Chapter 16 - What Dominic Gave Up at Midnight
Dominic did not call for two days.
Cassidy understood why.
He had surrendered executive control, waived his claim to the trust shares and turned the protected properties toward an independent nonprofit.
The board hated him.
Richard hated him more.
Federal investigators wanted documents.
Reporters surrounded every property associated with Vale.
Dominic's life had become a public demolition.
Cassidy still wanted him to call.
Every time her phone buzzed, disappointment followed.
Emily noticed.
“You're staring at your phone.”
“No.”
“You are.”
“I have messages.”
“From Dominic?”
“No.”
Emily returned to homework.
“He misses you.”
“How do you know?”
“He texted me.”
Cassidy froze.
“What?”
Emily held up her tablet.
Dominic had sent exactly one message through the family communication account.
How did the spelling test go?
Emily had replied.
100.
Dominic:
Acceptable.
Emily:
that means good right
Dominic:
Yes.
Cassidy laughed.
“He didn't mention me?”
“No.”
“That seems rude.”
Emily smiled.
Cassidy realized she had been tricked.
On the third day, Rachel called.
“The court accepted your independent housing plan.”
Cassidy nearly cried.
“And Emily?”
“Placement continues.”
Relief flooded through her.
“The complaint tied to Dominic has less weight now because you relocated voluntarily and demonstrated independent childcare.”
“So moving helped.”
“Yes.”
Cassidy hated that and appreciated it simultaneously.
Rachel continued.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“The account investigation traced the quarter-million deposit.”
“To Richard?”
“Closer. A consulting firm managed by his attorney's former partner.”
Cassidy sat straighter.
“Can we prove it?”
“Investigators are building it.”
“What about Dominic's account?”
“The twenty-eight million?”
“Yes.”
“Signatures are being examined.”
A pause.
“Preliminary review suggests Dominic was not involved.”
Cassidy closed her eyes.
“Thank God.”
“He may be cleared soon.”
That evening somebody knocked.
Cassidy expected a delivery.
She opened the door.
Dominic stood there.
No driver visible.
No overcoat.
Just Dominic in a dark sweater holding a paper bag.
For several seconds neither spoke.
“What are you doing here?”
“Emily requested Chinese food.”
From behind Cassidy, Emily shouted, “I DID.”
Cassidy closed her eyes.
“Of course.”
Dominic held up the bag.
“I was instructed to buy dumplings.”
Emily ran past Cassidy and hugged him.
Dominic looked over her head toward Cassidy.
Something in his face was guarded.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“The apartment?”
“Good.”
“Work?”
“Good.”
“Court?”
“Good.”
He nodded.
Conversation between legally married adults had apparently become a performance review.
Emily grabbed the bag.
“Can he stay?”
Cassidy and Dominic looked at each other.
“For dinner,” Cassidy said.
“Obviously.”
Dinner was strange.
Not bad.
Worse.
Familiar.
Dominic knew Emily wanted soy sauce before she asked.
Cassidy knew he disliked overly sweet noodles.
Emily told a joke.
Dominic failed to understand it.
Cassidy explained.
It felt like the house again.
That frightened her.
After Emily went to bed, Dominic stood.
“I should leave.”
Cassidy nodded.
He reached the door.
“Dominic.”
He turned.
“Why didn't you call?”
“I thought you needed space.”
“I did.”
He waited.
“I also wanted you to call.”
His expression softened.
“I didn't know both could be true.”
“They can.”
“I'll remember.”
Cassidy walked closer.
“Mara told me what you did.”
“The trust?”
“Yes.”
Dominic looked down.
“You gave it up.”
“I changed where control goes.”
“You spent years fighting for it.”
“I spent years thinking control was the only way to protect what mattered.”
“And now?”
“Now I think systems built around one person eventually become weapons.”
Cassidy smiled faintly.
“You sound like a nonprofit brochure.”
“I've been speaking to lawyers for seventy-two hours.”
She studied him.
“You don't need me anymore.”
Dominic looked directly at her.
“No.”
The word hurt anyway.
He saw it.
“Not for the trust.”
Cassidy exhaled.
“Right.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“You don't need me either.”
“No.”
Their eyes held.
He continued.
“So now anything that happens next would be extremely inconvenient.”
Cassidy laughed.
“Terrible.”
“Yes.”
“Complicated.”
“Very.”
“Possibly stupid.”
“Almost certainly.”
Her smile disappeared.
“I love you.”
Dominic went still.
Cassidy felt panic immediately.
“Okay. That was—”
He kissed her.
No caution this time.
Still gentle.
But certain.
Cassidy grabbed the front of his sweater.
When they separated, both were breathing differently.
Dominic touched his forehead to hers.
“I've been trying not to say that first.”
“Why?”
“Because you already made one major decision while desperate.”
Cassidy stared at him.
He continued.
“I never wanted you to wonder whether you loved me because you needed me.”
Her eyes filled.
“You gave up everything I needed you for.”
“Yes.”
“And I'm still here.”
“Yes.”
“So maybe I'm capable of figuring it out.”
His mouth curved.
“I was hoping.”
Cassidy laughed through tears.
“Do you love me?”
“Yes.”
“You could've said that before the kissing.”
“I thought the kissing communicated—”
“Dominic.”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
He took her hand.
Then looked at the bare ring finger.
Cassidy noticed.
“It's safe.”
“I wasn't asking.”
“You were staring.”
“Yes.”
“Do you want it back?”
“No.”
The answer surprised her.
Dominic continued.
“My mother told me not to give it because I was afraid of losing something.”
Cassidy's eyes softened.
“I did exactly that.”
He released her hand.
“If you ever wear it again, I want it to mean something else.”
The door behind them creaked.
Emily stood in pajamas.
“Are you kissing again?”
Cassidy sighed.
“Go to bed.”
Emily grinned.
“Does this mean we're moving back?”
“No.”
Her smile faded.
Cassidy crouched.
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Because we're building our own stable routine.”
Emily looked at Dominic.
“Are you okay with that?”
“Yes.”
“Will you visit?”
“If Cassidy wants me.”
Emily looked at Cassidy.
“Do you?”
Cassidy smiled.
“Yes.”
Emily nodded.
“Then okay.”
She walked back to bed.
Dominic watched her leave.
“You know she runs this family.”
“I noticed.”
His phone buzzed.
Mara.
He read the message.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Dominic turned the screen.
Federal investigators had completed preliminary authentication of the old signatures.
Dominic's signature on the twenty-eight-million-dollar account was forged.
Richard's was not.
Cassidy stared.
“Is that enough?”
“To clear me? Probably.”
“To charge him?”
“Not yet.”
Another message arrived.
This one from the archive attorneys.
The court had authorized Franklin Street to be opened the next morning.
The key Emily discovered would finally be used.
May you like
And whatever Evelyn Vale had protected beneath Chicago for years was about to come into daylight.
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