Chapter 5 - The Lie That Almost Broke Them
Anthony Corso was brought to the estate before midnight.
Dominic waited in the study.
Vincent stood near the fireplace.
Fay remained upstairs, though every instinct told her the house was about to explode.
Anthony entered with Carmine.
Dominic looked at his cousin.
“Sit.”
Anthony remained standing.
“Vincent paid me.”
Vincent laughed once.
“That's your story?”
Anthony pulled an envelope from his coat.
“Bank transfers. Instructions. Dates.”
Carmine placed the documents before Dominic.
Dominic read them.
Vincent stared at Anthony.
“You forged these.”
Anthony shrugged.
Dominic looked at his brother.
“Leave.”
Vincent’s face changed.
“Dominic.”
“Leave my house.”
“You know me.”
“I thought I did.”
Vincent stepped toward him.
Carmine blocked the path.
Vincent looked at Dominic for a long moment.
Then left.
Upstairs, Fay heard the front door slam.
Twenty minutes later Dominic entered his room.
He looked exhausted.
“Your brother?”
“Gone.”
“You believe Anthony?”
“I believe evidence.”
Fay watched him.
“No, you don't.”
His eyes sharpened.
“You've known me four days.”
“Long enough to know when you're pretending.”
Dominic rolled toward the window.
“My brother had access.”
“So did Carmine.”
Dominic turned instantly.
“Careful.”
“And Mrs. Gable.”
“Fay.”
“You said five people.”
“I trust Carmine with my life.”
“You trusted Vincent too.”
That landed.
Dominic said nothing.
Fay continued.
“Who benefits if you and your brother turn against each other?”
Dominic slowly looked toward the door.
“Anthony.”
The realization came too late.
The lights went out.
Complete darkness swallowed the room.
Fay froze.
“Dominic?”
“Come here.”
His voice had changed.
Calm.
Commanding.
She moved toward him.
Somewhere downstairs, an alarm began sounding.
Carmine shouted.
Dominic took Fay’s wrist.
“Stay behind me.”
“You’re in a wheelchair.”
“And?”
Despite everything, she nearly laughed.
Footsteps sounded in the corridor.
Then Mrs. Gable’s voice.
“Mr. Corso?”
Dominic relaxed slightly.
She entered carrying an emergency lamp.
“Backup generator was disabled.”
Carmine appeared seconds later.
“Anthony’s gone.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Vincent?”
“His car never left the property.”
Dominic understood.
“Find him before Anthony does.”
The household moved instantly.
Fay watched Dominic transform.
The angry patient disappeared.
In his place was the man whose name had once frightened an entire city.
“Lock the gates,” Dominic ordered. “Nobody enters or leaves.”
Carmine nodded.
“Find Vincent alive.”
“Understood.”
Dominic turned toward Fay.
“You stay with Mrs. Gable.”
“No.”
His stare hardened.
“That wasn't optional.”
“You can barely transfer yourself without help when your leg spasms.”
“I have twenty people downstairs.”
“None of them knows your medication schedule.”
Dominic stared at her.
Mrs. Gable calmly said, “She's correct.”
“Thank you,” Fay said.
“I wasn't supporting you. I was stating a fact.”
A sound came from downstairs.
Minutes later, Carmine returned with Vincent.
Alive.
And furious.
Anthony was gone.
Vincent threw a phone onto Dominic’s desk.
“Look.”
Messages filled the screen.
Anthony had been communicating with one of Vincent’s accountants, deliberately routing money through accounts linked to Vincent.
The evidence against him had been manufactured.
Dominic looked at his brother.
“I was wrong.”
Vincent folded his arms.
“I'd like that in writing.”
“Don't push it.”
For the first time that night, tension cracked.
Then Carmine found another message.
His face changed.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“Anthony mentioned Fay.”
Dominic went still.
Carmine handed him the phone.
A message had been sent earlier that day.
The maid changed him. Remove her and he goes back to being useless.
Dominic's face emptied of emotion.
That frightened Fay more than his anger.
“No,” she said.
Dominic looked at Carmine.
“Take Fay somewhere safe.”
“Dominic.”
“You're leaving tonight.”
Her expression changed.
“You’re firing me?”
“I'm protecting you.”
“By sending me away?”
“Yes.”
Fay untied her apron.
“Fine.”
She placed it on the desk.
Dominic stared at it.
“Fay.”
“You wanted everyone gone.”
“This is different.”
“No, it isn't.”
She looked directly at him.
“You finally found a reason to push me away that sounds noble.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“If something happened to you because of me—”
“You don't get to decide my life because you're afraid.”
“I am not afraid.”
Fay stepped closer.
“Yes, you are.”
The room became silent.
“You’re terrified that if you care about someone, you'll lose them.”
Dominic looked away.
Fay's voice softened.
“So you make sure they leave first.”
She walked toward the door.
Dominic's hand tightened around the wheelchair rim.
“Fay.”
She stopped but did not turn.
“I don't want you gone.”
It was the first vulnerable thing anyone in that household had heard Dominic Corso say in six months.
Fay slowly faced him.
“Then ask me to stay.”
Dominic swallowed his pride.
“Stay.”
Fay picked up the apron.
“Okay.”
Mrs. Gable quietly walked out.
Vincent followed.
Carmine was last.
He closed the door behind him.
May you like
And for once, Dominic Corso didn't complain about being left alone with someone.
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