Chapter 2 - THE EMPTY ENVELOPE
Dominic did not raise his voice in the study.
That frightened Seraphina more than shouting would have.
He stood behind his desk, one hand resting on the little wooden box.
Ella’s coins were still inside. He had collected them from the table
himself.
Seraphina paced near the fireplace.
“You humiliated me in front of your entire family.”
“You humiliated our daughter.”
“I was trying to teach her boundaries.”
“By charging her for affection?”
“I never said she had to pay you. I said she needed to bring you
something special if she wanted your attention.”
Dominic looked at the paper heart.
“She brought me everything she had.”
Seraphina’s expression hardened. “She has a father who works. She can’t
expect you to drop everything every time she wants to be held.”
“I don’t expect her to ask.”
“Then perhaps you should have been around enough to know what she
needed.”
The accusation struck because part of it was true.
Dominic had spent years building an empire and telling himself that
providing a beautiful home was the same as being present. He had missed
school events, bedtime stories, and ordinary afternoons. He had trusted
Seraphina to manage the household and protect Ella from the uglier parts
of his world.
He had not noticed that his daughter had learned to measure love in
coins.
“You told me she didn’t want me at her school play,” he said.
“She was nervous.”
“Mrs. Alvarez says she waited by the stage door for an hour.”
Seraphina crossed her arms. “The nanny is overstepping.”
“Did you tell Ella that I charged for hugs?”
“I did not use those words.”
“Did you take her savings?”
“No.”
“Did you make her wait outside my study?”
Seraphina’s silence lasted one second too long.
Dominic pressed the intercom.
“Marcus, bring Mrs. Alvarez to the study. And ask the household
accountant to come with the children’s expense records.”
Seraphina’s face changed.
“Why the accountant?”
“Because I want to know what happened to the money Ella was saving.”
“It was pocket change.”
“Then this should be quick.”
Twenty minutes later, Mrs. Alvarez entered with a small notebook. The
accountant followed, carrying a folder.
The nanny placed the notebook on the desk.
“I wrote down what Ella told me,” she said. “I didn’t know how else to
help her.”
Dominic opened it.
There were dates, short observations, and small amounts.
March 3: Ella asked whether her father was angry with her.
March 8: Ella waited outside the study for forty minutes. Mrs. Moretti
sent her away.
March 12: Ella gave me two dollars and asked me to keep it safe for
Daddy’s birthday.
March 19: Ella cried after hearing her father had canceled their
Saturday breakfast.
Dominic stopped reading.
He had not canceled breakfast. He had been told Ella had a stomachache
and wanted to sleep.
He looked at the accountant.
“Show me the household transfers.”
The accountant opened the folder. Most entries were ordinary, but
several monthly withdrawals were marked as children’s enrichment
expenses. They were unusually high and had been approved by Seraphina.
Dominic frowned.
“Where did these funds go?”
“I haven’t completed the review, sir. But the receiving account is not
attached to the school or activity providers.”
“Whose account?”
The accountant hesitated.
“Mrs. Moretti’s personal account.”
Seraphina stepped forward. “Those were reimbursements.”
“For what?” Dominic asked.
“Clothes, tutors, activities. Do you expect me to pay for everything
myself?”
“You’ve been given a household card with no spending limit.”
“I manage this family.”
Dominic closed the folder.
“Then you should have no trouble explaining the records.”
Seraphina looked at Mrs. Alvarez.
“You will regret this.”
Dominic moved between them.
“Do not threaten my staff.”
“I am your wife.”
“And Ella is my daughter.”
He ordered a temporary audit of all household accounts and instructed
security to preserve the estate’s camera footage. Seraphina stormed out,
saying he would regret choosing a servant over his own wife.
Mrs. Alvarez remained beside the desk.
“Sir, I should have spoken earlier.”
“Yes,” Dominic said. “You should have.”
Her eyes lowered.
“But you did the right thing tonight.”
He picked up the paper heart again.
“Tell me something. Has Ella ever asked for anything else?”
The nanny’s expression softened.
“She asked me once whether you knew how to braid hair. She wanted you to
learn before her school picture day.”
Dominic looked at the little wooden box.
He had faced armed men without blinking. Yet the thought of his daughter
May you like
asking someone else whether he knew how to braid her hair nearly brought
him to his knees.
