Chapter 2 - The Gala Where His Perfect Image Cracked
Dominic Hayes had built his entire life around appearances.
The right suit.
The right investors.
The right people standing beside him.
He knew exactly how to control a room.
But when he saw me standing at the ballroom entrance holding Sophia’s hand, control left his face.
The guests noticed.
They always noticed when powerful people stopped pretending.
Dominic slowly walked toward us.
“Vivienne…”
He said my name like he was trying to understand how I could possibly be there.
Sophia looked up at him.
“Daddy?”
That one word hit harder than anything I could have said.
Because Dominic didn’t look like a father seeing his daughter.
He looked like a man whose secret had just walked through the door.
His eyes moved from Sophia’s blue dress to the paper necklace in her hand.
“I made it for you,” she said softly.
Dominic opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Behind him stood Chloe.
Still wearing her elegant black dress.
Still pretending she wasn’t afraid.
Then a man beside Dominic stepped forward.
A child.
A boy around Sophia’s age.
And beside him was a woman I had never met.
The woman smiled.
“Dominic, who are they?”
There it was.
The moment everything became real.
Not rumors.
Not suspicion.
Not hidden messages.
A second family standing in front of me.
Sophia looked between us.
She didn’t understand.
She only understood that everyone had become quiet.
Dominic lowered his voice.
“This isn’t the place.”
I almost laughed.
Because that was exactly what men like Dominic always said.
Not the place.
Not the time.
Not now.
Always another moment.
Always another excuse.
I looked around the ballroom.
Hundreds of guests.
Business partners.
Friends.
People who admired him.
Perfect.
This was exactly the place.
“Actually,” I said calmly, “I think this is the only place.”
The room went silent.
Dominic stepped closer.
“You don’t know what you’re doing.”
I looked directly at him.
“Yes, I do.”
Then every screen inside the ballroom suddenly went black.
The music stopped.
And Victor’s voice came through the speakers.
“Good evening, everyone.”
Dominic’s face changed.
Because he recognized the voice.
May you like
And he knew Victor was not calling to congratulate him.
📖 Chapter 3 reveals the first evidence Victor prepared and the reason Dominic’s entire business empire is suddenly at risk. 👇
