Chapter 17 — The Truth About Dominic
Chapter 17 — The Truth About Dominic
The ballroom went completely still.
The security officer’s words echoed in my mind.
“The document was created using Dominic’s personal account.”
I looked at my husband.
No.
Not my husband.
The man who had once been my husband.
Because after everything I had learned tonight...
I no longer knew what that word meant.
Dominic looked as shocked as everyone else.
“That’s impossible.”
The officer remained calm.
“The system records the account that created and modified the document.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“I didn’t write that.”
My father looked at him.
“Then explain how it came from your account.”
Dominic opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
For the first time, I saw him truly afraid.
Not afraid of losing money.
Not afraid of his family.
Afraid of losing the last bit of trust I had left.
“Vivienne,” he whispered.
I looked at him.
“Did you know about this?”
“No.”
The answer came quickly.
But after everything...
Quick answers weren’t enough anymore.
“I need more than that.”
His face fell.
“I understand.”
My father nodded toward the officer.
“Find out when the account was accessed.”
The officer immediately checked the records.
A few seconds later, he looked up.
“The document was created eleven months ago.”
The room became silent.
Eleven months.
I tried to remember.
Eleven months ago...
Dominic and I were still happy.
Or at least...
I thought we were.
We had talked about buying a house.
We had talked about starting a family.
We had talked about growing old together.
And all that time...
Someone was creating a plan behind my back.
The officer continued.
“There were several edits afterward.”
“By who?” my father asked.
The officer looked at the screen.
“The first edits were made from Dominic’s account.”
My heart sank.
Then he continued.
“But the later edits were made from another device.”
My father looked up.
“Whose device?”
The officer hesitated.
“Eleanor Bennett’s.”
Everyone turned.
Eleanor’s expression changed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
My father noticed.
“So the document started with Dominic.”
He paused.
“But it was completed by Eleanor.”
The truth was more complicated than I wanted.
Dominic wasn’t innocent.
But maybe he wasn’t the monster I thought he was.
And somehow...
That made it harder.
Because anger was easier than confusion.
Dominic lowered his head.
“I wrote the first version.”
The confession shocked everyone.
I stared at him.
“Why?”
His eyes filled with regret.
“Because I was scared.”
I closed my eyes.
That word again.
Fear.
The excuse that had followed him everywhere.
“I was afraid your family would never accept me.”
I looked at him.
“So you created a plan to leave me?”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“I created a plan because I thought I would eventually lose you.”
I frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
He looked ashamed.
“When I found out who you really were, I felt like I was living in someone else’s world.”
I stayed silent.
“I thought one day you would realize you married someone beneath you.”
My expression hardened.
“You thought I looked down on you?”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I thought everyone else would.”
I understood then.
Not completely.
But enough.
Dominic had spent his entire life trying to prove he belonged.
And instead of trusting me...
He allowed his insecurity to destroy everything.
“But then my mother found the document.”
He looked at Eleanor.
“She changed it.”
Eleanor said nothing.
“She added the parts about damaging Vivienne’s reputation.”
My father’s eyes narrowed.
“Why didn’t you stop her?”
Dominic looked at me.
“Because I was weak.”
The honesty surprised me.
“I kept telling myself I would fix it later.”
He looked down.
“But later never came.”
The ballroom remained silent.
Because everyone understood.
Sometimes people didn’t destroy your life because they hated you.
Sometimes they destroyed it because they were too afraid to do the right thing.
And the result was still the same.
Pain.
I slowly walked away from Dominic.
Not because I hated him.
Because I needed space to breathe.
Then Chloe suddenly spoke.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at her.
She looked at Dominic.
“You never told her the real reason.”
Dominic’s face changed.
My stomach tightened.
“What reason?”
Chloe looked at me.
“The reason Dominic was afraid of losing you.”
My father immediately stepped forward.
“Chloe.”
But she continued.
“No.”
Her voice was tired.
“I’m done protecting everyone.”
She looked at Dominic.
“Tell her.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
“Chloe, stop.”
“No.”
She looked at me.
“Your husband didn’t just find out about your inheritance.”
A pause.
“He found out something else.”
I felt a chill.
“What?”
Chloe took a breath.
“Something about your mother.”
The entire room went silent.
My mother.
A subject Dominic almost never discussed.
My father’s expression changed.
Because even he looked surprised.
Chloe continued.
“Your father told everyone that your mother’s death was an accident.”
I looked at my father.
He became completely still.
“But Dominic found documents that suggested otherwise.”
My heart stopped.
“What are you saying?”
Chloe looked at Dominic.
“He knew there was a secret.”
A secret.
A word that had followed me all night.
My father’s voice became serious.
“Dominic.”
“Where did you find those documents?”
Dominic looked at me.
And for the first time...
I saw real fear in his eyes.
“I found them in your family’s old estate.”
My breathing became shallow.
Because suddenly...
This wasn’t just about betrayal.
This wasn’t just about money.
This was about my mother.
And a truth my family had hidden for years.
My father slowly said:
“Everyone leaves this ballroom now.”
Nobody moved.
Because they knew.
The wedding scandal was over.
May you like
Something much bigger had just begun.
To be continued...
