Chapter 8
Dominic was allowed into the consultation area only after hospital security arrived.
Not into the room.
Outside it.
Through the glass, I saw him arguing with a woman in a dark suit who introduced herself as the hospital’s patient advocate.
Victoria stood behind him, furious.
Natalie kept checking her phone.
At one point, she covered her mouth.
Something had reached her too.
Dominic saw me looking and immediately changed his face.
That was the frightening part.
He softened.
He looked worried.
He placed one palm against the glass like a husband desperate to reconcile.
Audrey, he mouthed.
I looked away.
My father stayed on speaker.
“Do not interpret performance as remorse.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
I looked at Leo in the bassinet.
Then at the door.
“I’m learning.”
Gerald Pierce called in next.
His voice was older than my father’s, crisp and calm.
“Audrey, I need to confirm: Did Dominic provide safe transportation after discharge?”
“No.”
“Did he offer assistance despite your surgical condition?”
“No.”
“Did he attempt to separate you from the baby?”
I paused.
Not directly.
But almost everything he had done pointed toward that outcome.
“He treated Leo as part of the inconvenience.”
Gerald did not soften the word.
“Noted.”
Dominic’s phone vibrated again.
This time, I saw him stumble half a step away from Victoria.
Natalie grabbed his arm.
He pulled free.
Victoria demanded something.
Dominic snapped at her.
That was new.
He never snapped at his mother in public.
Gerald said, “He is receiving preservation notices.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means he and certain parties are being instructed not to delete messages, move assets, alter records, or contact specified institutions under false pretenses.”
My stomach tightened.
“Dad…”
Charles answered gently.
“We are not discussing the full file right now.”
“Why?”
“Because you just had surgery, and your son is five days old.”
I stared at the three bills on the table.
My father continued.
“The only decision you need to make today is whether you want to go with Dominic.”
I looked through the glass at my husband.
May you like
“No.”
Read the full story 👉 Dominic tried to perform concern through the glass, but the preservation notices showed Audrey’s father had already moved the fight beyond appearances.
