Chapter 8 - Michael Begged Me to Forgive Him, but the Woman He Betrayed Was Already Holding the Evidence That Could Destroy HimMichael survived surgery.
He was arrested under federal protection.
He requested one visitor.
Me.
Dominic hated the idea.
But I went.
Michael looked smaller behind the glass.
No tailored suit.
No expensive watch.
No power.
Just a broken man.
“I don't expect forgiveness.”
“Good.”
He looked down.
“I know what I did.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“You watched me fall.”
He closed his eyes.
“I did.”
“You listened while I begged.”
“I did.”
“You told Ashley I was dead.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
He swallowed.
“Because Samuel convinced me you were already working against me.”
I stared.
“He said your father had trained you to take everything.”
“He lied.”
“I know.”
Michael's eyes filled with tears.
“You were the only person who ever loved me before I became this.”
I remained silent.
“You didn't deserve what I did.”
“No.”
“You deserve a chance to start again.”
“I already have.”
He looked at me.
“Dominic?”
I nodded.
Michael smiled sadly.
“He scares me.”
“He should.”
“He loves you.”
“Yes.”
Michael lowered his head.
“I knew it the moment he looked at you.”
I stood.
“You're going to testify.”
He nodded.
“I will.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't want my son to remember me as a monster.”
I froze.
“Your son?”
“Samuel has one.”
Michael looked at me.
“His name is Ethan Blake.”
I knew the name.
Samuel's only child.
A twenty-two-year-old investor who had recently joined Carter Global.
Michael gave me an address.
“He has the original ledger.”
I returned to Dominic.
The information changed our strategy.
We found Ethan.
He was frightened.
He had no idea what his father had done.
He handed over the ledger.
The final evidence.
But Samuel moved first.
He kidnapped Ethan.
He threatened to kill him unless we surrendered the evidence.
Dominic wanted to attack immediately.
I stopped him.
“We need Ethan alive.”
“We will get him.”
“And Samuel?”
“Dead if necessary.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“We need him alive.”
“Why?”
“Because I want him to stand in court and hear every name he destroyed.”
Dominic smiled.
“You've become ruthless.”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“I'm simply finished being afraid.”
We assembled everyone.
Federal agents.
Lawyers.
Former employees.
Victims.
Witnesses.
Michael testified.
Ashley testified.
Ethan testified.
My father testified.
Then it was my turn.
I walked into court.
Samuel stared at me.
He looked genuinely confused.
“You should be dead.”
I smiled.
“So should a lot of people you hurt.”
The courtroom went silent.
I told the story.
The mountain.
The funeral.
The insurance.
The shares.
The network.
The lies.
When I finished, Samuel was arrested.
Michael received a reduced sentence for cooperation.
Ashley disappeared from the spotlight and started a nonprofit for women escaping abusive workplaces.
My father recovered.
Ethan cut ties with Samuel.
And Dominic?
He stood outside the courthouse waiting for me.
When I approached, he said nothing.
He simply opened his arms.
I walked into them.
“I thought I lost you,” he whispered.
“You didn't.”
“I know.”
He kissed my forehead.
Then my stomach moved.
Our daughter kicked.
Dominic's hand immediately went to my stomach.
“She did it again.”
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“Our daughter has timing.”
“She gets that from you.”
“I don't know if that's a compliment.”
“It isn't.”
We laughed.
For the first time in months, we laughed without fear.
But there was one final problem.
The insurance company.
The court had frozen the fifty million dollars.
The money belonged to the estate.
And according to the terms of my father's trust, I controlled it.
I could have kept every dollar.
Instead, I made one decision.
I gave most of it away.
A medical foundation.
Housing for single mothers.
Scholarships.
Domestic violence shelters.
And a small trust for my daughter.
Dominic watched me sign the documents.
“You don't want any of it?”
“I have enough.”
He smiled.
“You're nothing like Michael.”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“Thank God.”
Then he pulled out a small box.
My heart stopped.
“Dominic.”
He opened it.
Inside was a ring.
Simple.
Beautiful.
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I know.”
He closed it.
“I didn't bring it to ask you tonight.”
I looked at him.
“Then why?”
“To remind myself that someday, when you're ready, I want to spend the rest of my life making sure you never doubt that you're loved.”
I cried.
He wiped the tears away.
“You don't have to answer.”
I leaned forward.
“I already did.”
He looked at me.
“Yes?”
May you like
I kissed him.
“Yes.”
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