Chapter 14 - Whispers of Betrayal
In the wake of the attack, Dominic relocated the family to a highly fortified safehouse built into the cliffs of Rhode Island. It was a brutalist structure of concrete and steel, isolated and heavily guarded.
But physical safety could not cure the psychological toll. Harper began having nightmares, refusing to sleep without the lights on. Claire’s pregnancy became high-risk due to the extreme stress; the doctor ordered strict bed rest, warning that early labor was a distinct possibility if her blood pressure didn't drop.
Dominic sat by Claire’s bedside, holding her hand, his heart breaking at the sight of her pale face. "I brought this dark world to your door, Claire," he whispered, his head bowed. "I promised you light, and all I’ve given you is a different kind of darkness."
Claire reached up, her fingers tracing his jawline. "We built this family together, Dominic. Do not let guilt blind you. That is exactly what Valentin wants. He wants you distracted."
Her words were prophetic. Two days later, Silas approached Dominic with disturbing news. The security breach at the Hudson Valley estate could only have been executed by someone with top-level administrative access—someone within Dominic's inner circle.
"Who?" Dominic demanded, his voice dangerously calm.
May you like
"The digital signature used to disable the perimeter belongs to Marcus," Silas said heavily. Marcus was Dominic’s childhood friend, the man who had stood as his best man at his wedding to Claire.
Dominic refused to believe it at first, but the evidence was undeniable. Marcus had been heavily indebted to a European gambling cartel—a cartel secretly controlled by Valentin Borzov. The ultimate betrayal had come from the brother Dominic had trusted with his life. The web of drama was tightening, threatening to tear the Rossi inner circle apart from within.
