Chapter 8
Dante turned over the vehicle records, service-exit logs, communication changes, and financial documents.
He also gave investigators the planetarium footage showing Preston throwing the first punch.
And Victoria being struck afterward.
Rachel warned him one last time.
“You understand the footage doesn’t make every action you took automatically lawful.”
“Yes.”
“You could create problems for yourself.”
“Yes.”
“Still want it released?”
Dante looked through the glass wall of her office.
Elena sat in the lobby reading a pregnancy magazine.
“Yes.”
It was the first decision he could not quietly reverse.
The effect was immediate.
The Caradonna board learned investigators were reviewing company records.
A bank froze the disputed guarantees until their validity could be examined.
The eighteen-million-dollar development stalled.
Preston lost access to accounts he had used for years.
Then Victoria called.
Dante answered once.
“What did you do?”
“I stopped hiding it.”
“You gave them company records?”
“Yes.”
“You have no idea what that could trigger.”
“I’m beginning to.”
Victoria lowered her voice.
“You’re going to ruin everything before you understand why Preston did it.”
Dante’s attention sharpened.
“You understand why?”
She realized the mistake.
“Victoria.”
“I meant financially.”
“Did Preston tell you about the guarantees?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know there’s a financial reason?”
She disconnected.
Rachel requested another interview.
Victoria refused.
That night Elena received an email from a gossip site asking whether she had deliberately become pregnant to break up Dante’s engagement.
The story was already spreading.
Someone had provided her name.
Her employer at the planetarium placed her on paid leave because reporters had started calling the public office.
Elena stared at the email.
“This is what I was afraid of.”
Dante wanted to fix it.
Buy the site.
Threaten someone.
Call the planetarium director.
Instead he asked, “What do you need?”
Elena looked surprised.
“A lawyer who isn’t yours.”
Dante nodded.
Rachel referred her to another attorney with no connection to the Caradonna companies.
It cost Dante something he was not used to paying.
Control.
Two days later, Preston’s lawyer produced a damaging claim.
Preston had not driven the Suburban during Elena’s road incident.
The company vehicle had been assigned to a contract driver.
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And the GPS record that could identify the driver had disappeared.
For the first time, Dante’s strongest suspicion had a hole large enough for Preston to hide inside.
