Chapter 56 Chapter 56
Dominic's POV
The skyline was black against the city's golden haze, interrupted by glass and concrete. My office was gloomy, the sole illumination coming from the windows that went from floor to ceiling. My hands rested at the small of my back, jaw set, eyes fixed on the glittering view below as Lester's voice echoed down the phone.
"Paperwork is tight," replied Lester, calm and assured. "Good thing is she signed willingly, no pressure, no coercion. That visitation statement reads neutral, but it leaves the door wide open."
I turned and walked slowly. "And the suit?"
"Already rolling. The court summons will reach her in an hour. Your PR people have the press release draft. It paints you as a concerned father making a peaceful attempt to be reunited with his daughter. No shots fired, only redemption."
I nodded to myself, a smile creasing the corner of my mouth. "Perfect."
Lester grinned. "She probably fulfilled, she doesn't know what's coming."
"She thinks it's over," I said, pouring myself a glass of bourbon from the side bar. Bourbon, perfect for the moment. The fumes scalded as it splashed into the glass. "She thinks this was compromise."
I swirled it slow and let it burn in my chest.
"She doesn't know the game," I continued, my tone low, measured. "You don't go after me and get off scot-free. You don't keep my daughter, hide for years, and just think a handshake will wipe the slate clean. She felt that she was in charge with her courtroom drama and silence. But with this compromise, it's over for her."
Lester remained quiet for a beat. Then he said, "We send out the story tonight. Let it seep over the weekend. By Monday, you're the man who fights for his daughter. She's the ghost who kept you in check trying to cover up her own tracks. That's what the world sees."
I nodded again. "Good. Let her stew over it. I want her beg on her knees with tears. Maybe then we can talk on even terms."
We hung up after a little more talk and I put the phone on the side of my desk. I stood there awhile, with my glass of bourbon in hand, watching as the day grew brighter. The city always looked so tidy from where I was. So civilized. Unlike the chaos down there.
…………
Someone rapped at the door. My assistant poked her head in. "Mr. Dominic, the guests have arrived. Would you like to have them come up to meet you in the lounge?"
"Yes. I'll be down in a minute."
It wasn't a celebration, not tonight. It was suits and clinking glasses of strategy. Investors, legal counsel, a handful of friends. All the people who'd supported me through this PR storm. We were preparing to turn the corner. To rebrand and reinvent.
By the time I arrived at the lounge, music was subdued, and conversation went like wine. I welcomed familiar faces, exchanged firm handshakes, and accepted humble compliments. But mentally, I was ten steps ahead.
The court move was pure genius. By flipping the situation and accusing Liana of isolating my parental rights, we had sympathy and leverage on our side. All while keeping her ignorant until it was too late.
She needed a clean ending. I wanted war.
Then my phone rang again. I took it out of my pocket and saw the name flash on the screen: Liana.
I pushed out of the group, heading towards the balcony. I answered with a listless confidence.
"Dominic," she said into the phone, her tone strained.
"What is this?"
I didn't answer.
"I just got a court notice," she continued. "You petitioned for custody? That wasn't part of the agreement. How dare you ambush me?"
I propped myself against the railing, tilting my glass towards the air. "You should have known better than to play tricks on me,Liana.” I said calmly, half-smiling. "You thought I would dance to your tune? You keep my daughter without telling me I even had one and reappear with offers, and expect that I would give in? You still do not realize, do you?"
There was silence from her. I could almost picture her, her standing there with her phone gripped in hand, face pale, lips pursed into a tight line.
“You signed up for war, Liana," I said slowly. "Now you're getting it. I gave you a chance to settle this quietly. You chose manipulation, you think just because you walked in there with your little company, a fistful of biting insults and a smile, you were in charge? No."
I turned once more into the room, watching the people mingling, the laughter, the partying.
You came into my territory, Liana. And now you're going to learn how it works. This is not your charity lunch or your feel-good cause. This is a blood sport. And I do not lose. You of all people should know that.
I could hear her breathing hard on the other end, but she didn't say a word. So I hung up, feeling very triumphant. I stood there for a few more seconds, the bourbon still clutched in my hand, my heart even. The skyline flashed by me, the city vibrating with blind life.
She always underestimates me. She thought I was the man she knew. The man she had dragged in the last month, but I was back for her. And this time, I am stronger, more merciless. Sharper than a razor.
This time, I'd make her remember what I am.
No second chances. No pity. The leash had been removed. And she didn't even know what she'd just signed.