Chapter 3 - The Room She Was Never Allowed to EnterLiving with Dominic was strange.
He did not force Selena to share his bedroom.
He gave her the master suite.
He slept in the library.
He didn't touch her without permission.
He didn't demand anything.
He didn't even behave like a man who had married the woman he claimed to want.
Instead, he became almost painfully respectful.
Breakfast appeared every morning.
Her clothes were replaced.
Her car was repaired.
Her work laptop was upgraded.
But Selena refused the money.
“I'll pay you back.”
“Don't.”
“I don't accept charity.”
“It's not charity.”
“What is it?”
“Investment.”
She stared at him.
“That's not romantic.”
“I wasn't trying to be romantic.”
“Good.”
He walked away.
She watched him go.
Then smiled.
The man was impossible.
But he was also kind.
Quietly kind.
He memorized her coffee order.
He left the porch light on when she came home late.
He instructed security never to approach her from behind.
He never entered her room without knocking.
These were small things.
But Selena noticed.
Because Mason had never done any of them.
One night, the twins from the neighboring estate visited.
Dominic's niece, Sofia, brought them.
Selena watched Dominic become a completely different man around children.
He crouched to their height.
He listened.
He laughed.
She smiled.
“You're good with them.”
“I had practice.”
“Do you want children?”
He looked at her.
“Someday.”
“With the right woman?”
“Yes.”
She looked away.
Neither spoke.
Then Dominic said,
“You?”
“Children?”
“Someday.”
“Yes.”
“With the right man?”
She smiled.
“I thought I had him once.”
Dominic's expression darkened.
“Mason.”
“Yes.”
“You still love him?”
The question surprised her.
“No.”
The answer came immediately.
“I loved who I thought he was.”
Dominic nodded.
“I understand.”
“What about you?”
“I don't think I've ever been loved for who I am.”
She looked at him.
“That sounds lonely.”
“It is.”
The admission was almost painful.
Before she could respond, a guard appeared.
“Mr. Vale.”
“What?”
“We found something in the west wing.”
Dominic's expression changed.
“Show me.”
Selena followed.
“Stay here,” he told her.
“No.”
“Selena.”
“If it's about me, I'm coming.”
He looked frustrated.
Then nodded.
They entered an old study.
A safe had been opened.
Inside were photographs.
Her father.
Her mother.
Mason.
And Dominic.
Selena froze.
“Why is Mason in these?”
Dominic picked up one photograph.
Mason stood beside a man Selena recognized.
Her ex's father.
Richard Caldwell.
Dominic's voice became cold.
“Your father didn't die because of his business.”
“Then why?”
“Because he discovered Richard Caldwell was stealing from the trust.”
Selena stared.
Richard had been her father's closest business partner.
“He ruined everything.”
“Yes.”
“And Mason knew?”
Dominic nodded.
“That is why he approached you years ago.”
Selena felt sick.
“He dated me because of my inheritance.”
“I believe so.”
“No.”
She stepped back.
“That's not possible.”
Dominic didn't move.
“He knew the trust required you to remain unaware until your twenty-fifth birthday.”
Selena looked at him.
“I met Mason when I was twenty-three.”
“Yes.”
“He knew.”
“Yes.”
Everything inside her collapsed.
Every flower.
Every dinner.
Every promise.
Every time Mason told her she wasn't ambitious enough.
Every time he convinced her to postpone promotions.
Every time he told her finance was too stressful.
He had been dismantling her life piece by piece.
Dominic found another document.
“Mason and Richard have been planning to force you into financial dependence.”
Selena stared at him.
“How?”
“The modified trust documents.”
She took the papers.
Her signature had been forged.
They were designed to transfer control of the trust to a spouse.
If she married Mason, he would control it.
But she hadn't.
She had married Dominic.
Selena looked at the ring.
“What happens if they come after the trust?”
“They come after me first.”
“Why?”
“Because now they have to get through me.”
She looked into his eyes.
Something warm moved through her.
She reached for his hand.
“Thank you.”
He squeezed her fingers.
“Don't thank me yet.”
“Why?”
He looked toward the locked door at the end of the hall.
“Because I found another name.”
“What name?”
“Your father's second heir.”
Selena's heart stopped.
“Who?”
May you like
Dominic hesitated.
“Your mother.”
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