Chapter 11 - Isabella’s Voice
No one moved.
Vivien stared at the screen.
Isabella typed again.
I DID NOT SIGN THAT DOCUMENT.
The room changed.
Whispers.
Chairs shifting.
A banker put down his wine.
The senator looked toward Dominic.
Vivien laughed.
“This is absurd.”
Isabella typed.
THE SIGNATURE IS FORGED.
Vivien looked at Dominic.
“Turn that off.”
Dominic sat.
“No.”
Her face hardened.
“You know she’s confused.”
Isabella typed faster.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE I AM.
Then:
I KNOW EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE.
Vivien’s breathing changed.
She stepped toward Isabella.
Rocco moved between them.
“Sit down, Ms. Morrow.”
“Get out of my way.”
Dominic spoke.
“Sit.”
Vivien looked at him.
The word stopped her.
She sat.
Isabella continued.
THREE WEEKS AGO, I FOUND A DOCUMENT GIVING VIVIEN MORROW POWER OVER MY VOTING SHARES.
I NEVER AUTHORIZED IT.
Elaine Porter stood.
“For clarity, Mrs. Virelli, are you stating that the power-of-attorney amendment presented tonight was created without your consent?”
Isabella typed.
YES.
“Did you sign it?”
NO.
“Did you authorize anyone to sign for you?”
NO.
Elaine nodded.
“Thank you.”
Vivien slammed her palm on the table.
“This is a setup.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Yes.”
Guests stared.
Dominic did not pretend otherwise.
“A setup to let you use a forged document in public.”
Vivien’s face went pale.
“You manipulated me.”
Dominic’s eyes hardened.
“You drugged my mother.”
Gasps moved around the room.
Vivien stood again.
“That is a lie.”
Dr. Mercer entered through the side door.
Vivien froze.
Mercer carried a folder.
“I drew Isabella’s blood last night.”
He looked around.
“Results returned this afternoon.”
Vivien stared.
Mercer continued.
“They show benzodiazepine metabolites inconsistent with any medication I prescribed.”
He placed the folder on the table.
“Repeated exposure.”
The senator stood.
“I think I should leave.”
Dominic looked at him.
“You may.”
Several guests began rising.
Isabella typed.
PLEASE STAY.
They stopped.
Another line appeared.
YOU WERE INVITED TO WITNESS MY BLESSING.
TONIGHT YOU WILL WITNESS MY TRUTH.
Slowly, people sat again.
Dominic looked at his mother.
Pride tightened his chest.
Vivien saw it.
Something inside her broke.
“You always choose her.”
Dominic turned.
“She’s my mother.”
“I was going to be your wife.”
“You threatened a child.”
“I was scared.”
“You sent men to his school.”
“I never told them to take him.”
Marin stood.
“You described my son’s backpack.”
Vivien looked at her.
“You threatened his inhaler.”
“I never said I’d hurt him.”
“You said he could disappear.”
Marin’s voice shook.
“But you made one mistake.”
Vivien stared.
Marin continued.
“You thought being poor meant I could be bought with fear.”
Silence.
“You thought because I needed the job, I would help you erase another woman.”
Vivien looked away.
Marin’s voice grew stronger.
“I was afraid.”
She glanced toward Isabella.
“I almost did what you wanted.”
Then she looked back.
“But Isabella spent eighteen months teaching everyone in this house something you never understood.”
Vivien frowned.
Marin said.
“Silence is not consent.”
Isabella’s eyes filled with tears.
The sentence appeared on the screen seconds later.
SILENCE IS NOT CONSENT.
No one in the room looked away.
Vivien’s face twisted.
“You’re enjoying this.”
Marin shook her head.
“No.”
“I am.”
Everyone turned toward Dominic.
He stood.
His voice was low.
“I’m enjoying watching my mother get her voice back.”
Vivien stared.
Dominic continued.
“But everything else about tonight makes me sick.”
He reached inside his jacket.
Removed her engagement ring.
Placed it on the table.
Vivien looked at it.
“Put it on.”
“No.”
“Dominic.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled.
“You said you loved me.”
“I did.”
“Then fight for us.”
“I am fighting.”
He pointed toward Isabella.
“For the people you hurt.”
Vivien’s tears spilled.
“What about me?”
Dominic said nothing.
That silence hurt more than any answer.
Vivien reached for her handbag.
Rocco immediately stepped forward.
“Hands where I can see them.”
She laughed.
“You think I brought a gun?”
“No.”
Rocco said.
“I think you bring leverage.”
Vivien froze.
Rocco took the handbag.
Inside were cosmetics.
A wallet.
Keys.
And a small black flash drive.
Dominic stared.
Vivien lunged.
Rocco moved it away.
“Give me that.”
Dominic held out his hand.
Rocco gave him the drive.
“What is it?”
Vivien stopped struggling.
Dominic understood.
“The archive?”
She said nothing.
Lucas Bennett approached.
“Don’t plug that into anything connected to our network.”
Dominic handed it to him.
Lucas sealed it in an evidence pouch.
Vivien smiled suddenly.
“That’s not the only copy.”
Dominic looked at her.
“There are twelve.”
The room went silent again.
“Where?”
“Different people.”
“Who?”
“People who know what your father was.”
Dominic studied her.
Vivien’s smile returned.
“You can humiliate me tonight.”
“But at midnight, twelve emails go out.”
Elaine checked her watch.
Nine twelve.
Vivien leaned toward Dominic.
“You have less than three hours.”
“Until?”
“Every major newspaper on the East Coast gets the archive.”
Dominic shrugged.
“Send it.”
Vivien’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re still pretending you don’t care.”
“I told you last night.”
“They don’t only contain Antonio’s records.”
“I know.”
Vivien froze.
Dominic continued.
“Charles told me you planned to alter them.”
Her face went blank.
That was enough for everyone in the room.
Elaine immediately spoke.
“You just reacted to an accusation of evidence fabrication.”
Vivien turned.
“Oh, shut up.”
Elaine smiled thinly.
“Thank you.”
Vivien realized too late.
Dominic looked toward the side doors.
Two Rhode Island State Police detectives entered.
Vivien stared at them.
Dominic spoke.
“You should have left when you had the chance.”
The lead detective approached.
“Vivien Morrow?”
She stepped backward.
“You can’t.”
He identified himself.
Then began informing her of her rights.
Vivien looked at Dominic.
“You think arresting me stops midnight?”
Dominic stared.
“No.”
She smiled triumphantly.
“Then you still need me.”
Before Dominic could respond, Lucas Bennett’s phone rang.
He listened.
His expression changed.
He walked quickly toward Dominic.
“We have a bigger problem.”
“What?”
Lucas lowered his voice.
“Someone just used the second physical archive key in Geneva.”
Dominic looked at Isabella.
Her token remained around her neck.
Antonio’s missing key.
May you like
Lucas continued.
“They’re inside the vault.”
