Chapter 7 - An Unexpected Visitor
By late afternoon, the storm had deepened. News outlets were reporting that Vance Enterprises had filed for an emergency injunction against Dominic’s logistics group. Stock prices took an initial hit, and the lobby of Dominic’s building was swarming with reporters hoping for a glimpse of the reclusive titan.
Then, the lobby intercom buzzed.
""Mr. Rossi,"" the front desk concierge said, his voice unusually hesitant. ""Miss Claire Vance is in the lobby. She insists on coming up alone. She says it is personal, not business.""
Dominic glanced at Elena, who was resting on an armchair with a medical journal on childbirth in her lap. She looked up and gave him an encouraging nod. ""Let her up, Dominic. She deserves a voice.""
Three minutes later, the elevator doors opened. Claire stepped out, wearing a simple trench coat and flat shoes, completely devoid of the high-society glamour she had donned the night before. Her face was pale, but her posture was surprisingly tall and resolute.
""Claire,"" Dominic began, stepping forward. ""If you're here on your father's behalf—""
""My father doesn't know I'm here,"" Claire interrupted. Her voice was thin, but it didn't tremble. She walked into the living room, setting a leather briefcase on the coffee table. ""And for the first time in twenty-eight years, I don't care what my father thinks.""
She looked at Elena, taking a breath before unzipping the briefcase. Inside were stacks of manila folders, bank statements, and encrypted digital storage drives.
""What is this?"" Dominic asked, his brow furrowing.
""It’s the evidence of my father's offshore accounts, his systematic tax fraud, and the debt-kiting schemes he used to force you into the merger,"" Claire said quietly. ""He didn't want to unite our companies to build a legacy, Dominic. He needed your clean capital to cover fifty million dollars in embezzled pension funds from his own workers. He was using me as the bait and you as the scapegoat.""
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Dominic looked from the files to Claire's face, stunned. ""Claire... if you leak this, your family's name is destroyed. Your trust fund, your social standing—everything disappears.""
""My social standing was a cage, Dominic,"" Claire replied, a bitter tear rolling down her cheek. ""I watched you last night. When you stood in front of that door, you looked terrified—not of losing your money, but of losing the woman you loved and the child she carries. I have never once in my life had anyone look at me like they would sacrifice the world just to protect my peace. My father certainly never did. I won't let him ruin a baby's life just to keep his golf club membership.""
