Chapter 6 - His Name on the Paper
I looked at Dominic.
He didn’t look surprised.
That hurt before he even spoke.
“A holding company I invested in owns a minority interest in the building,” he said.
“The building?”
“And several businesses operating inside it.”
“Including Aether.”
“Yes.”
I stood.
“You knew I worked there.”
“I knew where you worked. I didn’t know the fund still held that interest until Rachel checked this morning.”
“This morning?”
“I was going to tell you.”
Graham watched us with the faint relief of a man who had found a crack.
“Families like ours don’t need public warfare,” he said.
I turned toward him.
“Families like yours?”
“We can resolve this.”
“Your son held me down.”
“He didn’t personally hold the clippers.”
“Get out.”
“Elena—”
“Take your check and get out of my house.”
Dominic opened the door.
Graham paused beside him.
“You understand what discovery could do.”
Dominic’s voice stayed level.
“Better than you understand what that sentence just did.”
After Graham left, I went upstairs.
Dominic followed but stopped outside the bedroom.
“I should have told you as soon as I knew.”
“Yes.”
“I thought you had enough to carry.”
“You don’t get to protect me by deciding what I’m allowed to know.”
He nodded once.
I hated that he didn’t argue.
Arguing would have been easier.
Downstairs, Rachel requested the fund’s records. Dominic authorized full cooperation, including documents that might embarrass him.
It didn’t fix the silence between us.
But it was a start.
That afternoon, I finally called a stylist.
Her name was Jo.
She came to the house with a small bag and asked me what I wanted.
“Make it even.”
She looked at the long hair on the untouched side.
“Are you sure?”
“No,” I said. “But I want the next cut to be my decision.”
Dominic waited in the hall.
I told Jo he could come in.
When the last dark strands fell, he didn’t tell me I looked beautiful.
He asked, “Can I touch you?”
I nodded.
His hand rested against the back of my neck.
My phone rang on the vanity.
An unfamiliar woman spoke before I could say hello.
“My name is Nora Ellis. Preston did something to me, too.”
May you like
Then her voice dropped.
“And Dennis helped him bury it.”
