Chapter 8 - THE FALL OF THE WHITMORE FAMILY
The next morning, the headlines were everywhere.
Not about the wedding.
Not about the missing ring.
About the Whitmore empire collapsing overnight.
“Luxury Company Faces Massive Fraud Investigation.”
“Millions Missing From Whitmore Accounts.”
“Family Accused of Financial Manipulation.”
I sat in my father’s office reading the news.
My hands rested over my stomach.
The baby kicked.
A reminder that life continued even when everything else fell apart.
My father entered quietly.
“You should rest.”
I looked up.
“I’m fine.”
He smiled sadly.
“You always say that.”
Because it was true.
I had spent years saying I was fine.
When I wasn’t.
When I was hurt.
When I felt alone.
When I needed someone to choose me.
“Dad.”
He sat across from me.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Dominic’s family?”
He sighed.
“Because I wanted to respect your marriage.”
I looked down.
“But you knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew they looked down on me?”
His expression hardened.
“I knew they were arrogant.”
He paused.
“But I didn’t know they would go this far.”
I nodded.
“Neither did I.”
Later that afternoon, Dominic came to my father’s house.
For the first time since our wedding night…
he looked broken.
Not angry.
Not defensive.
Broken.
“I know you don’t want to see me.”
I stayed silent.
He continued.
“But I need to apologize.”
I looked at him.
“For what?”
His eyes filled.
“For every time I asked you to ignore them.”
Silence.
“For every time I told you they didn’t mean it.”
He swallowed.
“For every time I chose comfort over protecting you.”
Those words mattered.
But they didn’t erase anything.
“I loved you, Dominic.”
His face tightened.
“I know.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You loved the version of me that never caused problems.”
He looked away.
Because maybe he knew I was right.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
A pause.
“No.”
Another pause.
“Where?”
He looked at me.
Then at my father.
“My mother was arrested.”
The room went silent.
“For what?”
Dominic listened.
Then whispered:
“Fraud.”
But that wasn’t the only problem.
Minutes later, my father’s assistant rushed inside.
“Mr. Carter.”
My father looked up.
“What happened?”
The assistant placed a folder down.
“We found something else.”
My father opened it.
His face changed.
I noticed immediately.
“What is it?”
He looked at me.
“Vivienne…”
I stood.
“What?”
He turned the folder around.
Inside was a photograph.
A photograph of Dominic.
Taken years before we met.
Standing beside someone I recognized.
My blood went cold.
Because the person beside him…
May you like
was my father’s former business partner.
The man who had betrayed my family.
