Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT SHE STILL HAD A FIANCÉ
Dominic ate dinner with Vivien that night.
That was the hardest part.
He wanted her gone.
Instead, he poured wine.
Asked about flowers.
Listened while she complained about seating charts.
Vivien smiled across the table.
“You're quiet.”
“Long day.”
“Newport?”
“Yes.”
She touched his wrist.
“Tomorrow we talk to your mother.”
Dominic looked at her hand.
The engagement ring caught the chandelier.
“About?”
“Our blessing.”
He almost laughed.
“Our blessing.”
“Dominic.”
Her voice softened.
“Your mother matters to me.”
No.
She mattered because she controlled twenty-two percent.
Dominic smiled.
“I know.”
Later, Marin entered Isabella's room.
Vivien arrived ten minutes after.
Exactly as Dominic expected.
Dominic listened from a monitoring station with his attorney and two detectives who had already received the threat recording.
No private surveillance improvisation.
No illegal microphone.
Isabella's room already had consented medical audio monitoring for emergency use.
Tonight Isabella herself had agreed to activate it.
Vivien sat.
“Tomorrow is important.”
Isabella stared.
Vivien placed the amendment on the table.
“You don't need to understand all of this.”
Isabella's right hand tightened.
Marin said:
“She understands.”
Vivien looked at her.
“That wasn't a question.”
Then she took out a pen.
“Dominic needs stability.”
Isabella tapped once.
No.
Vivien's smile vanished.
“You're making everything difficult.”
One tap.
No.
“If you loved your son, you'd stop forcing him to choose between you and his future.”
Isabella suddenly pointed toward the door.
Leave.
Vivien leaned closer.
“You know what happens if doctors decide you can no longer communicate reliably?”
Marin froze.
Dominic did too.
Vivien continued:
“The trust appoints an incapacity guardian.”
Isabella stared.
“And who do you think everyone will believe?”
She smiled.
“A woman who can't speak?”
Then:
“Or the daughter-in-law sitting beside her grieving son?”
Dominic stopped breathing.
There it was.
Not just fraud.
A plan to manufacture incapacity.
Vivien stood.
Then turned toward Marin.
“Tomorrow.”
Marin said nothing.
Vivien stopped at the door.
“How is Eli's asthma in cold weather?”
Marin's face drained.
Vivien smiled.
“Thought so.”
She left.
Dominic waited until the hallway was clear.
Then entered.
Marin immediately covered her face.
Isabella did not.
His mother looked furious.
Dominic knelt beside her.
“I should have known.”
Isabella reached out.
Touched his cheek.
Then tapped once against his shoulder.
No.
Don't make it about guilt.
He understood.
Dominic looked at Marin.
“Tomorrow goes forward.”
Her eyes widened.
“The dinner?”
“Yes.”
“You're still going to announce—”
“No.”
He looked toward the papers.
“Tomorrow Vivien gets exactly what she expects.”
May you like
Then:
“Until she doesn't.”
Related Stories
