Chapter 5 - THE RECORDING
Ella did not want to talk about the previous month.
When Dominic asked what she had heard, she clutched Mr. Rabbit, her worn
stuffed toy, and stared at the carpet.
“Mommy said I shouldn’t repeat grown-up conversations.”
“You won’t be in trouble.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Ella took a breath.
“One night, Mommy was talking to Uncle Adrian in the little office. I
was looking for my crayons.”
“What did they say?”
“Uncle Adrian said the money was almost gone. Mommy said you would never
check because you trusted her.”
Dominic kept his expression calm.
“Did they mention me?”
Ella nodded.
“Uncle Adrian said if you found out, Mommy could tell people you were
forgetting things. He said everyone would believe her because you work
too much.”
Dominic felt the room narrow.
“Did you hear anything else?”
“Mommy said she had to make sure I stayed with her if you got angry.”
He waited.
Ella’s eyes filled.
“She said you would send me away because you don’t know how to be a
daddy.”
Dominic pulled her into his arms.
“I will never send you away for telling the truth.”
Ella pressed her face against his shirt.
“I didn’t want you to be sad.”
“I know.”
Later that afternoon, Marcus brought him a small digital recorder
recovered from the conservatory. The household system had captured a
conversation between Seraphina and Adrian, but the file had been stored
in a device not connected to the main security network.
Dominic listened with his attorney present.
Adrian’s voice came first.
“The money won’t last. You promised me another transfer.”
Seraphina answered, “I can’t keep moving it. Dominic has started asking
questions.”
“Then make him look unstable. You have the medical notes. Tell the board
he’s exhausted and making reckless decisions.”
“He’ll never sign anything that gives you control.”
“Not if you keep acting like his loyal wife. Get the guardianship
paperwork ready. If he becomes a danger to Ella, you’ll have a reason to
take her and access the trust.”
Dominic’s hands went still.
Seraphina replied, “I don’t want to hurt him.”
“Then stop hesitating. You wanted a life with his money. This is how you
keep it.”
The recording ended.
Dominic stared at the device.
His attorney spoke carefully. “We should preserve this and provide it to
the appropriate authorities. We also need to ensure Ella is protected
and that no one pressures her to repeat anything.”
Dominic nodded.
“Do it.”
Marcus received a call. He listened, then looked at Dominic.
“Adrian has left the city. His car was seen heading toward the private
airfield.”
Dominic stood.
“Don’t pursue him recklessly. Give the information to law enforcement. I
want his travel records preserved.”
The attorney nodded.
Dominic looked toward the stairs.
“Where’s Ella?”
“With Mrs. Alvarez. She’s drawing.”
He went upstairs.
Ella had drawn a picture of a house with three people outside. One was
very tall. One had long hair. One was small and wore a yellow dress.
At the top, she had written: HOME.
Dominic sat beside her.
“That’s beautiful.”
“It’s us,” she said.
He pointed to the little figure in yellow.
“That’s you?”
Ella nodded.
“Can you draw another one?”
“What?”
“A picture of us having breakfast. And maybe one of us reading a story.”
She smiled.
May you like
“I can draw lots.”
“Good. I want to keep them.”
