Chapter 4 - Why Bradley Was Afraid of Dominic Russo
I asked Dominic three times.
“What happened the night my father died?”
Three times, he avoided answering.
That frightened me more than if he had lied.
Finally, we returned to my hospital room.
Dominic closed the door.
“Daniel called me.”
“The night he died?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he had proof.”
“Of what?”
“The financial scheme.”
“Who was involved?”
“We never found out.”
“You’re lying.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“I’m not.”
“You’re leaving something out.”
“Yes.”
At least he admitted it.
“What?”
“He wanted me to meet him.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I was angry.”
The words seemed to cost him.
“We had spent months fighting. He accused me of caring more about the company than about him.”
“Was he right?”
Dominic looked at the floor.
“At the time, yes.”
I said nothing.
“He asked me to come to a motel outside Providence. He said he would give me everything he had.”
“And?”
“I told him if the evidence was real, he could bring it to Boston himself.”
My chest tightened.
“He died that night?”
“Yes.”
The room went quiet.
“You could have met him.”
“Yes.”
“And maybe he’d still be alive.”
Dominic didn’t defend himself.
“That possibility has lived with me for sixteen years.”
I hated him for a moment.
Not because I knew he caused my father’s death.
Because I understood why my mother had blamed him.
One decision.
One call refused.
Sometimes a family could break forever around a single moment.
“Why is Bradley telling me this?”
“To make you distrust me.”
“Shouldn’t I?”
“Yes.”
That answer surprised me.
Dominic continued.
“You should question everything I tell you. You should question Evelyn. You should hire your own attorney. You should verify every document.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because Bradley made you dependent on trusting one person. I will not replace him in that role.”
For the first time, I saw why people followed Dominic.
Not because he demanded trust.
Because he appeared willing to survive without it.
A knock interrupted us.
Evelyn entered.
“Bradley’s attorney filed an emergency petition.”
“For what?”
“To restrict access to certain marital assets.”
I laughed bitterly.
“What marital assets? He took everything.”
“That’s why the filing is interesting.”
She placed documents on the bed.
“Bradley claims several accounts containing approximately $2.7 million are jointly controlled.”
I stared.
“I’ve never had $2.7 million.”
“You may have.”
Dominic’s expression darkened.
Evelyn pointed to a set of account numbers.
“These appear linked to distributions made from your father’s trust.”
My heart began pounding.
“So Bradley stole from it.”
“We’re not saying that yet.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“We’re saying money appears to have moved from trust-linked entities into accounts that eventually benefited Bradley.”
“How much?”
Evelyn paused.
“Over six years? At least $6.4 million.”
I felt sick.
Six million dollars.
While Bradley told me we couldn’t afford a new washing machine.
While I used coupons at the grocery store.
While he scolded me for buying a sixty-dollar maternity coat.
“Where did it go?”
“Properties. Investment accounts. A consulting company.”
“And Britney?”
Evelyn slid another document forward.
A condominium in Miami Beach.
Owner:
B Carter Holdings LLC.
Beneficial occupant:
Britney Hale.
Purchased eighteen months earlier.
I stared at it.
“He bought her a condo.”
“With money investigators believe may trace back to assets connected to you.”
My hands went numb.
It wasn’t jealousy anymore.
It wasn’t heartbreak.
It was theft.
Systematic.
Patient.
Deliberate.
“Where is Bradley?”
“Downstairs,” Dominic said.
“Still?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He wants to see you.”
I looked at Evelyn.
“Can I?”
Dominic immediately objected.
“No.”
I turned on him.
“You just told me not to replace Bradley with another man deciding things for me.”
He stopped.
“You’re right.”
“Then I want to see him.”
Evelyn spoke carefully.
“I recommend a witness be present.”
“Fine.”
Bradley entered twenty minutes later.
He looked terrible.
Not guilty.
Terrified.
He stood by the door.
“Rachel.”
I didn’t recognize him anymore.
Same face.
Same voice.
Different person.
“Were you going to marry Britney?”
He looked toward Dominic.
“Can he leave?”
“No.”
“Rachel—”
“Yes or no.”
Bradley exhaled.
“The Cabo ceremony wasn’t legally binding.”
I laughed.
“So that’s your defense?”
“It was symbolic.”
“While I was your legal wife.”
“Our marriage was over.”
“Did you think I knew that?”
Silence.
“Did you drain our accounts?”
“I moved funds temporarily.”
“Did you cancel my insurance?”
His face changed.
“That was an administrative issue.”
“Did you remove my name from the house?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Did you know who my father was before you met me?”
That finally hit him.
He looked at Dominic again.
“Rachel.”
“Yes or no.”
“Dominic is manipulating you.”
“Answer.”
Bradley’s shoulders dropped.
“Yes.”
The word destroyed whatever tiny part of me had still hoped.
“How long?”
“Before we met.”
“Why did you approach me?”
“At first?”
My stomach twisted.
“At first?”
“I knew about the trust.”
Dominic moved slightly.
I raised a hand.
“No. Let him talk.”
Bradley’s eyes filled.
“Rachel, I swear what happened later was real.”
“What happened later?”
“I loved you.”
“Loved me enough to steal six million dollars?”
His face went white.
“So Dominic told you.”
“Loved me enough to leave me bleeding while you flew to Mexico?”
“I didn’t know you were bleeding.”
“You knew I was pregnant with twins.”
“I thought you were stable.”
“You canceled my insurance.”
“I didn’t know the termination would process immediately.”
I stared at him.
Bradley took a step closer.
Dominic moved automatically.
I stopped them both.
Bradley’s voice lowered.
“I made mistakes.”
“Mistakes?”
“I got trapped.”
“By whom?”
He looked toward Dominic.
Then Evelyn.
Then me.
And for the first time, his fear appeared to be about something other than money.
“Britney isn’t who you think she is.”
I almost laughed.
“She’s the woman you planned to marry.”
“No.”
“What?”
Bradley glanced at the door.
“She was never supposed to become part of my life.”
“What does that mean?”
He swallowed.
“Britney was assigned to me.”
Dominic’s expression sharpened.
“Assigned by whom?”
Bradley shook his head.
“I can’t.”
Dominic took one step forward.
“By whom?”
“I said I can’t.”
Then Bradley looked at me.
“If I tell you, it won’t just destroy me.”
His eyes moved toward the hallway leading to the NICU.
“It could put Rachel and the babies in danger.”
My entire body went cold.
And suddenly, the story was no longer about an affair.
Or even stolen money.
Someone had placed Britney in Bradley’s life.
Someone had known about my father’s trust.
May you like
Someone had been waiting years for Bradley to gain access to it.
And according to Bradley, that person was still watching.
