Chapter 6
Valeria asked to meet.
Dominic refused a private conversation.
They met in Rebecca’s office instead.
Valeria arrived without Lucian.
Her engagement ring remained on her finger.
Dominic noticed but did not comment.
Rebecca placed the airport photograph on the table.
“Were you having an affair with Luca Valenti?”
Valeria looked directly at Dominic.
“Yes.”
The answer landed differently than denial would have.
“How long?”
“Five months.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
Rebecca continued.
“Were you giving him a perfume formula?”
“No.”
“What was in the silver case?”
“Documents.”
“What documents?”
Valeria looked toward Dominic.
“Lucian’s.”
There it was again.
Her brother.
“What did Luca have on him?”
Valeria’s face tightened.
“You think Lucian is some rich criminal mastermind because he wears nice suits and sends invoices through your company.”
Dominic said nothing.
“He’s broke.”
The forensic findings were not only evidence of theft.
They were evidence of debt.
Lucian had financed a nightclub expansion in Miami two years earlier.
The deal failed.
One of the private lenders behind the project was connected to Luca.
Lucian owed millions.
“Four hundred sixty thousand doesn’t pay millions.”
“It bought time.”
Dominic looked at Valeria.
“And the affair?”
She looked away for the first time.
“It bought more.”
Rebecca’s expression changed.
“Are you saying Luca blackmailed you?”
“No.”
Valeria answered quickly.
Too quickly for self-pity.
“He didn’t force me.”
That mattered.
“I thought if he cared about me, he’d stop squeezing Lucian.”
Dominic stared at her.
“You slept with my enemy to protect your brother.”
“I betrayed you to protect my brother.”
She forced herself to hold Dominic’s eyes.
“I’m not pretending those are different things.”
It was the first statement from her he respected.
Not forgave.
Respected.
“What did Lucian steal?”
“Enough to keep making payments.”
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
Dominic almost laughed.
Valeria leaned forward.
“I’m telling the truth.”
“You attacked my mother.”
“Because I knew what that photograph would make you do.”
“What?”
“Look.”
Silence.
Valeria’s eyes filled.
“You would look at Lucian’s books. Then mine. Then everything.”
Dominic understood.
The photograph was not dangerous because it exposed romance.
It was dangerous because it removed the last reason Dominic had to trust her.
Valeria touched the engagement ring.
“I thought I could fix it before you ever knew.”
Dominic’s voice stayed low.
“You grabbed my daughter for a photograph.”
Valeria closed her eyes.
May you like
“I know.”
That ended any possibility that confession alone could save them.
