Chapter 6
The suffocating tension in the room was palpable, heavy as lead. Dominic’s gaze remained locked onto Hattie, stripping away every layer of her aristocratic defense until she was nothing more than a cowering, terrified woman.
"Take him," Dominic ordered softly, not breaking eye contact with his wife.
The two massive bodyguards moved with silent, military precision. They bypassed Dominic and hauled Michael up from the carpet by the lapels of his dress shirt. The thirty-nine-year-old brother let out a sharp, agonizing scream as his shattered ribs shifted. He was completely unable to stand, his polished leather shoes dragging uselessly against the expensive rug as the guards supported his entire weight.
"Dominic, brother, please," Michael wheezed, blood trickling from his mouth. "We can talk about this. Don't do this."
"You stopped being my brother the moment you laid a hand on our mother," Dominic replied, his voice a dead, emotionless void. He looked at his men. "Take him to the soundproof holding cells in the basement. Strip him of his phone, his wallet, and his shoes. Have the estate doctor bind his ribs so he doesn't puncture a lung. I need him conscious for what comes next."
"Yes, Boss," the lead bodyguard nodded. They dragged the groaning, defeated man out of the bright, cinematic light of the guest room, pulling him down the corridor toward the hidden, darker depths of the estate.
Once Michael was gone, Dominic turned his full attention back to Hattie. She had slid down the doorframe, collapsing into a pathetic, weeping heap on the floor, her elegant heels kicked off and discarded.
"Get up," Dominic commanded. The order was quiet, but it cracked like a whip.
Hattie scrambled to her feet, her hands shaking so violently she could barely smooth the front of her expensive dress. "Dominic, please, I love you. I was just overwhelmed. Taking care of her... it is so stressful. I lost my mind for a moment."
"You did not lose your mind," Dominic corrected her, his American accent sharp and unyielding. "You revealed your true nature. You are a parasite, Hattie. You fed off my wealth, and when you thought I wasn't looking, you tried to bite the hand that built this house."
He stepped closer, his towering frame completely dominating her.
"Take off the ring," Dominic said.
Hattie gasped, clutching her left hand to her chest. The massive, flawless diamond engagement ring and wedding band sparkled fiercely. "No, Dominic, please! This is my home! I am your wife!"
"You are nothing," Dominic stated, his eyes narrowing into cold, lethal slits. "Take it off, or I will have my men cut the finger from your hand."
The sheer, terrifying sincerity in his voice broke her entirely. Sobbing hysterically, Hattie fumbled with her trembling fingers. She slid the heavy diamond rings over her knuckle and held them out to him.
Dominic didn't take them from her hand. He simply stared at her until she dropped them. The rings hit the thick carpet with a soft, muffled thud.
"You will pack exactly one suitcase of clothing," Dominic instructed, turning his back on her to look at Elena and his mother. "No jewelry. No cash. No credit cards. You have ten minutes. Then my drivers will escort you to the city limits. If you ever contact me, or step foot in this city again, I will not be as merciful as I am being today."
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"Where am I supposed to go?" Hattie wept, completely ruined.
"I don't care," Dominic replied without looking back. "Your ten minutes started thirty seconds ago. Get out of my sight."
