Chapter 2
The birthday party ended without anyone being dismissed formally.
Nobody needed the instruction.
Guests disappeared in small groups while Domenico carried Lily upstairs.
Her arms remained around his neck.
Every few steps she touched the side of his face.
Checking.
Still alive.
Still there.
Domenico noticed.
He said nothing until they reached her room.
A physician examined the abrasion around her ankle.
No fracture.
No circulation damage.
But the doctor’s mouth tightened when Lily removed her cardigan.
A bruise showed near her elbow.
Domenico saw it.
His hand became still against the back of the chair.
“When?”
The doctor looked at Lily rather than him.
“That depends on what she’s comfortable telling us.”
Domenico nodded immediately.
He moved farther away.
The distance mattered.
Eventually Lily whispered that Helen had grabbed her earlier when she tried to go inside for cake.
Domenico looked toward the door.
His mother was not there.
Good.
He did not trust his face yet.
Downstairs, the security team traced the authorization message.
It had originated from a terminal inside the private council room.
The same room Domenico had occupied during the meeting that kept him away from Lily’s party.
Domenico stared at the access log.
“I was in that room.”
“Yes.”
“Did I send it?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
The security chief turned the screen.
The message had been transmitted while Domenico was standing at the opposite end of the room speaking to six capos.
Someone else used an old administrator profile.
Domenico recognized the account.
RVC-01.
Richard Vincent Carter.
His father’s former patriarch credentials.
Domenico had never disabled them.
Richard had retired nine years earlier.
Domenico assumed retirement made the access ceremonial.
His father had apparently disagreed.
Richard entered the study without knocking.
“You found it.”
Domenico looked up.
No denial.
No embarrassment.
Richard poured himself water.
“You left the old account active.”
“You used it to impersonate me.”
“I used authority you were too careless to revoke.”
Domenico rose.
Richard watched his son’s hands.
Domenico noticed.
He deliberately left them open at his sides.
“Why tonight?”
Richard smiled faintly.
“Because tonight everyone was here.”
There it was.
The punishment had needed witnesses.
Domenico’s voice dropped.
“What exactly did you want them to see?”
Before Richard answered, a small voice came from the doorway.
Ethan.
The boy had been listening.
His plate of cake was gone.
His face was white.
“Grandpa told me not to help Lily.”
Richard turned sharply.
“Ethan.”
The boy recoiled.
Domenico saw it.
He crouched.
“What did he tell you?”
Ethan looked at Richard, then forced himself to look back at Domenico.
“He said tonight everybody would find out which kid deserves to stay here.”
Domenico’s eyes narrowed.
May you like
This was no longer only about punishing Lily.
His father had been comparing the two children.
