Chapter 5 - The Poison in the Tea
The silence in the grand foyer was absolute.
Julianna Vance stared at Dominic as if he had spoken in a foreign language. Her face went from red to ash-white, her lips trembling with absolute humiliation and rage.
"You're breaking our engagement... for a maid?" Julianna whispered, her voice shaking. "My family controls the western docks, Dominic! Without us, the Moretti cartel will slaughter your men!"
"I handle my own enemies," Dominic replied indifferently. "Sterling! Escort Miss Vance to her vehicle."
Julianna backed away slowly, her eyes darting toward Layla with a look of such concentrated venom that Layla felt an instinctual chill run down her spine.
"You will regret this, Dominic," Julianna spat, her voice dropping into a dangerous whisper. "Both of you will."
She turned on her heel and stormed out of the mansion, her bodyguards following closely behind.
Ten minutes later, Dr. Harrison—a soft-spoken, highly respected private physician who had served the Gallow family for thirty years—arrived at the estate.
In the lavish master bedroom on the second floor, Layla lay on the plush king-sized bed while Dr. Harrison conducted a thorough ultrasound examination using a portable machine.
Dominic stood by the edge of the bed, his arms folded across his chest, staring intently at the small black-and-white screen.
"Well, Mr. Gallow," Dr. Harrison smiled, pointing at the monitor. "The babies are remarkably healthy despite the stress of the evening. Two boys. Strong heartbeats—145 and 150 beats per minute. However, Miss Bennett is severely malnourished and suffering from exhaustion. She needs absolute bed rest, high nutrition, and zero stress for the next two months."
Dominic looked at the two distinct shapes flickering on the screen. A strange, powerful warmth filled his chest, washing away years of cold, cynical detachment. Those were his sons. His blood. His future.
He looked down at Layla, who was staring at the monitor with soft, tear-filled eyes.
"Thank you, Doctor," Dominic said softly. "She will have everything she needs."
After the doctor left, the room fell into a quiet, peaceful silence.
A young maid named Clara—a gentle girl with kind eyes whom Mr. Sterling had personally vetted—entered the room carrying a silver tray with a pot of chamomile tea and fresh fruit.
"Here you are, Miss Layla," Clara said politely, placing the tray on the nightstand. "Mr. Sterling said tea would help you sleep."
"Thank you, Clara," Layla smiled faintly.
Clara bowed slightly and exited the room, closing the heavy mahogany door behind her.
Dominic sat on the edge of the mattress. He reached out and picked up the porcelain teapot, pouring a warm cup for Layla.
"You should rest," Dominic said, handing her the teacup.
Layla took the cup, holding it near her face. The warm steam rose into her nose.
She paused.
Her father had been an avid gardener before his illness, and Layla had spent years studying herbs, plants, and natural remedies to help ease his pain during his battle with cancer. She knew the sweet, apple-like scent of chamomile intimately.
But beneath the scent of chamomile, there was something else—a faint, bitter, metallic odor. The scent of Bitter Almonds.
Cyanide. Or concentrated Ergometrine.
Layla’s eyes widened in horror. She instantly pulled the cup away from her lips.
"Dominic... stop," she gasped.
Dominic frowned. "What's wrong?"
"This tea..." Layla whispered, her face turning pale. "It smells like bitter almonds. Someone put something in it."
Dominic’s expression instantly darkened. He took the teacup from her hand, holding it beneath his nose. His military-grade training immediately recognized the faint chemical smell.
Poison. Intended to cause immediate uterine contractions and fatal hemorrhage.
Dominic didn't yell. He didn't smash the cup.
May you like
He slowly set the teacup back on the silver tray, stood up, and pulled his phone from his pocket.
"Sterling," Dominic said into the receiver, his voice chillingly calm. "Lock down the main kitchen. Gather every staff member who touched the tea tray in the basement holding room. Now."
