Chapter 4 - WHAT DOMINIC KNEW
Dominic followed me when I moved toward a chair.
My back had begun to ache, and the adrenaline that had carried me through the first hour was fading.
Daniel immediately pulled out a seat.
My father crouched beside me.
“Do you need a doctor?”
“I need five minutes.”
“You’re eight months pregnant.”
“I’m aware.”
My father almost smiled.
Almost.
Then Dominic approached.
“Vivienne.”
Daniel stepped between us.
I shook my head.
“It’s okay.”
Dominic looked terrible.
His tie was loose.
His face had lost its color.
For the first time that night, the confident Carter family son looked uncertain of where he belonged.
“I swear I didn’t know Chloe planted the ring.”
I believed him.
Unfortunately, that was no longer enough.
“Did you know she planned to accuse me?”
His silence answered first.
My father stood.
Dominic glanced at him.
Then at me.
“Not exactly.”
“What does that mean?”
“Chloe said she was going to teach you a lesson.”
My stomach dropped.
“What lesson?”
“She said you had been acting superior lately.”
I stared at him.
“I barely spoke to her tonight.”
“I know.”
“Then what was the lesson?”
Dominic rubbed both hands over his face.
“She wanted to embarrass you.”
I heard someone nearby whisper,
“Jesus.”
Dominic continued quickly.
“She said she was going to make some joke about your purse or your dress.”
“And you were fine with that?”
“No.”
“You didn’t stop her.”
“I didn’t think she was serious.”
There it was again.
The excuse that had built our marriage.
I didn’t think they meant it.
I didn’t think it would go that far.
I didn’t think you were actually hurt.
Dominic’s entire loyalty system depended on waiting until damage became undeniable.
Then apologizing for failing to predict it.
“I asked you to say something.”
“I know.”
“When your mother tore my dress, I looked directly at you.”
His eyes filled.
“I froze.”
“You chose.”
“That isn’t fair.”
“It is exactly fair.”
My father said nothing.
He did not need to defend me anymore.
I finally had my own voice.
Dominic lowered his voice.
“My mother was hysterical.”
“So was your pregnant wife.”
“I was trying to stop the situation from becoming worse.”
I stared at my torn gown.
“You succeeded beautifully.”
He flinched.
Behind us, Chloe had begun arguing with Daniel about calling her attorney.
Amanda sat near the wall with a security officer beside her.
Eleanor whispered urgently to Harold.
The wedding guests remained seated, unwilling to miss whatever happened next.
Then the groom finally appeared.
Chloe’s new husband, Nathan Pierce, had spent most of the confrontation near the bar talking with his father.
He walked toward Chloe slowly.
She looked relieved.
“Nathan.”
He stopped several feet away.
“Did you plan this?”
Chloe’s relief vanished.
“Not now.”
“Did you?”
Amanda laughed from across the room.
“She planned all of it.”
Chloe turned.
“You shut your mouth!”
Nathan’s father stepped forward.
“Chloe.”
She froze.
His voice was quiet.
“My insurance attorney received a call twenty minutes ago.”
Eleanor stiffened.
I noticed immediately.
Nathan continued.
“They asked why a claim had already been initiated on the ring.”
The ballroom became silent.
Chloe stared at him.
“What?”
Nathan took out his phone.
“The insurance company received notice yesterday that the ring might have been stolen during the reception.”
Even Amanda looked shocked.
Nathan’s eyes filled with disgust.
“The reception had not happened yet.”
My father slowly turned toward Chloe.
The planted accusation was no longer just cruelty.
May you like
It was starting to look like fraud.
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