Chapter 2 - The Mafia Boss Makes an Offer
Arthur waited until Dominic returned to the ballroom.
“You think you can interfere in my marriage?”
Dominic buttoned his jacket.
“I already did.”
Several guests pretended not to listen.
All of them were listening.
Arthur lowered his voice.
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“That sentence usually works better when I say it.”
Seraphina touched Arthur’s arm.
“Arthur, forget him.”
Dominic glanced at her necklace.
“Beautiful sapphire.”
Seraphina smiled smugly.
“Thank you.”
“Purchased through Caldwell Holdings?”
Arthur stiffened.
Dominic noticed.
“So it was.”
“What are you implying?” Arthur asked.
“Nothing.”
Dominic turned away.
“Yet.”
Clara spent the night at a private residence overlooking Central Park.
She expected armed guards and dark corridors.
Instead, she found a quiet apartment with a guest room, a kitchen and an elderly housekeeper named Rosa.
“Mr. Castillion said you should eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
Rosa placed soup on the table.
“He said you’d say that too.”
Despite herself, Clara almost smiled.
Her phone rang.
ARTHUR.
She ignored it.
Again.
Then twenty-three text messages arrived.
COME HOME.
YOU’RE EMBARRASSING YOURSELF.
YOU HAVE NO MONEY WITHOUT ME.
MY LAWYERS WILL DESTROY YOU.
Then:
YOU WILL NEVER GET CUSTODY.
Clara stared at the screen until her hands began shaking.
A knock sounded.
Dominic stood at the doorway.
“You should sleep.”
She handed him the phone.
He read the messages.
“May I copy these?”
“Why?”
“Because your husband is careless when angry.”
“Dominic, I can’t fight him. The prenup—”
“Prenuptial agreements don’t legalize abuse, coercion or corporate fraud.”
Clara stared at him.
“Corporate fraud?”
Dominic placed the phone down.
“I’ve been investigating Arthur for months.”
Her expression changed.
“Why?”
“My businesses occasionally cross paths with his.”
“That sounds intentionally vague.”
“It is.”
Despite everything, Clara gave a short laugh.
Dominic continued.
“Arthur has been moving company money through shell corporations. Several accounts lead to offshore entities.”
“How do you know?”
“I know things.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the safest answer I can give you.”
Clara stood.
“If you’re using me to attack my husband—”
“I don’t need you to attack Caldwell.”
“Then why help me?”
Dominic went silent.
Clara waited.
Finally he said, “I heard you play violin at Carnegie Hall last year.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“Brahms.”
“You remember that?”
“I remember everything about that performance.”
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Dominic looked away first.
“I learned later that you were married. So I stayed away.”
Clara studied him.
“And now?”
“Now I saw your husband put his hands on you.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“No.”
His voice softened.
“It doesn’t.”
The following morning, Clara met attorney Evelyn Shaw.
Evelyn pushed a folder across the table.
“I reviewed the prenup.”
Clara braced herself.
“How bad?”
“Bad. But not unbeatable.”
“Arthur said I’d leave with nothing.”
“He was lying.”
Clara looked up.
Evelyn continued.
“There are clauses involving infidelity, undisclosed assets and intimidation. More importantly, custody isn’t determined by a prenup.”
Clara’s eyes filled.
“He told me—”
“I know what he told you.”
Evelyn pointed to Clara’s phone.
“And those messages help us.”
Dominic stood near the window.
Clara looked toward him.
“You arranged this lawyer?”
“Yes.”
“Who’s paying her?”
“I am.”
“No.”
Dominic turned.
“No?”
“I’m not becoming indebted to another powerful man.”
Evelyn hid a smile.
Dominic stared at Clara for several seconds.
Then he nodded.
“Fair.”
He pulled out a chair.
“Consider it a loan.”
“With interest?”
“No.”
“Then it’s charity.”
“Fine. One dollar.”
“What?”
“You pay me one dollar. We call the debt settled.”
Clara almost smiled.
“You’re impossible.”
“So I’ve been told.”
At Caldwell Industries, Arthur was having a worse morning.
His CFO entered his office.
“We have a problem.”
Arthur kept typing.
“Handle it.”
“The Castillion shipping contracts were terminated.”
Arthur stopped.
“All of them?”
“Yes.”
Another executive entered.
“Two banks suspended our credit review.”
Arthur stood.
“Why?”
“We don’t know.”
Then his assistant hurried in.
“Sir, Senator Hayes canceled tomorrow’s meeting.”
Arthur slammed his laptop shut.
“Get Dominic Castillion on the phone.”
His assistant swallowed.
“He refuses your calls.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
Seraphina entered.
“Arthur, the press is asking about Clara.”
“Tell them she suffered pregnancy-related stress.”
Seraphina hesitated.
“They have video.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
Arthur stared at her.
Seraphina continued quietly.
“Including you threatening her in the hallway.”
Arthur’s face went pale.
“Who recorded it?”
“No one knows.”
But Dominic knew.
Dante had been standing twelve feet away.
That evening, Clara received a message from Arthur.
MEET ME TOMORROW. ALONE.
Dominic read it over her shoulder.
“No.”
Clara looked at him.
“I have to.”
“He threatened you.”
“And I’m tired of running.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re five months pregnant.”
“I’m pregnant, Dominic. Not helpless.”
He stared at her.
Then, slowly, he nodded.
“Fine.”
“Fine?”
“You meet him.”
Clara looked surprised.
“But?”
“I’ll be nearby.”
“No weapons.”
Dominic looked offended.
“You negotiate aggressively.”
“No threats.”
“That’s more difficult.”
“Dominic.”
“All right.”
She held his gaze.
“And I do the talking.”
A faint smile appeared.
“That might be the most difficult condition of all.”
For the first time since the gala, Clara laughed.
Then Dominic’s phone rang.
Dante’s voice came through.
“Boss, we found something.”
Dominic’s expression immediately changed.
“What?”
“The offshore accounts.”
He glanced at Clara.
“And?”
Dante paused.
“Arthur isn’t only hiding money.”
May you like
Dominic’s eyes became cold.
“He’s been stealing from Clara.”
