Chapter 4 - The Trap at the Lake House
Dominic’s first instinct was to go.
Clara stopped him.
“No.”
He stood beside her hospital bed.
“Maria is there because she helped you.”
“And Anthony wants you angry.”
“He has her.”
“He wants the evidence more.”
Dominic paced.
Clara watched him.
“Dominic.”
He stopped.
“You cannot control this by becoming more dangerous than everyone else.”
He looked at her.
“That’s how I’ve survived.”
“And how much has it cost you?”
The question silenced him.
Clara touched her stomach.
Dominic’s gaze followed.
Everything was different now.
For years, he had treated survival as victory.
Now he wanted something beyond survival.
He wanted Clara to come home.
He wanted his child to be born into something better than the world Dominic had inherited.
Mateo entered.
“We can approach from the north road.”
Dominic nodded.
“Get Maria out first.”
“And Anthony?”
“Alive.”
Mateo looked surprised.
Dominic glanced toward Clara.
“I want answers.”
Hours later, the lake house appeared through the trees.
Dominic knew every room.
Every window.
Every hidden entrance.
Anthony knew them too.
That made the situation dangerous.
Dominic entered through the rear.
The living room was dark.
“Anthony.”
A lamp switched on.
His younger brother sat near the fireplace.
Maria was beside him.
Alive.
Terrified.
Anthony smiled.
“You came.”
“Let her go.”
“Evidence first.”
Dominic held up the flash drive.
Anthony’s eyes followed it.
“You always did get everything,” Anthony said.
“This isn’t about Clara.”
“It was never about Clara.”
“Then why hit her car?”
Anthony’s expression changed.
“I didn’t order that.”
Dominic studied him.
“Don’t lie.”
“I ordered Victor to follow her. I wanted the documents.”
“Then who ordered the SUV?”
Anthony laughed once.
“You still don’t understand.”
A sound came from upstairs.
Footsteps.
Serena appeared.
Dominic stared at her.
Her face was tear-streaked.
“Dom.”
Anthony turned.
“I told you to stay upstairs.”
Serena ignored him.
“He’s lying.”
Anthony stood.
“Shut up.”
Serena looked at Dominic.
“The crash wasn’t Anthony’s order.”
“Whose?”
Serena hesitated.
“Lorenzo Moretti’s cousin. Carlo.”
Dominic frowned.
Carlo Moretti had spent years arguing that peace between the families weakened them.
Anthony had apparently found the perfect partner.
Anthony stared at Serena with hatred.
“You stupid girl.”
“No,” Serena said. “I’m done.”
The next seconds moved quickly.
Mateo entered from the side.
Maria dropped to the floor.
Dominic pulled her behind cover.
Anthony attempted to flee through the rear hallway, but two of Dominic’s men blocked him.
No shots were fired.
Dominic had ordered restraint.
Anthony was forced to his knees.
For a moment, the brothers stared at each other.
“You betrayed your own blood,” Dominic said.
Anthony laughed bitterly.
“Blood?”
He looked up.
“You mean the family that decided you were king before I was old enough to vote?”
“You could have left.”
“And become what?”
“Anything.”
Anthony shook his head.
“You don’t understand what it’s like standing beside you.”
Dominic’s voice remained quiet.
“No. But I understand what it’s like realizing power turned me into a man I don’t like.”
Anthony’s smile disappeared.
That answer had not been expected.
Dominic turned away.
“Take him.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere secure.”
Anthony shouted after him.
“You think Clara will forgive you?”
Dominic stopped.
Anthony smiled again.
“She knew about Serena for months.”
Dominic said nothing.
“She was planning to leave you.”
That landed.
Dominic slowly turned.
Anthony continued.
“She met a divorce attorney.”
“Shut up,” Mateo said.
But Dominic raised a hand.
“Let him speak.”
“She was leaving,” Anthony said. “Baby or no baby.”
Dominic felt the room narrow.
“Is that true?”
Anthony smiled.
“Ask your wife.”
Back at the hospital, Dominic did.
Clara did not deny it.
“Yes.”
One word.
Dominic sat beside her.
“When?”
“Six weeks ago.”
“Before you knew you were pregnant?”
“Just before.”
“Why?”
Clara stared at him.
“Do you really need me to answer?”
No.
He did not.
“I loved you,” she said. “That was the problem.”
Dominic looked down.
“I could have survived an arranged marriage with a man who felt nothing for me.”
Her eyes filled.
“But somewhere along the way, I fell in love with my husband.”
Dominic could barely breathe.
“And then I had to watch you fall in love with somebody else.”
“I didn’t love Serena.”
“You gave her the part of you I wanted.”
Her voice broke.
“Your time.”
That hurt more than an accusation of infidelity.
Because it was true.
Dominic had given Clara houses, jewelry, security, status.
He had given Serena his time.
And time had been the thing Clara wanted.
“I can’t undo it,” Dominic said.
“No.”
“But I can stop lying about what I did.”
Clara looked at him.
“I betrayed you.”
He continued.
“I ignored you. I humiliated you. And none of Anthony’s manipulation excuses it.”
Clara’s expression softened slightly.
“I don’t expect forgiveness because I’m sorry.”
Dominic took a breath.
“I’ll earn whatever relationship you’re willing to give me. Even if that relationship is only being the father of our child.”
Clara cried silently.
Dominic did not touch her until she reached for his hand first.
Then Mateo entered.
His expression destroyed the moment.
“What happened?” Dominic asked.
“Anthony was telling the truth about one thing.”
“Carlo?”
Mateo nodded.
“We found financial transfers between Anthony and Carlo Moretti.”
“Then we take it to Lorenzo.”
“There’s a problem.”
“What?”
Mateo placed his phone on the table.
A news alert filled the screen.
EXPLOSION AT MORETTI-OWNED WAREHOUSE — THREE INJURED
Dominic read further.
Police sources believed the attack could be connected to the Valente organization.
“That wasn’t us.”
“I know.”
Clara looked at both men.
“Carlo.”
Mateo nodded.
“He’s starting the war anyway.”
Dominic’s phone rang.
Lorenzo Moretti.
Dominic answered.
“Lorenzo.”
The voice on the other end was furious.
“You have ten minutes to explain why one of your vehicles was seen leaving my warehouse.”
Dominic looked at Clara.
She shook her head.
Dominic understood.
Another setup.
“Because someone wants us to kill each other.”
Lorenzo paused.
“Who?”
“Your cousin.”
Silence.
Then Lorenzo said something Dominic did not expect.
“Carlo disappeared an hour ago.”
Dominic’s expression changed.
“And he took something with him.”
“What?”
Lorenzo’s voice lowered.
“Every file Clara gave me.”
Dominic looked toward his wife.
Carlo now possessed evidence capable of destroying Anthony’s entire operation.
Evidence that also contained information about Clara.
Her doctors.
Her routes.
Her pregnancy.
And then Lorenzo delivered the worst part.
May you like
“Dominic, Carlo knows exactly where Clara is.”
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