Chapter 16 - Claire’s First Plan
Claire had originally planned to discredit Mia rather than imprison her.
Draft emails accused Mia of stealing jewelry and seducing Dominic.
A private physician was prepared to describe her as emotionally unstable after Lucas’s death.
Nathan intended to plant drugs inside her room and have estate security remove her.
Then Mia found the North Star documents.
The timeline became too short.
Claire proposed sending Mia and Harper away under the excuse of a paid vacation.
Nathan rejected it.
“She’ll contact Dominic.”
Claire replied:
Then separate them. The child is the only person he might believe.
Another document showed that Claire had applied to a private boarding school using Harper’s information.
She planned to send the child out of state after Mia “disappeared.”
Mia sat beside her attorney, unable to speak.
Harper was five.
Claire had prepared to tell her that her mother abandoned her, then send her to strangers.
Dominic received the same file from prosecutors.
He walked outside the courthouse and became physically sick.
Claire had once discussed having children with him.
She had chosen names.
Designed rooms.
All while planning to erase another woman’s child.
Claire’s request for immunity was denied.
She changed her plea only after prosecutors added attempted custodial interference and child endangerment.
Nathan continued claiming innocence in Lucas’s death.
Then the mechanic he hired was found alive under another name in Arizona.
For years, Nathan paid him through one of the offshore accounts.
The man agreed to testify in exchange for protection.
He described damaging Lucas’s steering system.
He also confirmed Nathan ordered him to alter one of Dominic’s vehicles for the engagement night.
Nathan had prepared two possible methods.
The contaminated wine.
Or a staged crash if Dominic refused to drink.
Claire knew both options.
The scale of the betrayal became undeniable.
Dominic testified before a grand jury.
He admitted which Vale businesses had operated illegally under his leadership.
He surrendered assets tied to criminal activity.
His attorney warned that he might face charges himself.
Dominic accepted the risk.
Mia asked him why.
“Because asking everyone else to tell the truth while hiding mine would make me Nathan with better manners.”
For the first time, she believed his change might survive beyond guilt.
The trial date was set.
Mia would testify about the kidnapping.
Dominic would testify about the financial conspiracy.
Harper would not enter the courtroom.
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Her recorded child interview was enough.
👉 Nathan and Claire had counted on fear, family loyalty and silence—but the trial placed every hidden decision before people they could no longer control.
