Chapter 3 - The Family Dinner Waiting to Betray Her
Chloe agreed to remain in Dominic’s secured penthouse for one night.
She took the guest suite. He stayed on another floor.
By morning, her parents had called eleven times.
Her mother’s final voicemail said, “Your father and I heard something disturbing. Come to dinner tonight. We need to discuss what you’ve done.”
Not what had happened to her.
What she had done.
Chloe had spent years trying to win approval from Richard and Diane Bennett. Her father owned a mid-sized commercial flooring business. Her mother organized charity luncheons and cared deeply about which families appeared in photographs beside hers.
They had adored Derek.
He came from money, joined her father’s country club, and called Diane “Mom” before the engagement ring was purchased.
When he cheated, Chloe’s parents urged her to forgive him.
“Men panic before marriage,” her mother had said. “Don’t throw away security because your feelings are hurt.”
Chloe went to dinner with Luca waiting outside and a recording application running on her phone.
Derek was already seated at her parents’ table.
Britney was not with him.
Her mother rose. “You look exhausted.”
“I’m pregnant.”
Diane’s hand froze above the back of her chair.
Her father stared at her stomach. “Is it Derek’s?”
“No.”
Derek lowered his eyes as though embarrassed for her.
Richard’s voice became hard. “Whose is it?”
“Dominic Russo’s.”
The dining room went silent.
Her mother sat down slowly. “That criminal?”
“He is the father.”
Derek pushed away from the table. “This is worse than I thought.”
Chloe looked at him. “Why were you outside my doctor’s office?”
His face remained composed.
“I wasn’t.”
“I saw the photograph.”
Diane interrupted. “Derek came because he was worried about you.”
“No. Derek hired someone to follow me.”
Her father slammed his palm against the table. “Enough. Do you understand what your choices could do to this family?”
“My choices?”
“Mitchell Development is financing our South Loop expansion,” Richard said. “If you start making accusations, Derek can withdraw.”
Chloe looked at her mother. “You invited me here to protect his investment?”
“We invited you because you’re behaving recklessly,” Diane replied. “You were engaged to a respectable man. Five months later, you’re pregnant by a gangster.”
“Derek cheated on me for a year.”
“You neglected the relationship,” her mother said. “You were always working.”
Derek leaned forward with practiced concern. “Chloe, no one is attacking you. But Russo is dangerous. He probably used you because he knew you had access to the gala.”
Chloe’s heartbeat slowed.
“How do you know he met me at the gala?”
Derek’s expression flickered.
She had never told her family where or when she met Dominic.
Her father looked sharply at Derek.
Diane reached for her wine.
Derek recovered quickly. “It was obvious. You coordinated the event. That’s where Russo was attacked.”
Chloe stood.
“Who told you I had access to the private study?”
No one answered.
She looked from Derek to her father.
Richard’s face carried the same expression he had worn throughout her childhood whenever a business deal had gone wrong—the tight jaw, the refusal to meet her eyes.
“You knew something about that attack,” Chloe said.
Her father rose. “Sit down.”
“What did you give him?”
“I said sit down.”
Chloe stepped away from the table.
Derek’s voice followed her.
“You always did enjoy making scenes.”
She turned.
“No, Derek. You enjoyed making me doubt what I saw.”
Then she looked at her parents.
“And you helped him do it.”
Outside, Luca opened the SUV door.
“What happened?” he asked.
Chloe climbed in, fighting tears.
“My family didn’t ask whether I was safe.”
May you like
She placed her phone in his hand.
“They asked me to stay quiet.”
