Chapter 8
Z
I sat in Sophia’s office at midnight, wrapping a warm wool coat around myself as the rain continued to pour outside.
"What did he do, Sophia?" I asked, taking a sip of hot tea.
Sophia laid a series of legal filings on the glass coffee table between us.
"When Dominic realized Paige was broke and his mother was locked up without bail," Sophia explained, "he went to a predatory private lender—a notorious mob-affiliated hard-money firm in Queens called Apex Capital."
I narrowed my eyes. "What did he borrow money for?"
"He took out a five million dollar high-interest emergency loan to pay his mother’s bail," Sophia said. "And do you know what he used as collateral for the loan?"
A cold realization washed over me. "The mansion."
"Exact legal wording," Sophia nodded grimly. "He presented an old, forged property deed from four years ago—before your holding firm bought the estate—claiming he was the sole, unencumbered owner of the Vance Manor in Westchester. Apex Capital’s underwriters didn't do a deep title search because Dominic promised them a twenty percent interest return within thirty days. They gave him five million in cash yesterday morning."
I let out a breathless, incredulous laugh. "He committed bank fraud and grand larceny against loan sharks?"
"Worse," Sophia smiled grimly. "He took the five million in cash to the courthouse to bail Victoria out. But because the District Attorney had already frozen all of Dominic’s assets under the federal corporate tax investigation, the court clerk flagged the five million dollars as potentially illicit funds derived from criminal activity. Under federal law, the court seized the five million dollars instantly under civil asset forfeiture!"
I stared at her in utter disbelief. "So... Victoria didn't get out of jail?"
"Nope," Sophia smirked. "Victoria is still sitting in her cell at Rikers. The five million dollars is now in a federal holding account. And Dominic now owes five million dollars—plus twenty percent interest—to the most ruthless mobsters in New York City, secured by a house he doesn't even own!"
"He’s completely insane," I whispered. "He's lost his mind."
"He's desperate, Audrey," Sophia corrected. "And Apex Capital realized two hours ago that the deed Dominic gave them was totally fake. The house belongs to Crestwood Holdings. They realized they've been scammed out of five million dollars."
Right on cue, my phone rang. It was an unrecognized, unlisted local number.
I put it on speaker. "Hello?"
"Audrey... oh God, Audrey, please help me!"
It was Dominic. But his voice wasn't just desperate anymore—it was filled with sheer, primal, paralyzed terror. I could hear heavy breathing and muffled thuds in the background, as if he were hiding in a closet or a small space.
"Dominic?" I said coldly.
"They're outside my room, Audrey!" he whimpered, his voice trembling so violently he could barely articulate words. "They found me at the motel! They have guns! They said they're going to break my legs and throw me in the East River if I don't give them the five million by midnight!"
"You committed fraud against loan sharks, Dominic," I said without a shred of sympathy. "What did you think was going to happen?"
"I did it for my mother!" he sobbed hysterically. "I had to get her out! You locked her up! You did this to us!"
"No, Dominic. You did this to yourself," I snapped. "You forged a deed to a property I own. You stole from criminals. You destroyed your company. You cheated on your wife. You stepped over me while I was bleeding. Every single decision that brought you to this moment was yours."
"Please, Audrey! I'm begging you!" he screamed silently into the receiver. "You have eighty million dollars! Five million is pocket change for you! Pay off Apex Capital! I'll do anything! I'll be your slave! I'll sign a confession! I'll testify against my mother! Just save my life!"
I listened to his pathetic, sniveling voice—the voice of the man who used to look down on me, mock my clothes, and tell me I was nothing without his family.
"Do you remember what your mother said to me when I was lying at the bottom of the stairs, Dominic?" I asked quietly.
Silence fell on the line, save for his ragged breathing.
"She said, 'Maybe now you'll remember your place,'" I quoted, every word like a hammer hitting steel. "Now it's your turn to remember yours."
"Audrey! No! DON'T HANG UP—"
Through the receiver, I heard the loud, splintering sound of a door being kicked off its hinges, followed by violent shouting in deep, menacing voices: “WHERE’S THE MONEY, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT?!”
Then came Dominic’s blood-curdling scream, followed by the sound of the phone hitting the floor, a brutal scuffle, and then... dial tone.
Sophia looked at me, her eyes wide. "Should we call the police?"
I picked up my teacup and took a slow, calm sip.
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"The police are already on their way to arrest him for bank fraud," I said smoothly. "If Apex Capital gets to him first, that’s between Dominic and his new business partners."
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