Chapter 3 - THE PAPER HE SIGNED WITHOUT READING
“You remember signing away twelve months of my life?”
Ethan's question was barely audible.
But it stopped Dominic more effectively than any accusation Victoria could have made.
His father lowered the payment authorization.
“No, son.”
“You said you signed it.”
“I signed something. I didn't know it was this.”
Ethan looked confused.
I couldn't blame him.
Adults were supposed to understand papers.
Adults were supposed to tell the truth.
And every adult in that room seemed to have a different explanation.
Dominic turned toward Victoria.
“Six weeks ago, you brought me a folder at the office.”
She remained silent.
“You told me it concerned Ethan's counseling expenses and our wedding arrangements.”
“It did.”
“You said the financial office needed my approval before making deposits.”
“Yes.”
He held up the receipt.
“Did you tell me this money was going to a residential school?”
Victoria swallowed.
“I told you I was exploring options.”
“That's not what I asked.”
She looked toward Ethan.
“Dominic, please. He's listening.”
“Good,” he answered. “He's heard enough lies.”
I watched Victoria's expression harden.
For the first time, she stopped trying to appear helpless.
“You know what your problem is?” she asked.
Dominic said nothing.
“You think signing a check makes you a present father.”
Ethan flinched.
Victoria continued.
“You disappear into your offices for fourteen hours, and I'm left handling the difficult conversations. Then you come home and expect everyone to thank you.”
Dominic's face went pale.
Not with anger.
With shame.
Because he knew some of it was true.
“I should have been home more,” he said. “But that doesn't give you permission to send my son away.”
“You gave me responsibility without giving me authority.”
“I gave you my trust.”
Victoria looked at the paper.
“And you signed it.”
Dominic folded the document.
“That's a mistake I'll have to answer for.”
Then he looked toward Ethan.
“But you will not have to pay for it.”
The boy didn't smile.
He simply asked, “Can Buddy sleep upstairs tonight?”
Dominic nodded.
“He can sleep wherever he's comfortable.”
Ethan pressed his face into Buddy's fur.
That small permission meant more to him than all the promises adults had made that evening.
Dr. Miller arranged to examine Buddy at her clinic first thing the next morning.
Before leaving, she gave us instructions for keeping his leg still and comfortable.
Dominic carried the dog upstairs himself.
I followed with a clean blanket.
When we reached Ethan's bedroom, I noticed something.
The small wooden shelf beside his bed was empty.
Caroline's framed photograph was gone.
“Ethan,” I asked, “where's your picture of Mommy?”
He looked toward the closet.
“Victoria put it away.”
“Why?”
“She said new families need new pictures.”
Dominic stopped walking.
He turned slowly.
“Where is it?”
Ethan pointed toward the top shelf.
Dominic retrieved a cardboard storage box.
Inside were photographs, a small knitted scarf, and a silver bracelet.
I recognized the bracelet.
Caroline wore it in several pictures displayed around the house.
It had three small charms.
A heart.
A tiny dog.
And a silver star.
Ethan reached for it.
“Mommy let me hold this when I was little.”
Dominic handed it to him.
“You can keep it in your room.”
“Victoria said it was too grown-up.”
“Your mother wanted you to have it someday.”
Ethan studied the bracelet.
“Can I have it now?”
Dominic sat beside him.
“Yes.”
For a moment, the boy looked happier.
Then he touched the star.
“Mommy said the star was for our lake house.”
Dominic's expression changed.
I noticed, but didn't understand.
Not yet.
He gently closed Ethan's fingers around the bracelet.
“Get some sleep, buddy.”
After Ethan settled beneath his blankets, Dominic stepped into the hallway.
He looked exhausted.
“Anna, I need to ask you something.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Has Victoria been removing Caroline's belongings?”
I hesitated.
“She asked the staff to pack several things.”
“Which things?”
“Photographs. Some books. The coat Caroline wore on her walks.”
Dominic stared at me.
“Why wasn't I told?”
The question hurt.
Not because he sounded angry.
Because I didn't have a good answer.
“Miss Whitmore told us you had approved it.”
He nodded slowly.
Of course she had.
Then I added, “She also reminded me that my father's rehabilitation payments depend on my employment.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“She threatened your job?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I believed she could fire me.”
He looked toward Ethan's closed door.
“And tonight you spoke anyway.”
I nodded.
Dominic was quiet for a moment.
“Thank you.”
I didn't know what to say.
He continued, “I can't undo what happened here. But you'll never be punished for protecting my son.”
I wanted to believe him.
Still, promises were easy in the middle of an emotional evening.
Keeping them required something more.
The following morning, I accompanied Ethan and Dominic to Dr. Miller's clinic.
Buddy's X-rays showed no fracture.
His injury would require several weeks of rest, but the veterinarian expected him to recover.
Ethan nearly cried with relief.
Then Dr. Miller showed Dominic the appointment request her receptionist had recorded.
Victoria had not merely asked about euthanasia.
She had stated that Buddy was becoming aggressive toward children.
Dominic read the note twice.
“Buddy has never bitten anyone.”
Dr. Miller nodded.
“That was my understanding.”
The false accusation made everything worse.
If Buddy had been labeled dangerous, removing him would have seemed easier to justify.
On our return to the mansion, Andrew Whitmore was waiting beside a black SUV.
Victoria's older brother was tall, carefully dressed, and constantly checking his watch.
He had attended the beginning of the engagement dinner but disappeared before Dominic questioned Victoria.
Now he stood beside the pet carrier Ethan had described.
Dominic stopped the car.
“Andrew.”
Andrew turned.
“Dominic. I heard last night got out of hand.”
“Where's Buddy's collar?”
Andrew blinked.
“What?”
“The red leather collar you removed yesterday.”
Andrew looked toward Victoria, who stood near the entrance.
“I don't remember seeing a collar.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“My son watched you drag his dog toward that carrier.”
Andrew's smile disappeared.
“The animal panicked. I was trying to keep him from hurting himself.”
“You injured him.”
“It was an accident.”
“Then why didn't you get him medical help?”
Andrew had no answer.
Victoria hurried forward.
“Dominic, Andrew was only helping me.”
Her brother looked irritated.
“Victoria, stop explaining everything.”
The sharpness in his voice surprised me.
For the first time, I saw her hesitate around him.
Dominic noticed too.
“What exactly were you helping her do?” he asked.
Andrew glanced toward the house.
“Handle a situation that was becoming disruptive.”
Dominic pointed toward the gate.
“Leave.”
Andrew stared at him.
“You might want to reconsider.”
“That wasn't a suggestion.”
Andrew leaned closer.
Their voices lowered.
I wouldn't have heard him if I hadn't been standing beside the car.
“Your son's placement was only one part of the arrangement.”
Dominic went still.
“What arrangement?”
Andrew's eyes moved toward the silver bracelet visible around Ethan's wrist.
Then he looked at Dominic.
“The lake property.”
Dominic's expression changed.
Andrew continued.
“You know what's at stake. My financing deadline is approaching, and your family is standing in the way.”
Dominic stared at him.
“Caroline's lake house has nothing to do with my wedding.”
Andrew gave a humorless smile.
“That's where you're wrong.”
He reached into his briefcase and removed a blue folder.
On the cover were three words.
MORETTI LAKE ACCESS.
Andrew tapped the folder.
May you like
Then he said something that made Dominic step backward.
“The school was never the real deal, Dominic. It was how we were going to get your son out of the way before you signed the other papers.”
