Chapter 2 - The Bloodline Broken
The grand study on the main floor of the Moretti mansion was constructed of solid mahogany, bulletproof glass, and gold-trimmed shelves housing centuries of family history.
Vanessa Whitmore was pacing in front of the marble fireplace, her ivory silk robe replaced by a sleek, velvet designer dress. She held her phone tightly in her hand, her face flushed with a mixture of irritation and rising anxiety. Standing beside her was her father, Senator Edward Whitmore—a powerful, white-haired politician whose influence stretched through the state capital all the way to Washington.
When the heavy doors clicked open and Dominic walked in, Vanessa immediately stepped forward, putting on a worried, frantic expression.
"Dominic! Thank God," Vanessa cried, reaching out to touch his arm. "Is that foolish maid okay? I told her not to run out into the storm! It was completely reckless of her! A dog is just an animal, Dominic, but she made a huge scene in front of the security guards!"
Dominic didn't look at her hand. He walked right past her and sat behind his grand desk.
"Sit down, Edward. Sit down, Vanessa," Dominic said softly.
Senator Whitmore frowned, adjusting his silk tie. "Dominic, look here. It’s four in the morning. My daughter called me in a panic because one of your house staff had an accident on the driveway. I came all the way from the city because—"
"Your daughter threw Noah's puppy into a thunderstorm, Edward," Dominic interrupted, his voice dropping into a register that made the room temperature feel as though it had plummeted ten degrees.
Vanessa gasped. "Dominic! That is a complete lie! That girl is lying to you to cover up her own carelessness! She dropped the dog! I was merely—"
"The security cameras at the service door were repaired yesterday afternoon," Dominic said, turning a black laptop screen toward them.
He pressed Play.
The high-definition night-vision footage lit up the dark study.
On the screen, clearly visible, was Vanessa Whitmore opening the service door. She grabbed the small golden retriever puppy by the scruff of its neck while Noah cried out from the stairs. On the footage, Grace stepped between Vanessa and the door, pleading with her. Vanessa raised her hand and struck Grace hard across the face, shoving her backward against the wall, before hurling the terrified puppy out into the pouring rain and locking the door.
The video played on, showing Grace scrambling up, throwing herself out into the storm without a second thought, racing after the puppy.
Senator Whitmore’s face turned from annoyed red to a ghostly, sickly ash white. He looked at his daughter with utter disbelief. "Vanessa... what in God's name..."
"Father, it was an accident!" Vanessa stammered, her voice cracking as panic finally set in. "The dog was ruining the carpets! It was barking! Dominic, you know I’m going to be Noah’s mother! I have to set boundaries! A house needs discipline!"
Dominic closed the laptop with a quiet, decisive click.
"You are not Noah’s mother, Vanessa," Dominic said, leaning forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "You will never be Noah's mother. You will never step foot on this property again. And our engagement is officially terminated."
Vanessa stood frozen, her chest heaving. "You... you're breaking off our marriage? Over a maid and a mutt? Do you have any idea what my father can do to your shipping licenses? The Moretti family needs our political backing!"
"Your father’s political career exists because my family funds his campaigns and keeps his dirty secrets off the front page of the New York Times," Dominic replied, his voice devoid of all emotion. "Edward, take your daughter out of my house before I let my men handle this as a domestic trespass."
Senator Whitmore grabbed Vanessa's wrist, his fingers digging in tightly. "Shut up, Vanessa. Not another word."
"Father! You can't let him do this to us!" Vanessa screamed, pulling back. "He’s choosing a servant over me!"
"I am not choosing a servant, Vanessa," Dominic said, standing up, his tall frame casting a long, dark shadow across the polished rug. "I am protecting my family. Grace Miller took a truck bumper to her ribs to keep my son from crying tonight. You hit her and poured yourself another glass of wine. You are worthless to me."
"This isn't over, Dominic!" Vanessa shrieked as her father physically dragged her toward the double doors. "My family will destroy you! I’ll make sure that girl rots in the street!"
The heavy doors slammed shut.
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Dominic stood alone in the quiet study for a long moment. He poured himself a glass of neat bourbon, tossed it back in one smooth motion, and then looked toward the doorway that led to the upper floor, where his son and Grace were sleeping.
For the first time in two years, the cold stone mansion felt like it was beginning to breathe again.
