan had also vanished.

Dominic had thought nothing of it.

“Why was your mother crying?”

Harper shrugged.

“She saw them.”

Daniel looked toward Dominic.

Dominic crouched beside Harper.

“Saw what?”

Harper pointed to the photograph.

“Kissing.”

The answer came without hesitation.

Dominic felt something inside him go completely still.

“Did your mother tell you that?”

Harper nodded.

“She told me not to say anything because Miss Claire was going to marry you.”

Dominic stood slowly.

Mia had known.

At least part of it.

Months ago.

And she had stayed silent.

That hurt less than it should have.

Because Dominic immediately understood why.

A maid accusing Dominic Vale’s fiancée and his closest friend would sound suicidal.

Harper took the water upstairs.

Daniel waited until she disappeared.

Then he spoke.

“Mia saw the affair.”

“Yes.”

“Nathan knew she saw it.”

“Probably.”

“And he let her keep working here for three months?”

Dominic looked at the ledger.

“No.”

He closed it.

“He waited because the affair wasn’t the secret they were afraid of.”

Daniel’s eyes moved to the flash drive.

Dominic picked it up.

“That was.”

They inserted it into an isolated laptop.

One folder appeared.

VALE SUCCESSION.

Daniel looked at Dominic.

Dominic clicked.

The first document opened.

A legal trust.

The second was an emergency transfer of controlling assets.

The third was a confidential medical declaration.

Dominic read the first paragraph.

Then stopped.

It claimed he suffered from severe neurological deterioration.

Confusion.

Memory loss.

Violent instability.

None of it was true.

Daniel swore under his breath.

Dominic opened the final document.

His blood turned cold.

It was dated three days after his wedding.

And it transferred temporary control of the Vale holdings to his future wife.

Claire Bennett.

Daniel stared at him.

“They weren’t planning to kill you.”

Dominic looked at the screen.

“No.”

His voice was almost a whisper.

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