Chapter 10 - THE QUESTION I WAS AFRAID TO ASK
The photograph stayed on my phone screen.
Dominic standing outside a dark office building.
Meeting Richard Hale.
The man who had destroyed my father’s company years ago.
The man who disappeared after betraying everyone who trusted him.
I stared at the picture until my eyes burned.
My first instinct was anger.
My second was fear.
But the worst feeling…
was uncertainty.
Because after everything I had discovered, one question kept repeating in my mind.
How much did Dominic know?
When Dominic came to my father’s house the next morning, I was waiting.
He noticed immediately.
Something was wrong.
“Vivienne?”
I placed my phone on the table.
The photograph was open.
His face changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Recognition.
Fear.
Then he quickly looked away.
And that hurt more than anything.
“Explain.”
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
Dominic sat down slowly.
“I can explain.”
“Good.”
I crossed my arms.
“Because I’m tired of finding out pieces of my own life from strangers.”
He closed his eyes.
“I met him.”
My chest tightened.
“Richard?”
He nodded.
“When?”
“A few days ago.”
The room felt smaller.
“Why?”
He looked at the floor.
“Because he contacted me.”
I laughed once.
A bitter sound.
“And you didn’t think that was something your wife should know?”
“I didn’t know who he really was.”
“Dominic.”
I leaned forward.
“Your family was involved with him.”
“I know that now.”
“But you met him alone.”
He had no answer.
My father entered the room before Dominic could respond.
“I want to hear everything.”
Dominic looked nervous.
But he nodded.
“Richard approached me after he learned I married Vivienne.”
My father’s expression darkened.
“What did he want?”
Dominic hesitated.
“He said he wanted to fix old mistakes.”
I almost laughed.
“Fix?”
The word sounded ridiculous.
“People like him don’t fix mistakes. They hide them.”
Dominic looked at me.
“I thought he wanted information.”
My eyes narrowed.
“Information about what?”
Silence.
Then he said:
“About Carter Global.”
My father went completely still.
For years, Richard Hale had been the only person my father trusted enough to see every part of his business.
He knew accounts.
Investments.
Security systems.
Private agreements.
He knew where every weakness was.
And now he had contacted Dominic.
My husband.
The man connected to me.
The man he could use.
“Did you tell him anything?”
My voice was barely above a whisper.
Dominic looked at me.
“No.”
I searched his face.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
He stepped closer.
“I swear.”
For a moment, I wanted to believe him.
Because despite everything…
there was still a part of me that remembered the man I fell in love with.
The man who held my hand when my mother died.
The man who stayed awake with me through difficult nights.
The man who made me believe I wasn’t alone.
But love cannot survive without trust.
And trust had been damaged too many times.
My father’s assistant suddenly rushed inside.
“Mr. Carter.”
Everyone turned.
“What happened?”
The assistant looked serious.
“Richard Hale wasn’t just hiding.”
My father stood.
“Explain.”
“We found where he has been living.”
A pause.
“And he’s not alone.”
My stomach tightened.
“Who is with him?”
The assistant looked at Dominic.
May you like
Then at me.
“Someone from the Whitmore family.”
